AGP Executive Report

AI in biomedical research: UVA researchers tested tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude on how cells communicate; they could identify cell reactions up to 65% of the time, but predictions for disease/drug responses dropped to as low as 6%, underscoring the need for multi-level testing before trusting AI in labs. Public safety tech & privacy: Virginia is rolling out more secure “chip-and-tap” EBT cards to cut SNAP skimming fraud, while in the D.C. area a police union is pushing for guardrails and transparency over Flock license-reader camera use. Local environmental health: Newport News says wind-fence configurations could reduce coal dust movement after a city study with UVA’s Repair Lab. STEM workforce pipeline: UVA launched AI4VA, pairing students with Virginia organizations to build practical AI skills, with students earning Google’s AI Professional Certificate before virtual placements. AI influence operations: Anthropic says it found nine influence operations using Claude, including state-linked actors trying to spread political content. Data centers debate: Thornton put a 12-month moratorium on large data center development to evaluate impacts and potential new rules. Menopause & heart risk: A new JAMA analysis (with VCU involvement) found earlier menopause hormone therapy was linked to lower cardiovascular event risk, with authors warning it’s not a randomized trial.

AI & Environment: A new report asks who pays for AI’s environmental costs as data centers surge—electricity, cooling, and water demands are rising fast. Earth Science: Researchers traced a 2024 magnitude 4.8 quake felt across 42 million people to a newly identified Mountainville Fault in New Jersey. Public Health & Food Access: Virginia is rolling out more secure “chip-and-tap” EBT cards to cut SNAP skimming and fraud. Rural Care Tech: Claritev Cares awarded Rural Health Grants, including portable point-of-care ultrasound support for a hospital and specialist-mentorship telehealth for a rural clinic. Rare Earths & Supply Chains: American Rare Earths named a new chief technical advisor to advance separated rare earth oxides for a U.S. mine-to-magnet push. Energy Infrastructure & Growth: A housing analysis finds no single “data center effect,” even as Northern Virginia remains the dominant data-center hub. Local STEM/Tech Policy: Bridgewater canceled its Flock license-reader contract after community pushback. STEM in Sports: Impact Soccer’s AI analytics expands via a “Living Lab” partnership with Montverde Academy.

Data Centers & Power Strain: A new look at electricity demand shows AI data centers are becoming a major grid stressor, with forecasts that could push U.S. data centers to claim a double-digit share of national power by 2030. Energy Costs & Utility Oversight: Hampton Roads residents are pushing back on the Dominion Energy–NextEra merger, warning that higher bills and reliability risks could hit medically vulnerable customers. Virginia Tech Mobility Tech: Wyre, an AI preconstruction document intelligence startup backed by VIPC and others, says it can turn drawings and specs into bid-ready scopes and risk insights before projects break ground. Smart Glasses Privacy: A workplace-focused guide argues for risk-based smart-glasses rules rather than blanket bans, citing privacy, cybersecurity, and accessibility needs. Transportation Safety Tech: Virginia Tech and Zoox tested sound-based cues so pedestrians can judge autonomous vehicle intent, especially in jaywalking scenarios. Chesapeake Bay Science: New reporting highlights underwater grass gains in 2025, nearing the 2030 goal and supporting better bay health. Public Health & Animal Diagnostics: VDACS broke ground on lab expansions for regional animal health testing, aiming to boost capacity for diagnostics that protect public health and Virginia’s agriculture. Road Safety Reminder: Virginia State Police reported 10 deaths in eight Labor Day crashes, including three pedestrians, urging drivers and pedestrians to stay alert. AI & Health Care Limits: A report on AI “scribes” in emergency rooms finds the tech helps with documentation but doesn’t solve core bottlenecks like staffing and boarding.

