SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " engagement " 597 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Latvia pilots citizen engagement in research grant evaluations
Latvia has introduced an element of citizen engagement to the evaluation of nationally funded research grants. The aim is to both create more connections between science and society, and to improve the quality of its evaluations. The move comes as research funders across Europe are experimenting with ways to improve evaluation processes in the face of a sharpened focus on science’s impact on society. Evaluators of grant applications submitted to Latvia’s Fundamental and Applied Research Programme (FLPP), the country’s main research funder, will this year have the option of consulting citizen feedback on challenges the public thinks science should focus on to inform their decisions. “In recent years, both public discussions and policy-level debates in Latvia have highlighted the importance of demonstrating how publicly funded research contributes to society, the economy and the resolution of real-world challenges,” said a source at the Latvian Council of Science (LCS), which manages the FLPP. “At the same time, research institutions themselves expressed interest in improving the project evaluation framework while continuing to ensure that funding is awarded to the highest-quality projects,” the source added. The citizen input comes from a survey that was conducted between 25 February and 16 March 2025, to which 1,737 people responded. It gathered information on what the public views as problem areas for Latvia, and the role of science and technology in providing solutions to these problems. A summary of these responses has been included as an annex to the FLPP 2026 call for proposals that evaluators can refer to, purely in an advisory manner, when judging proposals. Results from the survey show that the main problem areas identified by the public were in healthcare and public health, followed by the development of new treatment methods and medicines, and then digital technology, data security and cyber security. At the bottom of the list was research aimed at acquiring new knowledge about the universe, matter and the laws of nature. Further analysis looked at the public view of the possible role of science in solving these problems. The survey charted 4,167 individual responses based on open-ended questions that were derived from the participants’ answers. The analysis again found that medical and health sciences topped the scoring, with 788 responses referring to the field. Humanities and the arts were bottom of the list, with 625. Digging further into the details, the survey suggests citizens are aware of and concerned about a number of research areas. This includes technologies and innovation to improve the environment or reduce pollution, the development of modern military technologies and cybersecurity tools, and the development and application of artificial intelligence, among others. “We hope this initiative will help strengthen public trust in science and create a more meaningful dialogue between researchers and society,” the LCS source said, adding that it offers benefits to researchers, evaluators and to the general public. More space for citizen engagement in evaluationsThere is a gradual but increasing use of citizen engagement in research evaluation processes around Europe, especially in healthcare, but it remains relatively rare, said Henry Sauermann, a professor at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin and an expert in citizen science.“Given that we are at a point where citizen involvement is extremely limited, there is presumably space for more, but it's not that we should do it just because we want to do it,” he told Science|Business. He said some research lends itself better to having citizen input, and this usually tends to be on the applied end of the science spectrum where the public can offer useful feedback based on their experiences. He added that advising scientists on certain topics to study is also a useful approach, in the way that Latvia is doing. “The public does fund a lot of science, there's a lot of tax money going into this. We of course do want to preserve academic freedom, but it's also not unreasonable to incorporate more feedback or input from citizens where possible,” he said. Related articlesCitizen science: where, when, and how to let the public contribute to researchHow can Europe cope with a flood of AI-assisted research grant proposals?Data Corner: Horizon Europe’s AI, digital and data call success rate is 5.2%There are several ways of involving citizens in science funding. The most minimal way is having a few representatives on a panel, such as members of a patient group or union. The most direct way is crowdsourcing funding for specific projects. There is an increasing number of online platforms that allow the public to chip in to support scientific proposals.Sauermann studied this in a recent paper and found that it can have its uses, but it still is not clear if there are benefits to it. There are various assumptions linked to citizen engagement, for example that it increases public trust in science, or that it provides a representative view of what the public thinks about science. These are not necessarily true, Sauermann found. People who participate in engagement activities tend to already be very trusting of science, and, on the whole, it is generally the well-off and well educated who contribute, giving a narrow view of public opinion. On whether citizen input can help manage the increasing number of proposals that are being submitted due to assistance from AI, Sauermann is more sceptical. “The obvious answer to the flood of AI-written proposals is AI-driven evaluation,” he said, adding that it doesn’t mean citizen engagement shouldn’t be a part of evaluations in a well thought-out manner. Southern Denmark’s successful approachOne successful example of citizen engagement in science evaluations was implemented in southern Denmark. Between 2019 and 2025, citizens in the region were invited to vote to fund one of five pre-selected projects in the field of healthcare. The project, called A Healthier Southern Denmark, was a collaboration between regional authorities, the University of Southern Denmark, and two media partners. Over the seven years, there were 75,000 votes and significant public engagement online and on social media. “It was a bit of a wild project, we’d never done something like that before and we were a bit nervous about what would be said in the media about it. But actually, people were very positive,” said Anne Kathrine Overgaard, one of the main organisers of the project from the University of Southern Denmark. The university and its researchers have learned a lot from the experience, particularly about engaging with society and shaping their research to match real-world needs. This is important with Europe’s increasing focus on competitiveness and bringing innovations to market faster, Overgaard said. She hopes to see more citizen engagement in evaluation processes and in science more broadly. “For many years, citizen engagement has been a bit of an add-on to proposals, just to check a box. But I think things are changing,” she said. It’s less about citizens just gathering data and more “about the dialogue between the public and the scientists,” she said. The initiative ended last year as the team wanted to regroup to find fresh momentum. The development of AI and AI-written proposals has made Overgaard reflect on how the project could be reworked to help evaluators. She hopes to bring it back in the future. “It could be a good idea to try this initiative again in a slightly re-worked format,” she said.
NFL, NBA unions applaud efforts on bill designed to fix college sports in letter obtained by the AP
The NFL Players Association and National Basketball Players Association teamed up on letter to leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee, applauding their efforts on a recently introduced Senate bill designed to fix college sports. The unions wrote that they support the bill for provisions that guarantee NIL rights and provide medical and healthcare benefits. “We encourage continued meaningful stakeholder engagement and negotiations to further strengthen the bill as it moves through Congress to ensure college athletes are protected and empowered,” read the letter addressed to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.
Ecsite 2026
Across three days of discussion and debate, museums and science centre professionals explored the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of public engagement with science
Rice STEM-Letics camp turns sports into gateway for engineering
STEM-Letics, a summer camp hosted by Rice’s Center for STEM Engagement and Rice Athletics, introduces students in grades three through five to science, technology, engineering and math through sports and hands-on activities.
United States Announces U.S. Government Members of the U.S.-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council
United States Announces U.S. Government Members of the U.S.-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council Press Release June 16, 2026 Today, at the fifth annual Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF 2026), the United States announced the following inaugural members of the U.S.-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council: U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Vice President Bethany Aquilina Brez Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) Senior Vice President Sarah Witten Assistant Secretary of Commerce, David Fogel Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs, Caleb Orr U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Jonathan Henick Launched in Washington, D.C., in April 2026, the U.S.-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council serves as the premier bilateral platform to accelerate trade and catalyze private sector investment between the United States and Uzbekistan. The Council is Co-Chaired by Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, Ambassador Sergio Gor and Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Council gives American businesses direct access to U.S. government financing, trade promotion, and market development tools to execute large-scale projects in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan holds significant reserves of critical minerals essential to U.S. technology, defense, and energy sectors. The Council provides a direct mechanism to advance U.S. access to these resources through transparent, mutually beneficial partnerships. Through their participation, the American members of the Council will deepen the institutional framework for American commercial engagement in Uzbekistan.
