Science and Technology Notes, by Category | Bridge Initiative for S&T Policy, Leadership, & Communications

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Photo of the West Virginia State Capitol Building

What are Regulatory Sandboxes?

This Science and Technology Note discusses the opportunities and challenges of regulatory sandboxes in supporting innovation in specific economic sectors, such as energy, legal, insurance, wetlands restoration, health care, and transportation.

Advanced Manufacturing and West Virginia

This Legislative Science and Technology Note discusses advanced manufacturing in West Virginia, which includes tools like machine learning, 3D printing, and robotics.

Satellite Broadband Accessibility in West Virginia

This Legislative Science and Technology Note covers the availability of satellite broadband in West Virginia and offers policy options for expanding West Virginians’ access to satellite-based internet service.

Flood Resilience and West Virginia

This Science & Technology Note considers existing efforts and discusses policy options to enhance flood resilience in West Virginia. Resilience “is the capability to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover [from disasters] with minimum damage.

Cloud Services and Government in West Virginia

This Science and Technology note discusses challenges and opportunities associated with the West Virginia government’s adoption of cloud-based information technologies.

Artificial Intelligence, Government Services, and West Virginia

This note explores the opportunities and challenges of integrating artificial intelligence into West Virginia's government operations to improve efficiency and service delivery.

Artificial Intelligence, Economic Development, and West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note considers opportunities and challenges associated with the potential economic impacts of AI on West Virginia’s economic development and workforce.

EDUCATION

School Discipline in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note reviews the state’s school behavioral health services and considers policy options for West Virginia schools.

EnERGY

Geothermal Energy on Abandoned Mine Lands

This Science and Technology Note explores the potential of geothermal energy on former coal mine lands in West Virginia, highlighting the opportunities and challenges associated with harnessing sustainable energy from these sites.

Advanced Nuclear Power and West Virginia

This Science & Technology Note considers opportunities and challenges associated with advanced nuclear power deployment in West Virginia, with a particular focus on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) at former coal sites.

Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells in West Virginia

This note examines the economic and environmental impacts of orphaned oil and natural gas wells in West Virginia, highlighting policy options for remediation and future prevention.

Clean Hydrogen and West Virginia

This note examines the potential for developing a clean hydrogen industry in West Virginia, highlighting opportunities, challenges, and policy options for promoting local hydrogen production and infrastructure.

Potential Lithium Production from Natural Gas in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note considers potential challenges and benefits of pursuing lithium co-production with natural gas in West Virginia.

Electrical Grid Capacity and West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note considers opportunities and challenges increased regional electricity demand poses for West Virginia’s grid, utilities, and economy.

Electrical Grid Resilience and West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note considers grid challenges and opportunities to improve the resilience and reliability of West Virginia’s electrical grid.

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ENVIROnMENT

Forest Carbon Markets

This Science and Technology Note discusses the methods, opportunities, and challenges of West Virginians participating in carbon offset programs that sell carbon credits to businesses that are striving for net-zero emissions.

Map of West Virginia containing a Recycling Symbol

Chemical Recycling

This Science and Technology Note considers existing chemical recycling policies, and opportunities and challenges for chemical recycling in West Virginia.

Former Mine Land Restoration in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note addresses the status of project efforts in West Virginia and considers possible policy options.

West Virginia’s Mine Land Reclamation System

This Science and Technology Policy Note discusses financial challenges to the West Virginia mine land reclamation system for post-1977 former mine lands, as well as opportunities for improving the system.

Former Mine Land Economic Development Policies in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Policy Note explores existing policies that could be expanded or modified to facilitate private economic development on former mine lands (a subset of brownfields)

Perspectives of Former Coal Mine Land Owners on Development Opportunities in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note addresses challenges and opportunities that owners of former coal mine land (FML) in West Virginia must consider when deciding whether to pursue land development.

The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977 and West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note provides an overview of how regulations differ for mine land reclamation before and after SMCRA, as well as details about West Virginia’s post-SMCRA bonding system meant to ensure adequate funds for former mine restoration

HEALTH

Lyme Disease in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note discusses the surge in tick-borne diseases over the last decade and addresses the importance of early detection and treatment in preventing long-term symptoms.

Youth Tobacco Use in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note discusses youth access to tobacco products and presents the advantages and drawbacks of different regulatory measures.

Food Deserts and Food Insecurity in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note addresses food insecurity in West Virginia and possible interventions.

Syringe Service Programs and HIV Prevention in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note addresses HIV and syringe service programs (SSPs) in West Virginia and offers policy options to limit HIV outbreaks.

Food Safety and Food Handler Permits in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note details the state of foodborne illness and food safety standards in West Virginia and discusses the challenges and opportunities in the current food handler permit process.

Mental Hygiene and Incarceration in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note explores mental hygiene policies for incarcerated individuals in West Virginia, highlighting the challenges and proposing policy options to improve the effectiveness of mental health care in jails and prisons.

PFAS and the Health of West Virginians

This Science and Technology Note discusses the known health risks of PFAS exposure, recent PFAS regulations in West Virginia, and policy options to address potential PFAS exposure in West Virginians.

View all articles tagged with 'health'.

ROADS TO WELLNESS - Transportation and health

Person departing a medical van into a wheelchair

Transportation and Medical Care Coordination in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note discusses the role of transportation in medical care coordination (MCC) for chronic conditions in West Virginia and identifies policy options to expand access to MCC in the state.

Medical Personnel Shortage in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note details the state of the healthcare provider shortage in West Virginia and offers policy options to increase the availability of healthcare providers in the state.

West Virginia’s Healthcare Transport Networks

This Science and Technology Note discusses West Virginia’s existing non-emergency healthcare transportation systems e.g., senior centers and faith based organizations.

Doctor waving to patient over a video call

Telehealth for West Virginians in Rural Areas

This Science and Technology Policy Note addresses the state of telehealth in West Virginia and policy options for improving healthcare access.

disabled woman is helped from public transit vehicle using lift

Medical Transportation Strategies in West Virginia

This Science and Technology Note identifies and compares non-emergent healthcare transportation strategies used in and around West Virginia and defines models to expand availability.