Predictive defense materials: U.S. Army researchers, with VMI and West Point, used modeling plus precision chemistry to design iridium-based light-absorbing/emitting materials that could enable chemical sensors or early warning for chemical warfare. STEM in Virginia classrooms: UVA computer science professors Matthew Dwyer, Sebastian Elbaum, and Mary Lou Soffa were inducted into the new ACM Software Engineering Academy, recognizing long-term impact on how software is built and trusted. Health tech for MRI access: Charlottesville-area experts highlighted MRI options that can help patients who can’t tolerate traditional enclosed scans, including open and motion/weight-bearing approaches. Opioid risk for seniors: Virginia coverage stressed how fentanyl’s potency and unpredictability are driving overdose risk for older adults, who often get less targeted attention from research and treatment. Local policy pressure from AI data centers: Multiple stories this week tied Virginia’s data-center boom to rising utility costs and community pushback, with lawmakers debating how to make projects pay their own power and infrastructure costs. Public safety and privacy: Reports on license-plate reader camera fights underscored how privacy backlash can disrupt investigations. Research funding momentum: UAH announced NSF EPSCoR EGFP graduate fellowships supporting STEM doctoral work in areas including computing/AI and aerospace systems.