Electronic Arts Introduces EA Advertising, Launching Brands Directly Into Gameplay and Live Experiences
Connecting brands to highly engaged audiences through an exclusive EA SPORTS Partner Program, in-game integrations, creative partnerships, and scalable advertising capabilities across EA’s global portfolio Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), the global leader in interactive entertainment, today announced the launch of EA Advertising , a new platform transforming how brands connect with audiences through digital and real-world experiences across its global portfolio of games. EA sits at the intersection of entertainment, sports, technology, music, and culture. Across console, mobile, and PC, our games and services reached more than 120 million players 1 each month during fiscal year 2026. Together, this scale and frequency of engagement create meaningful opportunities for brands to connect with audiences through authentic, interactive experiences. EA SPORTS is one of the largest interactive sports platforms in the world, connecting hundreds of millions of players across console, PC, and
Mind, Body, Soul: Self-Care Is Health care Community Health Day
Ethan Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church invites residents throughout the Miami Valley and surrounding communities to attend its “Mind, Body, Soul: Self-Care Is Healthcare: Community Health Day” on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Ethan Temple SDA Church, 4000 Shiloh Springs Road, Clayton, Ohio 45315.The free community event is designed to promote holistic wellness by addressing physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health while connecting individuals and families with valuable healthcare and community resources.The day opens with Morning Worship at 11:00 a.m., featuring guest speaker Alberta Scruggs, a licensed registered dietitian and nutritionist, who will share practical guidance on nutrition, self-care, and healthy living. Following the service, attendees will enjoy refreshments and a light lunch before taking part in the afternoon's health screenings, community resource fair, and wellness-focused activities.From 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., attendees will have access to free health screenings provided through a partnership with Premier Health, along with information and resources from local health and human service organizations.A Community Health Fair from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. will feature representatives from several organizations such as Black Women’s Health Initiative, CareSource, and many more.Recognizing the growing importance of emotional wellness, the event will also feature a Mental Health Panel Discussion from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. led by respected professionals in behavioral health and counseling. The panel will provide an opportunity for open conversation, education, and community engagement around mental health awareness, treatment, and support.In addition to health services and educational opportunities, attendees will receive complimentary lunch bags while supplies last, and school supplies will be distributed to students and families while supplies last.The Community Health Day is open to the public and free of charge. No registration is required.
Colorado Politics Calendar June 15-21
CoPo’s weekly political calendar helps you find political and public policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
How 2026 campaigns are deploying creators to spread their message
With a growing number of adults using social media for political engagement, campaigns work with influencers on the platforms to advertise to new audiences. But are influencers profiting at the expense of voter transparency?
City Council Business Meeting on June 16, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
The Palm Coast City Council meets regularly to discuss and vote on official City business. These meetings are open to the public, and Palm Coast residents are strongly encouraged to attend. An increase in public engagement helps to build a stronger sense of community, increase valuable discussions, and decrease division.
INTERVENT International and Brand Engagement Network Launch INTERVENT Health AI, Inc., Combining 25+ Years of Clinically Validated Health Coaching with Enterprise-Grade Conversational AI
/PRNewswire/ -- Brand Engagement Network Inc. (NASDAQ: BNAI) ("BEN" or the "Company"), a provider of secure, enterprise-grade artificial intelligence for the...
WHO urges targeted action to strengthen emergency workforce capacities for shared health risks across the Asia-Pacific region
At a time when the world is more interconnected than ever, the World Health Organization (WHO) is disseminating a comprehensive regional analysis of shared health risks across Asia and the Pacific, urging Member States to invest in enhancing workforce capacities regionwide to mitigate these risks and ensure health systems are better prepared to anticipate, tackle and withstand a range of crises and shocks. Over 100 delegates from 49 countries and areas in the Asia-Pacific region reviewed results from the regional risk analysis during the WHO-led Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework (APHSAF) Stakeholders Meeting in Malaysia. Synthesizing insights from 21 strategic risk assessments and more than 800 multisectoral experts, the regional analysis highlighted an urgent imperative: countries must proactively invest in emergency workforce preparedness to navigate a landscape where climate hazards, disease outbreaks and geophysical events increasingly overlap. These complex converging crises create devastating, compounding impacts on health systems and communities – reiterating the need for investing in a fit-for-purpose regional health workforce and multisectoral action.Key findings: an evolving risk landscape More than half of the participating countries ranked flooding, cyclones, dengue and pandemic-potential respiratory pathogens as being of high or very high risk, while antimicrobial resistance, landslides and gastroenteritis remain widespread concerns as well. “Given that 51% – over half – of these assessed hazards are deeply interconnected, isolated health interventions are no longer sufficient,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “Extreme weather events like cyclones and floods directly trigger subsequent disease outbreaks, while environmental degradation – driven by sea-level rise, coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion – fuels health risks across the Pacific. Mitigating these cascading risks requires unified, cross-sectoral action linking environmental, agricultural and public health policies to build true regional resilience.” Priority recommendations for action To address critical vulnerabilities, WHO calls on Member States in the Asia-Pacific region to urgently prioritize the following strategic actions: Bridge workforce capacity gaps. Embed and standardize emergency preparedness within academia to promote regional workforce interoperability. Foster multisectoral coordination. Address ad-hoc taskforce responses and fragmented surge support through formalized contingency plans and standard operating procedures that are frequently updated and tested. Secure sustainable financing for emergencies. Overcome systemic barriers to access dedicated funding for both immediate anticipatory actions and long-term emergency preparedness initiatives. Enable emergency-ready primary health care. Embed emergency management into public health workforce readiness planning. Ensure that emergency planning is inclusive. Establish clear pathways for inclusive emergency planning that actively involves communities most at risk and other vulnerable groups. Optimize communication. Update risk communication and community engagement strategies, aligning them with seasonal risk calendars. Elevating workforce readiness to meet regional health risks While the gaps identified are significant, the Asia-Pacific region possesses solid foundational pillars, including dedicated clinicians, laboratory staff, rapid response teams, emergency medical teams and extensive community networks. However, to adequately address the compounding nature of modern crises, the various components of the emergency workforce must collaborate cohesively. True resilience depends entirely on transforming this currently fragmented workforce into a highly trained, interconnected and rapidly deployable asset. To achieve this, WHO is actively advancing regional workforce capacities through the Global Health Emergency Corps initiative. This initiative – supported by the Gates Foundation and the Institute of Philanthropy – seeks to build a seamless network of emergency workforce across borders and sectors, ensuring that when a crisis strikes, a standardized, well-coordinated and trained workforce is immediately ready to respond. “Scaling up emergency workforce readiness is no longer optional,” said Dr Gina Samaan, Regional Emergency Director for WHO in the Western Pacific. “It is the definitive factor that will determine how effectively the Asia-Pacific region safeguards health and protects lives in an increasingly unpredictable future.” ____________________For more information, or to arrange media interviews, contact: Ara Johannes, WHO Western Pacific Health Emergencies Division: johannesa@who.int WHO Western Pacific Communications: wprocom@who.int
Science educators explore STEAM lessons during immersive visit to OSF Jump Simulation & Education Center
Key Takeaways:Science educators from across Illinois explored hands-on STEAM activities at OSF Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center, gaining classroom-ready ideas and resources.OSF HealthCare highlighted free educational tools and activities that inspire student interest in health care and STEAM careers.Educators discovered new engagement ...
Roundup: Small business owners / Elevated car prices / Teacher bonuses
Content creators: Some 73% of small business owners now identify as creators, showing how entrepreneurship is increasingly tied to content creation. These owners are building businesses through social media, audience engagement and personal branding alongside traditional operations. Overall, this reflects a shift where being a “creator” is becoming a core part of running a small […]
What Brands Get Wrong About Sports Sponsorships—and How to Get Them Right
Companies spend billions sponsoring major sporting events, yet many still evaluate success primarily through exposure metrics such as logo visibility and immediate brand recall. New research suggests those measures increasingly misrepresent sponsorship effectiveness because consumers form long-lasting, overlapping associations among brands, events, and competitors within crowded sponsorship ecosystems. Brands generate more enduring value when they focus less on visibility and more on authentic participation, distinctive experiences, and emotional engagement that strengthen trust and meaningful long-term recall.
MediaDailyNews: Google Now Reports Local Metrics By Linking Analytics With Business Profiles
Google on Tuesday introduced a direct integration between Google Analytics and Google Business Profiles, bringing local engagement data including phone calls, direction requests, bookings, and website clicks into the same reporting environment as web and app metrics.
