Dear College of Science Faculty and Staff, We need good news. For our mental well-being, we need a counterpoint to everything worrying. So, this week, let’s find some. We won’t forget about deeply troubling current situations or diminish their importance. But let’s take a different view right now. There are websites focused on good news. The stories are often individual, a lost toddler found safe - asleep with her dog, a cat returning home after three years. Some stories are much larger, for example, debt activists buying out $10M in student debt. And a report of the successful US Department of Agriculture anti-rabies vaccination program for raccoons, who are carriers – by air dropping vanilla or fishmeal flavored treats that include an oral vaccine. At an even larger scale, it’s not difficult to find good news. Much is about science. In 2016, a small NASA spacecraft named OSIRIS-REx set out for the asteroid belt, and amazingly collected about 8oz of sample from the tiny asteroid Bennu. Even more amazingly, the spacecraft flew back to earth a month ago, and 63,000 feet above earth’s surface, released the sample in a capsule, which floated down safely to land in Utah as planned. OSIRIS-REx did not stop, hurrying by its home planet, on to sample another asteroid. All the best OSIRIS-REx, well done. And well done to the scientists who brilliantly organized the entire mission. I loved this encouraging Scientific American article, reminding of the good news that we had solved two HUGE environmental challenges, acid rain and the ozone hole, through multinational agreements and action. And regulations have done something, albeit small, to mitigate the temperature rise wrought by climate change. The article encourages that we need keep going, working bit by bit to meet our massive environmental challenges. Then there is promising medical news. This week a panel approved safety of a CRISPR approach to cure sickle cell disease. CRISPR is a powerful method that can change DNA code. This disorder is caused by a faulty gene which makes red blood cells adopt a crescent shape, and these get stuck in blood vessels, with debilitating outcomes. The CRISPR approach fixes the faulty gene. There are many remaining considerations, including that the cure must be equitably available and covered by medical insurance. But this is indeed the Good Power of Science in action. We have lots of good news in our College as we move through the semester. It was lovely to see everyone at the fun Halloween Social! The Co-op Team ran an exciting Student/Employer Partner mixer! Thank you to everyone who organized these. Faculty searches are underway, promotion cases moving along, thank you to everyone involved. Thank you to everyone suggesting interesting ideas to promote undergraduate research, and thank you for working to extend our great Bridge to Calculus program to other disciplines. Thank you for planning your goals around our Strategic Plan. We’ll be collecting Strategic Plan successes every semester and building a visually exciting showcase of progress. This week I would include the good news of crisp November air, and late Fall ginko leaves making a beautiful yellow pattern on the courtyard outside Snell. Please find your counterpoint to worry, in some good news this week. Warmest wishes to everyone.
Some Good News – 11.3.2023