Defend & Respond

The newly appointed head of science at the US Environmental Protection Agency has publicly defended his integrity following a leadership shakeup under the Trump administration. The appointment drew scrutiny over scientific independence at the agency, and the new science adviser responded by insisting on his commitment to sound science. Coverage so far is limited to reports of his defense.

Colleges and universities are expanding cybersecurity education focused on advanced AI, responding to concerns that frontier models could be misused or act unpredictably. Reporting from Cybersecurity Dive says institutions are building curricula to prepare students to defend against AI-driven threats. The push reflects growing demand for workers who understand both security and machine learning.

Investigators of the JASMINE trial, which examined nutrition for preterm infants, have publicly defended the study's design and the transparency of its sponsor amid ongoing criticism of how the research was conducted. Their statement forms part of a wider debate among neonatal and nutrition specialists about trial methodology and industry involvement in infant nutrition research.