How Employee Recognition Breaks Down as Businesses Grow — and How to Fix It Before It Costs You
Recognizing employees positively impacts engagement and the broader business culture. As businesses scale, leaders need a reliable way to deliver recognition in the moment. Here's how.
Seattle Parks and Recreation Hosts Racquet Sports Strategy Meetings
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is hosting a second round of public engagement meetings for the Outdoor Racquet Sports Strategy to present findings from the first phase of public engagement and to hear additional feedback from the public. This strategy was developed in response to growing popularity of both sports, as well as from feedback […]
The MAX welcomes daughter of Medger and Myrlie Evers for film screening
Prior to the screening, the Meridian chapter of the NAACP will offer a civic engagement workshop for Meridian-area youth about opportunities to participate as active citizens in a democracy.
New Urbanism boosts social connections and health
A academic survey of a Florida traditional neighborhood development shows higher social engagement and better health outcomes.
MSE Receives Seven Industry Honors
Led by Monumental Sports Network's Sports Media Platform of the Year honor and MSE Productions' Best Documentary, Long Form award, MSE earned additional recognition for innovation, storytelling, production excellence, and fan engagement Washington, D.C. (June 8, 2026)— Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) was recognized with seven awards across two of the sports industry's most prestigious awards
MSE Receives Seven Industry Honors
Led by Monumental Sports Network's Sports Media Platform of the Year honor and MSE Productions' Best Documentary, Long Form award, MSE earned additional recognition for innovation, storytelling, production excellence, and fan engagement Washington, D.C. (June 8, 2026)— Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) was recognized with seven awards across two of the sports industry's most prestigious awards
How Six Flags’ Expanded Membership Model At Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) Has Changed Its Investment Story
In recent weeks, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation expanded its flexible Membership program to six additional parks, introducing year-round, multi-park access with regional tiered options and low monthly payments to strengthen guest loyalty and recurring revenue. This shift toward a subscription-style model is material because it increases revenue predictability, deepens customer engagement, and may reshape how investors assess the resilience of Six Flags’ business. We’ll now examine how...
What Maplebear (CART)'s AI Carts and Health Partnerships Expansion Means For Shareholders
In early June 2026, Instacart expanded its AI-driven Caper Carts to select Weis Markets stores in Pennsylvania and Vida Health announced a nationwide partnership using Instacart Health Fresh Funds to link nutrition guidance with easier access to healthy groceries. Together, these moves highlight Instacart’s push to blend in-store retail tech, loyalty engagement, and health-focused grocery access into a broader Physical AI ecosystem. We’ll now examine how Instacart’s push into AI-powered...
WHO urges targeted action to strengthen emergency workforce capacities for shared health risks across the Asia-Pacific region
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 11 June 2026 – At a time when the world is more interconnected than ever, the World Health Organization (WHO) is disseminating a comprehensive regional analysis of shared health risks across Asia and the Pacific, urging Member States to invest in enhancing workforce capacities regionwide to mitigate these risks and ensure health systems are better prepared to anticipate, tackle and withstand a range of crises and shocks. Over 100 delegates from 49 countries and areas in the Asia-Pacific region reviewed results from the regional risk analysis during the WHO-led Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework (APSHAF) Stakeholders Meeting in Malaysia. Synthesizing insights from 21 strategic risk assessments and more than 800 multisectoral experts, the regional analysis highlighted an urgent imperative: countries must proactively invest in emergency workforce preparedness to navigate a landscape where climate hazards, disease outbreaks and geophysical events increasingly overlap. These complex converging crises create devastating, compounding impacts on health systems and communities - reiterating the need for investing in a fit-for-purpose regional health workforce and multisectoral action. Key findings: an evolving risk landscape More than half of the participating countries ranked flooding, cyclones, dengue and pandemic-potential respiratory pathogens as being of high or very high risk, while antimicrobial resistance, landslides and gastroenteritis remain widespread concerns as well. “Given that 51% - over half - of these assessed hazards are deeply interconnected, isolated health interventions are no longer sufficient,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “Extreme weather events like cyclones and floods directly trigger subsequent disease outbreaks, while environmental degradation - driven by sea-level rise, coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion - fuels health risks across the Pacific. Mitigating these cascading risks requires unified, cross-sectoral action linking environmental, agricultural and public health policies to build true regional resilience.” Priority recommendations for action To address critical vulnerabilities, WHO calls on Member States in the Asia-Pacific region to urgently prioritize the following strategic actions: Bridge workforce capacity gaps. Embed and standardize emergency preparedness within academia to promote regional workforce interoperability. Foster multisectoral coordination. Address ad-hoc taskforce responses and fragmented surge support through formalized contingency plans and standard operating procedures that are frequently updated and tested. Secure sustainable financing for emergencies. Overcome systemic barriers to access dedicated funding for both immediate anticipatory actions and long-term emergency preparedness initiatives. Enable emergency-ready primary health care. Embed emergency management into public health workforce readiness planning. Ensure that emergency planning is inclusive. Establish clear pathways for inclusive emergency planning that actively involves communities most at risk and other vulnerable groups. Optimize communication. Update risk communication and community engagement strategies, aligning them with seasonal risk calendars. Elevating workforce readiness to meet regional health risks While the gaps identified are significant, the Asia-Pacific region possesses solid foundational pillars, including dedicated clinicians, laboratory staff, rapid response teams, emergency medical teams and extensive community networks. However, to adequately address the compounding nature of modern crises, the various components of the emergency workforce must collaborate cohesively. True resilience depends entirely on transforming this currently fragmented workforce into a highly trained, interconnected and rapidly deployable asset. To achieve this, WHO is actively advancing regional workforce capacities through the Global Health Emergency Corps initiative. This initiative - supported by the Gates Foundation and Institute of Philanthropy - seeks to build a seamless network of emergency workforce across borders and sectors, ensuring that when a crisis strikes, a standardized, well-coordinated and trained workforce is immediately ready to respond. “Scaling up emergency workforce readiness is no longer optional,” said Dr Gina Samaan, Regional Emergency Director for WHO in the Western Pacific. “It is the definitive factor that will determine how effectively the Asia-Pacific region safeguards health and protects lives in an increasingly unpredictable future.” For more information, or to arrange media interviews, contact: Ara Johannes, WHO Western Pacific Health Emergencies Division: johannesa@who.int WHO Western Pacific Communications: wprocom@who.int
North Port Health Care Exposition
The event featured live demonstrations and interactive experiences with direct engagement with local health care providers.
Hilda S Renteria
Scope of work: Renteria oversees the firm's audits and attestation engagements, focusing on governmental and nonprofit sectors. She is responsible for completing financial and single audits, implementing new financial reporting standards and driving the firm's audit services growth.Biggest professional win: In 2023, she was featured in Illinois CPA Society's Insight Magazine for her role in expanding the firm's audit practice, surpassing growth targets and introducing new technologies.Other contributions: Renteria co-founded the Prado & Renteria Foundation in 2014 to support Indigenous communities and first-generation college students. She serves on the Illinois CPA Society Government Report Review Committee and is a member of the American Institute of CPAs.
Do New Leadership Hires Clarify WELL Health Technologies' (TSX:WELL) Public-Sector Digital Health Strategy?
WELL Health Technologies has appointed Dr. Andrew Bond as Chief Health Officer and Head of Public Sector, and Derek Clark as Chief Operating Officer, adding experienced leadership to clinical governance, government engagement, and platform-wide operations. These hires deepen WELL’s bench in both health system policy and complex multi-entity execution, reinforcing its push to work more closely with public health systems while scaling its national digital and clinic network. Next, we’ll...
Colorado Politics Calendar June 8-14
CoPo’s weekly political calendar helps you find political and public policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
Oregon State hires Kevin Griffin as new athletic director
Griffin has served as associate vice president for brand engagement, services and partnerships and associate athletic director for business strategy at Ohio State since 2022
Video consumption and entertainment spending increased in 2025
TiVo has released its Q4 2025 “Video Trends Report,” finding that consumer video engagement reached ... Read More
SGMC Health Welcomes Students to 2026 Volunteen Summer Program
SGMC Health has welcomed 71 high school students to its 2026 Volunteen Summer Program, continuing its commitment to fostering student engagement and community service while introducing participants to careers in healthcare.