Data Center Rules for Virginia: Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) unveiled a four-bill national plan to force data centers to pay for needed energy infrastructure, measure water and electricity use, and assess community, environmental, and national security impacts—aimed at stopping costs from landing on households. Local Water & Cooling Debate: A Virginia engineer urged Botetourt County to require cooling towers (not water-intensive cooling) for any data center, warning that drought and heated discharge could strain local supplies. Grid Monitoring Goes Commercial: PNNL licensed its Generator Scorecard grid-monitoring tech to Virginia software firm Simple Thread for utility deployment as Aion Pulse, targeting faster checks of generator performance during grid disturbances. Plastics Research: Virginia Tech researchers reported in Nature Communications a new ring-based polymer design that can be strong, tough, flexible, and oxygen-blocking—potentially useful for food packaging. Privacy Tech Pushback: Bridgewater, Va., voted to remove its Flock license-plate cameras and won’t add similar tech without citizen dialogue. Environment & Species Protection: VA AG Nick Brown co-led lawsuits to block federal Endangered Species Act rule changes that would weaken habitat protections for threatened and endangered species. STEM in the News Cycle: Virginia Tech also highlighted dementia caregiver research funding, while a separate report noted data-center growth is reshaping housing and utility concerns unevenly by local market.

Virginia Digital Service Launch: Gov. Abigail Spanberger appointed Andrea Fletcher to lead a new Virginia Digital Service team aimed at modernizing state IT and improving how residents experience government services. Data Centers, National Policy Push: Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) unveiled a four-bill plan to make data centers cover needed energy infrastructure, measure water and power use, and assess community and environmental impacts. Chesapeake Bay Recovery: Virginia Institute of Marine Science surveys show underwater grass hit record highs in the Bay’s saltiest waters, with overall submerged aquatic vegetation up about 7% in 2025. AI for Biology: Google DeepMind and partners released AlphaGenome Atlas, letting researchers explore predicted effects of more than 9 billion single-letter DNA changes via a web tool. Public Health Research: VCU and Pitt researchers report hormone therapy started in peri- or early postmenopause is linked to a lower cardiovascular disease event risk. Wild Ginseng Rules: VDACS opened Virginia’s wild ginseng harvest season (Sept. 1–Dec. 31) with strict age and plant-prong limits and seed-planting requirements.

Virginia Digital Service Launch: Gov. Abigail Spanberger named Andrea Fletcher to lead a new Virginia Digital Service aimed at modernizing state websites and computer systems, and tightening how the state buys and manages tech after a failed child-support IT overhaul reportedly cost $52 million. Cybersecurity Ops: Virginia’s tech push lands as cyber leaders warn of a “Patch Apocalypse,” arguing teams must risk-rank fixes instead of chasing every software update. Directed Energy Defense: AeroVironment (AV) says it received its first international order for its LOCUST laser counter-drone system, a more than $50M step toward broader directed-energy adoption. Health Tech & Care Access: A Northern Virginia endocrinology partnership pairs CGM and insulin pump referrals with real-time supply onboarding and resupply scheduling to reduce coverage disruptions. Environment & Water: Henrico County coverage highlights air-permit violations and proposed PFAS discharge-monitoring rules, while Chesapeake Bay reporting shows underwater grass expanding nearly 13% in Maryland’s portion in 2025. STEM in the Commonwealth: Virginia Tech received a $249,000 HHS grant tied to dementia caregiver research, and a Virginia-based brain-controlled prosthetic arm project is highlighted as a student STEM win.

Virginia Tech Funding: Virginia Tech landed three new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grants, including $750,993 for pulse-echo speed-of-sound imaging, $588,671 for yellow fever mosquito research, and $249,000 for dementia caregiver-family studies. Higher Ed Policy: The U.S. House passed a bill to withhold federal aid from colleges that boycott Israel, setting up a Senate fight over academic freedom and free-speech claims. Immigration & Tuition: The Justice Department sued multiple states over in-state tuition rules for illegal immigrants, arguing they violate federal law. Cybersecurity: A dark-web listing reportedly exposed searchable access to about 153 million driver’s license records, traced to an identity verification firm. Data Centers & Water: A new analysis estimates data centers in seven states withdraw about 3.4 trillion gallons of freshwater annually, raising fresh pressure on Virginia’s power and water planning. Public Safety: Fairfax County is moving to restore crossing guards near high schools after a crash, with funding decisions looming. Space Science: NASA reported new measurements of sporadic E radio layers using five sensors launched from Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

