Global demand for food; modern agriculture and food production techniques; sustainable agriculture; genetically engineered foods; environmental impact of food transportation; supply chain and costs of food production; impact of ethanol and other biofuels.
Depression; substance abuse; suicide prevention; autism; sleep disorders; brain injury; post-traumatic stress disorder.
Human and robotic exploration of space; studies of the Sun and its influence on Earth; studying Earth from space; extraterrestrial life; space-based astrophysics; NASA exploration systems; international and commercial cooperation.
Keeping airlines secure; security of ports; threats in cyberspace; bioterrorist attacks; military preparedness; natural disasters; options for protecting the nation.
Ecosystem monitoring and protection; impact of climate change; pollution; habitat loss and fragmentation; invasive species; benefits of biodiversity such as pharmaceutical development, flood control, pollination, and water purification.
Motivating students to learn; preparing and developing teachers; how people learn; applying education research in formal and informal environments; curriculum standards; interpreting and using test scores effectively.
Safety; energy and environmental impacts, such as fuel efficiency and noise; aeronautics research and development; aviation systems, including air traffic congestion and the Next Generation Air Transportation System.
Bridges and roadways; dams; railways; sewers and water treatment; power grid; telecommunications and information systems; creating “green” infrastructure; modernizing infrastructure.
Lead in paint, radon, pesticides and agricultural runoff, arsenic and other heavy metals in soil, power lines and electromagnetic radiation, cell phones and cancer, asbestos, BPA in plastics, nanomaterials.
Stem cell basics; embryonic vs. adult stem cells; how stem cells are used in research; medical applications; reproductive cloning vs. therapeutic cloning; ethics and U.S. law.
Drinking water basics; sanitation; industrial, agricultural, and urban water supply; water regulation; managing river basin systems for recreation, hydropower, ecology; mitigating the effects of floods and droughts; pollution threats; water and soil remediation; water in developing nations.
Smart prosthetics; artificial organs; medical imaging technologies and diagnostic equipment; drug delivery systems; brain/machine interfaces; synthetic organisms.
Child and adolescent development; child abuse and neglect; family violence; child and adolescent health and health services; childhood obesity; child care and early childhood programs; child and youth labor; children and media; immigrant children and families.
Crime trends; illegal drugs; firearms and violence; forensic analysis; fairness and effectiveness in policing; juvenile crime and justice; parole and community integration.
Marine debris; water pollution; algal blooms; dead zones; marine biodiversity; overfishing and fisheries management; coastal management; ocean acidification; human dependence on oceans.
Dementia (including Alzheimer’s); disability; long-term care; end-of-life and palliative care; Medicare; healthy aging; nutrition; adult learning; the aged in the workforce; sleep; retirement; senior housing; health insurance.
Cancer; obesity; heart disease; diabetes; arthritis; asthma; stroke; COPD; long-term disabilities; infectious causes of chronic disease.
Health outcomes for the insured and uninsured; cost trends and quality of medical care; healthcare disparities based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status; organization and financing of health care; promise of electronic health information; privacy.