May's top PlayStation games by copies sold
Yesterday’s State of Play gave us an idea of where PlayStation’s heading next. But we’ve had our May estimates for a couple of days now (we always update our data daily for clients), so it’s time to look at what performed best on PlayStation last month. We’ve got a new IP at the top, two evergreens doing their evergreen thing, FC26 smashing it ahead of the World Cup Plus pivot, and a quiet but promising result for Lego Batman. Let’s have a look at the state of Play…Station’s top games for May. 007 takes #001 007 First Light sold 1M copies on PS5 in May, easily making it the month’s top PS5 game by copies sold. Over 80% of those May copies were digital, which is broadly in line with where PlayStation’s digital share has settled for new releases this year. To date, 007 First Light has sold through 2.2M copies across platforms (so no unsold retail copies in that figure). The platform split is 55.1% PS5, 33.1% Steam, and 11.8% Xbox (console, Windows, and cloud combined). In gross revenue terms, 007 First Light has generated $150M. Owing to regional pricing and audience composition differences, the consoles make up a higher share of revenue than they do copies. Of the $150M, 60.5% came via PlayStation, 27.6% via Steam, and 12.9% via Xbox. Part of this is because over two-thirds of 007 First Light‘s PlayStation audience is in North America (43.4%) or Western Europe (23.2%), where local currency means the game generates more revenue per player. On Steam, under half of First Light‘s audience is from those same regions (31.8% North America, 15.1% Western Europe). As we covered in last week’s 007 Steam piece, the Steam version is pulling in higher-than-expected numbers in China, which now accounts for 17.3% of First Light‘s Steam audience. 007 is the equivalent of $44 USD in China, which is roughly 37% cheaper than the US price and about 44% cheaper than Western Europe. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe The crossover data backs up what we’ve seen all year about launch-window cohorts. 11% of PS5 players who played 007 First Light in May also played Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, which launched just a few days before. Last month was a great month for Denmark! IO Interactive is Copenhagen-based, and Lego Group is headquartered in Billund (TT Games is UK-based but produces work under Lego Group licence and direction). Speaking of which… A very blocky #2 and #3 Minecraft sold another 788K copies on PlayStation consoles last month. Business as usual, since Minecraft hasn’t sold fewer than 760K copies in a single month all year. With over 350M copies sold across all platforms, Minecraft is the best-selling game in history and one of the strongest brands in the world. Every month, a new cohort of children reaches Minecraft age, which guarantees a constant volume of new sales regardless of what the broader market is up to. The demographic refresh rate is truly impressive, with the audience renewing itself faster than it’s churning. Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight shifted 757K copies on PS5 last month, bringing its lifetime total on the platform to over 800K. Across all platforms, Legacy of the Dark Knight has now passed 1.5M sold through, so PlayStation accounts for over half of the game’s players. The May crossover data for Legacy of the Dark Knight on PS5 is also useful. 27% of those players also played Fortnite, 16% Roblox, 16% FC 26, and 14% NBA 2K. That’s the household-and-family cohort showing up, plus the launch-window cohort of core gamers who buy practically everything. FC 26 gets players through the door ahead of the World Cup FC 26 sold 411K copies on PlayStation last month (90% via PS5), the fewest copies FC 26 has sold all year and down heavily from April’s 700K. Part of this dropoff is because FC 26 has been available as a PlayStation Plus monthly game since 6 May, cannibalising premium sales. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe The strategic logic is straightforward for EA, which is sacrificing premium unit sales in May to build up the player base ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on 11 June. Obviously, a bigger player pool going into the tournament means a bigger pool of potential Ultimate Team spenders during the period when football attention is at its peak. The early returns are around what you’d expect, with 4.4M new players accessing FC 26 via PS Plus last month – a substantial new spender pool. Anecdotally, a few of my mates who were ‘’skipping FIFA and Ultimate Team this year’’, were drawn back in via PS Plus. Lo and behold, one of them is buying packs like it’s going out of fashion. Whether this is all a smart trade for EA depends entirely on the Ultimate Team conversion rate over the next six weeks. Either way, the short-term engagement impact on the game as a whole is evident. FC 26‘s MAUs hit a record 24M on PlayStation in May, up 30% from the previous record set in April. GTA V does what GTA V always does Rounding out the top five is another evergreen title. Grand Theft Auto V shifted another 387K copies on PlayStation last month. No matter what else is happening in the industry, GTA V keeps pulling players in. It’s sold another 1.8M copies on PS5 in the first half of this year alone, helping the franchise pass the 230M-sold milestone across all platforms. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe I have a theory that Minecraft and GTA V are doing the same thing at different demographic levels. Both are functioning as generational gateway games that the audience ages into faster than it ages out of. Minecraft captures kids around age 6-10, GTA V captures much of the same audience around age 12-15 (unofficially, of course). The crossover data suggests this: 40% of GTA V‘s monthly PlayStation players typically play Fortnite in any given month, while 30% play Roblox. Household accounts aside, that’s not the original GTA V audience from 2013. Of course, the under-12 audience would love to get their hands on GTA, too. It’s always been the way of things, and some parents are happy to oblige. Mine did too back in the day, and I turned out just fine. Right? Right!? Want to get your hands on our data for yourself – for free? We’re offering a free trial of our platform for games companies. Send us a message here, or reply to this email, and we’ll set you up. The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]
Jason Sudeikis calls dating 'daunting' following Olivia Wilde split in rare comment about personal life
Jason Sudeikis finds dating 'daunting,' he says, six years after he and Olivia Wilde ended their engagement.
Inspiring future innovators: 400+ middle, high school students explore career paths at App State STEAM Expo
Over 400 middle and high school students took part in App State’s STEAM Expo this spring, exploring science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics through hands-on learning and interactive engagement with App State faculty and students. The annual event helps students connect classroom concepts to future academic and career possibilities.
Free program, free meals: Oakland's Ahmed Muhammad launches summer science program for kids in his hometown
Since the age of 17, when Oakland's Ahmed Muhammad first embarked on his mission to help young people cultivate a love for learning, curiosity and engagement in science, he has continued to show up for his community, consistently reinventing and rediscovering ways to fulfill that mission.
Alliance Home Entertainment Secures Exclusive Home Entertainment Rights for Heated Rivalry Series
Alliance Home Entertainment secures exclusive rights to release "Heated Rivalry," enhancing engagement for its devoted fanbase.Quiver AI SummaryAlliance Entertainment Holding Corporation announced that its Alliance Home Entertainment division has secured exclusive rights to distribute the Crave Original series "Heated Rivalry," based on Rachel Reid's bestselling book series. The series will launch on digital platforms in June 2026, followed by ph
Why community engagement is a smart strategy for business growth
The strongest partnerships come from understanding what organizations need, rather than imposing a pre-designed corporate initiative.
Health and Human Development ‘FirstBridge’ supports first-generation students
The Penn State College of Health and Human Development recently launched the FirstBridge Initiative, which supports first-generation students. The program aims to connect first-gen students with first-gen faculty in the College of Health and Human Development through meaningful engagement opportunities.
Informal Science Events
Pint of Science Festival - The Pint of Science Festival was an annual three-day public engagement event that brought scientific research into informal community settings, inc...
Deloitte's CMO shares tips for creating successful sports sponsorships
Deloitte's Scott Mager shared his thoughts on evolving CMO roles, AI, sports sponsorships, and tech to enhance branding and client engagement.
I married into a 170-year-old family business. I help keep it running.
Jill Gardner helps lead her husband's eighth-generation family business through family engagement and legacy planning. She keeps 551 members active.
Personnel note: The Southern Group expands South Florida practice with Stephen Marante
'Stephen has that rare blend of personal engagement, with a tremendous work ethic and professionalism that is not always present in this process.'
BUSINESS PERSPECTIVES: BerkShares Business of the Month is Ward's Nursery
Sam and Eva Ward believe strongly in community engagement through educational programs, cultivating a strong resources page on their website, and being on site every day to interact with their customers.
Ministry of Public Health, WHO Thailand and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Thailand launch initiative to strengthen Thailand’s public health workforce
28 May 2026 | Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in ThailandA skilled and coordinated public health workforce is essential for protecting population health and responding to public health emergencies. Strengthening these capacities was the focus of a meeting held on 28 May 2026 at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Thailand.Dr Ailan Li, WHO Representative to Thailand, together with Dr Watcharanan Tinnaitorn, Deputy Director of the Division of Public Health Emergency Management, Ministry of Public Health, and officials from WHO and the Ministry of Public Health, met with Counselor Zhang Xiaoxiao from the Economic & Commercial Counsellor's Office, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Thailand to mark the launch of collaboration under the WHO Roadmap to strengthen the public health workforce.The initiative supports Thailand in strengthening its public health workforce across both health and non-health sectors. Public health emergencies require coordinated action across a wide range of professions and institutions, including health workers, border control officers, water safety specialists, communication professionals and local government authorities. Through the project, partners will work together to assess workforce capacities, strengthen competencies and promote coordination across sectors to support preparedness and response efforts.The discussion highlighted opportunities to enhance cross-country collaboration through knowledge exchange, communication activities and engagement at key project milestones, supporting workforce development and emergency preparedness efforts.Beyond its immediate objectives, the initiative also reflects Thailand’s contributions to public health at regional and global levels. The exchange highlighted the importance of sharing experiences, lessons learned and good practices through international cooperation to strengthen public health capacity and preparedness.WHO expressed appreciation to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Thailand for supporting the project and recognizing the importance of investing in public health workforce development, preparedness and health security through partnership and multilateral cooperation. WHO also commended Thailand’s continued leadership and commitment to strengthening public health systems and emergency preparedness, including through cross-sector collaboration and workforce development.WHO remains committed to supporting Thailand and partners in advancing resilient and people-centred public health systems and strengthening preparedness for future health challengesAbout the EPHF Roadmap ProjectThailand is one of four countries selected in 2026 to initiate implementation of the Essential Public Health Functions (EPHF) Roadmap, alongside Maldives, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. The initiative is funded by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA). The project is led by Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, with WHO Thailand serving as a co-implementing partner. Other partners include the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), the Global Network for Academic Public Health/Public Health Interprofessional Leadership Alliance (GNAPH/PHILA) and the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA).
U.S. and Cuban Military Officials Meet Outside of Guantánamo Base
The meeting was the highest-level military engagement since the Trump administration began ratcheting up pressure on the Cuban government this year.
WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel amended
WHO Member States adopted a resolution to amend the ‘WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel’ (the Code) and strengthen its implementation, following Member State-led consultations in the lead up to the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly. The resolution marks an important step towards the vision that everyone, everywhere can access competent and motivated health and care workers, as a foundation for both universal health coverage and global health security. Key additions to the Code focus on: inclusion of provisions on health personnel recruited internationally for employment as care workers; applicability of the Code recommendations during emergencies; and encouraging co-investment in health systems and health workforce to ensure international recruitment results in proportional benefits for source and destination countries.Since its adoption by the Sixty-third World Health Assembly in 2010, the Code has undergone three rounds of review of its relevance and effectiveness. “We welcome the resolution’s focus on sustainable and ethical mobility of health personnel,” explained Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General, Health Systems, Access and Data. “The Code’s adoption in 2010 was a landmark achievement. Following this update, we encourage all countries to enhance implementation, including by viewing co-investment as a win-win.” The additions were recommended by an Expert Advisory Group appointed by the WHO Director-General. The Expert Advisory Group’s final report noted the progress in health workforce data availability, provision of migrant health worker rights and the embedding of ethical recruitment principles in national policies. It also highlighted areas of possible improvement in the Code implementation, including support for the strengthening of health systems in source countries.The adoption of the resolution follows extensive consultations led by Member States, underscoring the continued relevance of the Code in a context of increasing international mobility of health workers and growing pressure on health systems resulting from global health emergencies and funding constraints.WHO is already taking forward actions called for in the resolution. An updated version of the ‘WHO health workforce support and safeguards list’, that guides ethical recruitment practices by identifying countries facing the most pressing health workforce challenges, will be published later in 2026. As recommended by the Expert Advisory Group, this will include additional flexibility enabling countries to indicate their willingness to allow active international recruitment, or for Member States not on the list to request tailored support and safeguards. This approach reflects a more nuanced, country-led framework that balances workforce mobility with the need to protect and strengthen health systems in vulnerable settings.“I thank the members of the Expert Advisory Group, the group of Member States who led the resolution, and all Member States for their constructive engagement,” added Dr Nakatani. “Let’s bring this spirit of collaboration to our collective efforts to implement the resolution, strengthen the health workforce and build resilient and equitable health systems.”
Iowa ABI names 2026 Leadership for Iowa Award recipient
The Iowa Association of Business and Industry and Leadership Iowa have announced Myron Linn as the 2026 recipient of the Leadership for Iowa Award, recognizing his decades of leadership in business, public service and community engagement across the state. Linn, a graduate of the 1988-89 Leadership Iowa class, will accept the award June 3 at…
CPC-KMT and the Politics of Strategic Timing?
Written by Sadia Rahman. This article argues that the strategic timing of Cheng’s visit to China will bear fruit only if the changes appear in the terms under which cross-Strait engagement is…
Jays Beat Marlins, 2-1
Well, after a one day only engagement, the offence has gone back on hiatus. It didn’t end up mattering, though, as a combination of solid work from Kevin Gausman and the bullpen and questionable Marlins base running held them to only one run in spite of racking up 11 hits. The Jays are back within […]
State of California attracts global investment through coordinated international engagement at the 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit | California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development
GO-Biz led California’s participation in a series of foreign investment attraction efforts across the United States, anchored by the U.S. Department of Commerce
Supreme Court Reverses Ruling in Immigration Judges’ Free Speech Lawsuit
A group of immigration judges in 2020 challenged work-related restrictions on their public speaking engagements, saying they violated their free speech rights.
Texas Businesses Leaders Promote Civic Engagement And Voting
During election years, business owners can play an important role in promoting civic engagement and voting. Here is what two chambers of commerce in Texas are doing.
Study finds voting can help you live longer
Voting is typically associated with politics and civil engagement, but a new study finds evidence that voting helps older people live longer.
Teladoc Health Faces Flat Sales And Weaker Revenue Per User Trends
Teladoc Health (NYSE:TDOC) is reporting flat sales over consecutive years, despite continued investment in its virtual care platform. Average revenue per user has been declining, pointing to weaker consumer monetization and softer engagement levels. Management has focused on broadening services, but this has not translated into stronger top line growth or higher earnings quality. The outlook for the next twelve months remains subdued, highlighting ongoing challenges for the...
Advancing high-threat pathogen preparedness in WHO South-East Asia Region: 2025 in review
Effective preparedness for high-threat pathogens demands more than technical tools — it requires a coherent strategy, sustained country engagement, and the institutional infrastructure to translate evidence into action. In 2025, the Pandemic and Epidemic Management (PEM) Unit advanced all three, working across the full spectrum of high threat pathogen (HTP) preparedness: from methodology development and evidence generation to country-level technical support, emergency response, and regional workforce strengthening.At the core of the PEM unit's work is building the regional evidence and policy architecture needed to prioritize and respond to HTPs systematically. A major milestone was the development of the HTP Prioritization Methodology — a structured, multi-criteria approach to ranking pathogens by epidemic potential, severity, and national context — and its national pilot in Bangladesh, where SARS-CoV-2, Nipah, dengue, and cholera emerged as the highest-priority threats, informing the PEM unit's contribution to 2026–27 biennium prioritization and workplan development (Access link here).Underpinning this work, the PEM unit advanced the peer-reviewed evidence base for HTP preparedness in the South-East Asia Region (SEAR), with three publications in international journals in 2025: Development of a zoonotic influenza distribution assessment and ranking system (ZIDAR): Technical application in Nepal to support cross-sectoral risk-based surveillance in One Health; Implications for influenza A virus surveillance in Southeast Asian Region countries: a scoping review of approaches for the surveillance of swine influenza viruses at human-swine interfaces in BMJ Public Health; and Operationalizing multisector partnerships: a Theory of Action and Reflection tool for zoonotic influenzas in Health Policy and Planning. Together, these contributions move the Region’s HTP preparedness agenda from practice to science — generating the transferable methodological foundations that will inform evidence-based capacity strengthening in Member States.Country-level engagement in 2025 reflected the breadth of contexts in which HTP preparedness must function. Technical support was provided for Mpox and cholera events across the Region, including coordination of cholera and acute watery diarrhea prevention and control in Myanmar in the wake of the March 2025 earthquake. In Myanmar, the PEM unit contributed technical leadership to the earthquake emergency response — one of the most complex humanitarian emergencies in the SEAR — as Health Operations and Technical Support lead within the Incident Management Support Team. This included strengthening emergency response planning, supporting operational and after-action reviews, and providing monitoring and evaluation support for both acute and protracted crisis response. The breadth of HTP support provided to emergency operations across the SEAR was documented in the PEM unit’s contribution to the regional report for the Health Security Interface Technical Advisory Group.In Sri Lanka, technical collaboration with the WHO Country Office and the Ministry of Health laid the groundwork for the National Steering Committee's 2026 annual meeting, development of Standard Operating Procedures for specialized emergency response, and a national training programme — all structured around evidence-based risk assessment for specialized hazards including HTPs.Across the SEAR, the unit contributed to strengthening the workforce architecture that underpins HTP response. Technical inputs shaped the WHO South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Workforce Strategy 2025–2030, and the PEM unit supported conceptual development of the health emergency workforce framework for the Pandemic Fund Round 3 proposal.Alongside this, the unit's sustained engagement on the meningitis agenda culminated in the launch of the Regional Implementation Framework to Defeat Meningitis in South-East Asia by 2030 at the Seventy-eighth Session of the Regional Committee, ensuring the Region's priorities were reflected in the Global Technical Task Force and expanding the unit's HTP engagement beyond outbreak-prone zoonotic pathogens (Regional Implementation Framework to Defeat Meningitis in South-East Asia by 2030).Taken together, 2025 demonstrated that meaningful HTP preparedness is built incrementally — through methodology, engagement, and the steady accumulation of institutional capacity across Member States.Bangladesh piloted the HTP Prioritization Methodology and identified the highest-priority pathogens in the country context (Photo credit: WHO Country Office, Bangladesh).
Woodbine Docuseries Finalist In Two Categories For Prestigious Sports Award
Woodbine Entertainment’s docuseries, “Woodbine: Free Rein”, has been named a finalist in two categories for the prestigious 8th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards, presented by The Engagement Academy of Sports Entertainment (EASE), which recognizes excellence in engagement across the sports, media, and ...
Precision Medicine’s Next Hurdle Isn’t Science
A new UPMC report found that while most health systems now offer precision medicine programs, many still face challenges scaling them due to reimbursement, data integration and patient engagement issues. Health system leaders say the field’s future depends on embedding genomics into routine care, as well as proving its clinical and financial value.
The World Health Assembly adopts updated Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2026–2036)
Geneva, 23 May 2026 – Member States at the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79) adopted the updated Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance (GAP-AMR) 2026–2036, marking a major milestone in the global response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and delivering on a key commitment contained in the 2024 United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on AMR. The updated plan was developed through a consultative process led by the Quadripartite organizations – FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH – with extensive engagement of Member States and stakeholders across sectors. AMR remains one of the most significant global health and development challenges, affecting humans, animals, plants, food systems and the environment. The updated GAP-AMR provides a comprehensive One Health framework to guide coordinated global, regional and national action over the next decade. It builds on the foundation established by the original GAP-AMR adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2015 while reflecting evolving evidence, lessons learned, and the commitments made at the 2024 UN High-Level Meeting on AMR. During the Assembly, Member States expressed broad support for the updated plan and its strengthened multisectoral and One Health approach. Delegates highlighted the importance of prevention-first interventions, including infection prevention and control, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), vaccination, biosecurity, and environmental measures. They also highlighted the need for responsible, equitable and sustainable use of antimicrobials, strengthened surveillance, innovation, and sustainable agrifood systems. The updated GAP-AMR is intended to serve as the global framework for coordinated action against AMR through 2036. It aims to accelerate global progress towards the commitments and targets agreed by Member States and support countries in developing, implementing and financing ambitious multisectoral national action plans. The plan also reinforces the importance of accountability, monitoring and reporting, sustainable financing, and international cooperation to address AMR through a One Health approach. The adoption of the updated GAP-AMR reflects renewed global commitment to preserving the effectiveness of antimicrobials and safeguarding advances in human, animal and plant health, food security, economic development and environmental sustainability. As implementation begins, continued collaboration among governments, international organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector will be critical to translating commitments into measurable impact. The Quadripartite organizations will continue supporting Member States and partners in operationalizing the updated GAP-AMR and advancing coordinated One Health action against AMR at country, regional and global levels.
How Racine County Businesses Are Using Digital Entertainment Partnerships
Discover how Racine County businesses are using digital entertainment partnerships to reach new audiences and grow online engagement.
VA SEA recognized as a premier science education program
The Virginia Scientists & Educators Alliance is administered as a partnership between the Office of Outreach & Engagement at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS and Virginia Sea Grant.
SGMC Health Honors Student Engagement and Workforce Development Teams as Health System Heroes
SGMC Health has recognized its student engagement and workforce development teams as its latest Health System Heroes for their leadership in developing future healthcare professionals. The honorees—Rachel Dillard, Deb Baker, […]
SBJ Tech Week: Leagues, entertainment companies embrace scalable tech to transform fan engagement
As professional sports leagues and entertainment companies accelerate their digital transformation, a shared reality is emerging across organizations to modernize fan engagement and operations using a new wave of scalable technology.
MICC kicks off 2026 small business engagement, offers one-on-one sessions
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas — The U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command kicks off its 2026 Advanced Planning Briefin...
LOAM ENTERTAINMENT'S 'BAD COUNSELORS' ARRIVES IN THEATRES NATIONWIDE JULY 23-27 FROM FATHOM ENTERTAINMENT
When two hard-partying fraternity brothers pose as Christian camp counselors to work off court-ordered community service, the summer quickly becomes more than either of them bargained for. Loam Entertainment's irreverent fish-out-of-water comedy BAD COUNSELORS arrives in theatres nationwide for a limited engagement July 23-27, 2026, distributed by Fathom Entertainment, the leading specialty distributor of content to theatrical partners worldwide.
MICC kicks off 2026 small business engagement, offers one-on-one sessions
The U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command kicks off its 2026 Advanced Planning Briefing for Industry May 18, bringing together contracting professionals, small business representatives and industry partners for a week long engagement focused on transparency, innovation and Army readiness. Hosted May 18-22 virtually by MICC’s Office of Small Business Programs, the 2026 APBI began with day one briefings from senior Army and MICC leaders, including MICC Commanding General Brig. Gen. Freddy Adams and MICC Deputy to the Commanding General Clay Cole. Attendees also heard from the Department of the Army Office of Small Business Programs, representatives from MICC’s Office of Small Business Programs and leaders from the 418th Contracting Support Brigade, 419th Contracting Support Brigade, the Field Directorate Office at Fort Eustis and the Field Directorate Office at Fort Sam Houston.
Kudos to Cheer Club, College of Business faculty, Cybersecurity team and more
Becky Cottrell, Ph.D., Department of Social Work, and Bridget Arend, Ph.D., School of Education Becky Cottrell from the Department of Social Work and Bridget Arend, Ph.D., from the School of Education co-authored an article recently published in an international journal. Read the article. Biff Baker, Ph.D., College of Business Biff Baker, Ph.D., received a Best in Track award from the Society for Advancement of Management for research examining bureaucratic inefficiencies within Section 8 subsidized housing programs. The study focuses on how administrative delays and communication breakdowns can create housing instability for families and discourage landlord participation. It also offers recommendations to improve accountability and trust in public housing systems. Brendan Fry, Ph.D., Department of Mathematics and Statistics Brendan Fry, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, co-authored the article “Modeling the Impact of Venous Collapsibility on Retinal Oxygenation,” published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology. The interdisciplinary research brought together scholars from the University of Delaware, Indiana University Indianapolis, McGill University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. Access the article. Bridget Arend, Ph.D., School of Education Bridget Arend, Ph.D., professor in the School of Education, co-published the book “Facilitating Seven Ways of Learning: A Resource for More Purposeful, Effective, and Enjoyable College Teaching, Second Edition” with James R. Davis. The book explores practical approaches to improving college teaching and student learning experiences. Buy the book. College of Business Faculty At the 2026 Western Decision Sciences Institute international conference, Sally Baalbaki-Yassine, Ph.D., Debora Gilliard, Ph.D., and David Lynn Hoffman, Ph.D., from the College of Business received the Best Case Study Paper Award for “Oreo: A Global Success Story in Brand Evolution and Market Leadership.” Lisa McVicker, Ph.D., and Apryl Brodersen, Ph.D., also had their paper, “Electronic Performance Monitoring: Employer Panacea or Legal Quagmire?” accepted for publication in the Journal of Business Leadership. Community Engagement Exchange Program Metropolitan State University of Denver was selected to host international Fellow Aleja Henao Espitia of Bogotá, Colombia through the Community Engagement Exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State. View Espitia's LinkedIn profile. David Varel, Ph.D., College of Letters, Arts and Sciences MSU Denver historian David Varel, Ph.D., has been awarded a 2026 ACLS Fellowship by the American Council of Learned Societies. The fellowship program supports outstanding scholarship in the humanities and social sciences, and selected just 63 scholars from more than 2,000 applicants this year. Varel’s project, “The Black Chicago School: Academic Activism in the Age of American Apartheid,” explores the work of Black scholars who challenged scientific racism, built alternative institutions and helped lay the foundation for the modern civil rights movement. The fellowship provides up to $60,000 to support full-time research and writing. Learn more about the fellowship. MSU Denver Office of Financial Aid Team Several MSU Denver employees were recognized for leadership and service during the Colorado Association of Financial Aid Administrators (CAFAA) conference held in May in Crested Butte. Don Holtzen, interim associate director of systems, chaired the conference and was recognized for his service as CAFAA conference chair and technology chair during the 2025-26 term. Holtzen also received the Postsecondary Institution Professional of the Year award, which recognizes financial-aid professionals who have made significant contributions to their institutions and to CAFAA. Tori Pacheco, associate director of Student Services, helped design décor and facilitate the conference and was recognized for her service as CAFAA secretary during the 2025-26 term. Destiny Candelaria, call center coordinator, served on the conference planning committee and presented on One Stops during the event. Michael Nguyen, executive director of Financial Aid and Scholarships, assisted as a CAFAA board member and was recognized for serving as president-elect during the 2025-26 term. Richard Balbag, program assistant I, received the Distinguished Support Staff Member of the Year award, honoring staff members who have made exceptional contributions to their financial-aid offices. Military Friendly Recognition Military Friendly has awarded MSU Denver Gold Status as a military-friendly university and ranked the University No. 7 nationally for military spouses. The recognition reflects MSU Denver’s strong support systems for veterans and military spouses, including transfer credit assistance and retention-focused resources. As of 2026, 1,050 military-connected students are enrolled at the University, advancing institutional priorities around serving veterans and supporting student retention. MSU Denver Cheer Club The MSU Denver Cheer Club earned third place in the 4-Year College Small Coed Intermediate division at the USA Spirit Nationals. Celebrate the win on Instagram. MSU Denver Cybersecurity Team An MSU Denver cybersecurity team earned first place in the Strategist category at the 2026 CYBER RECon National Competition hosted at Fort Meade, Maryland, by U.S. Cyber Command. Led by Jeffrey London, Ph.D., and undergraduate student Matthew Bopp, the team competed against universities and law schools nationwide with its 30-page legal analysis on cybersecurity and free speech titled “Freedom of Speech and MDM: Misinformation, Disinformation, and Malinformation.” The paper also earned Bopp a personal invitation to apply to the University of Maryland School of Law. MSU Denver Debate Team MSU Denver Debate won the 2026 Sierra Sustainability Summit hosted at Yosemite National Park in April. Students Kat Conte and Simon Bernhard bested teams from George Washington University, Gallaudet University, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the University of San Francisco and Tennessee Tech in the modified present-and-defend style competition. Their proposal recommended adapting Colorado’s Keep Colorado Wild Pass model to support California state parks facing budget constraints. Learn about the summit. MSU Denver Women’s Golf MSU Denver Women’s Golf was represented on the national stage this month as junior Neige Dunn competed as an individual at the NCAA West Regional. She became the first Roadrunner in 10 years to qualify for NCAA Regionals as an individual. Get the details.
Trucking insurance: How to make underwriters fight for your business
An Overdrive 2025 Small Fleet Champ's flatbed biz makes good on growth goals with a transparent promise to owner-operators: 15% of the gross for costs, no insurance chargebacks. "We had companies fighting over our business" this year, he said, with similarly transparent ELD data engagement.
Promoting engagement and privacy in teen healthcare
2 in 3 parents agree it’s important for providers to talk privately with teens during healthcare visits. Only 1 in 3 parents say their teen had private time with the provider at their last check-up. Only 1 in 5 parents recall healthcare providers talking with them about confidential services for teens. 9 in 10 parents think they should see all of their teen’s medical records up to age 18.
What is modern-day sports betting doing to sports?
Gambling, frequently operating under the euphemism “fan engagement," has become so fundamental to professional sports the two can hardly be disentangled.
Colorado Politics Calendar May 18-24
CoPo’s weekly political calendar helps you find political and public policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
UnitedHealth’s AI push now includes employee tracking
UnitedHealth Group is pushing deeper into artificial intelligence—and tracking whether some employees are actually using it, Bloomberg writes. The health care giant is monitoring AI engagement among some Optum workers, including whether they make at least one daily query using tools such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot. The effort is part of a broader companywide […]
Xperia 1 VIII AI photos outrage: Nothing CEO calls out Sony for "engagement farming"
Sony's Xperia 1 VIII launch is facing backlash over its AI Camera Assistant, with critics roasting the flagship phone for its questionable AI image processing. Amid "engagement farming" accusations from Nothing CEO Carl Pei, the key to the controversy might be a marketing misunderstanding.
Chelsea Football Club announces strategic partnership with Roc Nation Sports International
Chelsea Football Club today announces a new strategic partnership with Roc Nation Sports International (RNSI), marking a significant step in the club’s ambition to accelerate growth and deepen fan engagement across the United States and beyond.
GEICO Becomes Platinum Sponsor of Small Business Expo, Expands Engagement With Small Business Owners Nationwide
BETHESDA, Md., May 13, 2026--GEICO Becomes Platinum Sponsor of Small Business Expo, Expands Engagement With Small Business Owners Nationwide
Fairground Entertainment Solves Streaming's "Scroll Fatigue" with Carousel: A New AI-Driven Content Format
Fairground Entertainment today announced the wide-market launch of Carousel, a first-of-its-kind AI content platform designed to transform streaming libraries into high-engagement, broadcast-ready entertainment. By automating the production of tailored "Discovery Shows," Carousel lowers subscriber churn and helps solve one of the industry's most persistent problems: the 12-minute 'decision paralysis' - the amount of time it takes to choose what to watch.
Introducing Northwood Insights, a New Blog for the Next Generation of Business Leaders
New content platform strengthens the university’s digital presence, broadens its reach among prospective students, and establishes Northwood as a thought leader in business, free enterprise, and entrepreneurial education. Northwood University has launched Northwood Insights, a new blog designed to position the university as a leading voice in business education, free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and career development. The platform delivers expert, research-informed content to prospective students, current students, and the broader professional community, meeting audiences where they already are online and searching for answers. “Northwood has always been about preparing people to move forward with clarity and confidence,” said Marketing and Communications Officer Rachel Valdiserri. “With Northwood Insights, we’re meeting students where they are with content that’s relevant, direct, and built for how they discover and learn today. It’s not about adding more noise; it’s about delivering ideas, perspectives, and insights that help them make more informed decisions earlier in their journey.” The blog features a growing library of articles spanning Northwood’s core academic strengths, including business administration, automotive and mobility studies, sports management, and entrepreneurship. Each piece is written to inform and guide, answering the real questions students are asking while organically connecting readers to the academic programs, faculty expertise, and career outcomes that define a Northwood education. Each article is crafted to reflect Northwood’s institutional voice while being optimized for the search behaviors of today’s prospective students, a generation that begins researching universities long before they apply. By appearing in those early search results, Northwood establishes credibility, builds familiarity, and creates a meaningful connection with students the moment they are most open to influence. “This platform is a natural extension of our enrollment strategy,” said Dr. Matthew Bennett, vice president of enrollment and strategic alliances. “When a prospective student searches for career paths, we want Northwood to be the source they trust. Northwood Insights makes that possible at a global scale.” Beyond enrollment, Northwood Insights serves the university’s broader advancement mission. As a platform built to demonstrate expertise and institutional relevance, it reinforces Northwood’s standing as a thought leader in free enterprise education and entrepreneurial leadership, directly supporting alumni engagement, donor confidence, and community partnerships. The content signals that Northwood is not only preparing students for the careers of today but actively shaping the conversations defining the industries of tomorrow. “Attention isn’t given anymore; it’s earned,” said Milada Dzevitski, Northwood’s digital content and technical writer who manages the Northwood Insights blog. “This platform is built to meet that standard, with content that’s relevant, direct, and worth engaging with.” Northwood Insights is live now and will continue to grow with new content published regularly. Share this page
Sun Belt SAAC Participates in Spring 2026 Mentorship Initiatives
NEW ORLEANS – Sun Belt Conference’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) leaders conducted community engagement initiatives centered on mentorship during the Spring 2026 semester.
The cinema effect: Turning films into a gateway to science
The sci-fi film Project Hail Mary, currently in theaters, is capturing the attention of both audiences and the scientific community for its science-based content. It manages to engage viewers with complex, cutting-edge topics — from astrophysics to language — without sacrificing entertainment. Yet not all films strike this balance. Many, unlike this recent production, have promoted inaccurate or even misleading scientific ideas, and thanks to their wide reach, have contributed to shaping distorted public perceptions of science. Precisely by harnessing the power of cinematic storytelling, Hildrun Walter, Fritz Treiber and colleagues have used films as a tool to foster engagement and dialogue between scientists and the public. Their innovative format, Science & Cinema, described in a new paper published in JCOM, proves both effective and potentially easy to replicate.
Becky Nelson
BSI Engineering welcomes Becky Nelson as Business Development Director, supporting growth and client engagement in the Chicago market.
The Hantavirus Outbreak Is a Test Case for the U.S. Public Health Response
The outbreak is also a kind of test case for how well the U.S. is positioned to respond to global disease threats under the Trump administration. Since early last year, the administration has pulled back U.S. engagement on global health, which has included completing a withdrawal from membership in the World Health Organization (WHO)...
New Toolkit: Engaging Business Leaders in Public Health
A research-based, practical roadmap to initiate and deepen engagement with private sector leaders in ways that feel relevant, effective, and aligned.
New Toolkit: Engaging Business Leaders in Public Health
A research-based, practical roadmap to initiate and deepen engagement with private sector leaders in ways that feel relevant, effective, and aligned.
Regional business leaders share their perspectives on employee engagement
This month we asked: How does your organization keep employees engaged and part of the team?
How sports marketing is shifting from media buys to moment-based activation
Discover how sports marketing activation uses live data and fan behavior to drive engagement across digital channels.
Corals and cacti: ASU grad is building a future in conservation science
Inspired by childhood trips to the ocean and years spent exploring the Sonoran Desert, Ariana Ewell is building a future in conservation science that bridges ecosystems, research and community engagement.
HOK’s John Rhodes Talks Sports Venue Brand Engagement with the Financial Times
The Financial Times featured HOK’s John Rhodes on brand engagement in stadiums and arenas—and what it means for venue design and the fan experience.
Hinge Health Q1 Earnings Call Highlights
Hinge Health (NYSE:HNGE) reported first-quarter 2026 results that topped its prior outlook and raised its full-year guidance, citing stronger-than-expected member engagement, growth in eligible lives and continued operating leverage from artificial intelligence and automation. Co-Founder and CEO Da
“We Are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For”: Bhatti’s Vision for a Different Politics
Virginia congressional candidate Salaam Bhatti discusses campaign finance reform, redistricting, and his policy vision rooted in community and structural change. In this interview, Bhatti outlines his approach to welfare reform, donor influence, and the role of local engagement in shaping a more responsive and representative government.
Colorado Politics Calendar May 11-17
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
TAMEST Executive Director Visits Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center to Strengthen Research Collaboration
TTUHSC welcomed Terrence Henry, executive director of the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST), for a campus visit aimed at strengthening partnerships and expanding research engagement opportunities across Texas.
Connecting climate science and storytelling at Mission Hill Middle School
Working with seventh grade science teachers Sallie Corbin and Christy Fairbairn, Lookout developed a science communication workshop to support students’ climate change research projects and help students think about how complex scientific ideas can be communicated clearly and meaningfully. The visit introduced students to the basics of journalism, storytelling and audience engagement, with support from UC Santa Cruz science communication graduate student and Lookout intern Cassidy Beach. Students later presented their climate change projects at Mission Hill’s Climate Change Symposium through creative formats including videos, games, comics, sculptures and interactive activities. The partnership marks one of Lookout’s first middle school classroom visits as part of its growing educational initiative focused on media literacy, civic engagement and local journalism.
College of Science recognizes Outstanding Seniors and Excellence in Undergraduate Research Awardees
Students were nominated by their home departments in recognition of their outstanding academic work, research participation, community engagement, extracurricular activities, leadership, and more.
Science Night, Civic Engagement Bridge Kids, College
Kalamazoo College students leading a program serving youths at Interfaith Homes will bring those kids to campus for Family Science Night.
Science communication as feedback loop explored at annual ethics symposium
The annual Ethics and Compliance Symposium brought renowned vaccinologist Peter Hotez, senior fellow in disease and humanity at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, to share his research and discuss the ethics of academic public engagement.
Melco Resorts & Entertainment Publishes 2025 Sustainability Report Highlighting Environmental and Community Initiatives
Melco Resorts & Entertainment released its 2025 Sustainability Report, highlighting environmental achievements and community engagement initiatives.Quiver AI SummaryMelco Resorts & Entertainment has released its 2025 Sustainability Report, titled “RISE to Go Above & Beyond,” highlighting advancements in environmental stewardship, community engagement, and corporate governance. Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho emphasized the integration of sustainabil
‘Political violence is reshaping who runs’: Report details threats to LGBTQ+ candidates
More than half of candidates changed how they campaigned due to safety concerns, limiting visibility and voter engagement.
Free mental health seminar offers support and resources to Delaware's agriculture community
Because May is recognized nationally as Mental Health Awareness Month, the Delaware Farm Bureau Promotion and Engagement Committee is partnering with the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension to host a
Colorado Politics Calendar May 4-10
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
US criticises Zambia for lack of engagement as $1 billion health deal stalls
The United States has criticised Zambia for failing to engage on a new health aid agreement governing more than $1 billion in U.S. funding, saying repeated outreach from Washington had been ignored as an April 30 deadline passed without a deal.