AI & Work: Cardinal Robert W. McElroy warned at a Labor Day Mass that AI may reshape work so profoundly that “meaningful work” could be at risk, while stressing the dignity of human labor. Energy Policy & Grid Impacts: Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi’s Energy Costs Listening Tour in Sterling tied rising bills to Dominion’s proposed sale to NextEra, data-center power demand, transmission lines, and eminent domain. Data Centers & Public Notice: A proposed EPA rule change could reduce public notice for certain air permits, potentially limiting community input on data-center projects. Education Equity (Norfolk): Norfolk’s six-year bachelor’s completion rate for Black/African American students was 40.8% by 2024, below the statewide 51.3%. Health Research Funding (Virginia Tech): Virginia Tech received a $249,000 HHS grant to study dementia caregiver research, plus a separate $750,993 grant for pulse-echo speed-of-sound imaging tech. Prosthetics Innovation (Virginia): A Virginia builder created an open-source, brain-controlled prosthetic arm using EEG sensors, aiming for affordable non-surgical access. Orthotics Tech (Icarus Medical): Icarus Medical launched a Flexion Control Dial to help clinicians adjust knee flexion in rehab and complex orthotic care. Workforce & Schools: Gov. Spanberger highlighted Virginia’s education investments, including a new Roanoke County career and technology center opening in 2027. Union Trends: New research finds union membership growth in the U.S. is rising but heavily dependent on state collective-bargaining politics.

Mental Health & Community: A new music project, “All We Need Is Love,” is rallying global voices for National Suicide Prevention Month, with digital-download proceeds supporting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Medical Innovation (Pediatrics): U.Va. Health became the first Virginia institution to use a temporary Impella heart pump in a patient under 18, expanding mechanical-circulatory-support options for pediatric care. STEM Research Funding (Virginia Tech): Virginia Tech received three U.S. HHS grants—pulse-echo speed-of-sound imaging, yellow fever mosquito research, and dementia caregiver studies—totaling about $1.59M. Energy & Climate (Offshore Wind): Dominion’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is continuing despite national political headwinds, with 41 turbines installed so far and plans for 176. Cybersecurity & Identity Theft: The FBI opened an investigation into stolen driver’s license scans sold on a dark-web service tied to an identity verification company. AI & Data Centers (Power Crunch): A Virginia Mercury report says a PJM capacity auction fell short for 2028/29, with data centers driving rapid load growth and raising the risk of higher electricity costs. Conservation Tech (Student STEM): A Virginia student won state merit recognition for “Dolphin Guard,” proposing sensor-based alerts to reduce dangerous dolphin-vessel interactions.

Energy & Grid Planning: A new PJM capacity auction for 2028–29 fell short by nearly 6.8 gigawatts, with data centers blamed for the rapid load growth—raising the odds of higher electricity costs for Virginia ratepayers. STEM Student Innovation: Virginia Beach sixth-year Ishanvi Sakharpe won Virginia State Merit for “Dolphin Guard,” using sensors and vessel alerts to prevent dolphin-fishing and navigation collisions. Virginia Tech Research: Virginia Tech received a $588,671 HHS grant to study yellow-fever–carrying mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti), supporting entomology-led work. AI Text Authenticity: A new push for watermarking text is making it harder to copy writing without leaving a detectable signal, as more AI systems embed marks directly into language. Data Center Backlash & Policy: Coverage continues on how data centers are reshaping local politics and energy debates, including concerns about power, water, and transparency. Plastics-to-Soap Breakthrough: Virginia Tech researchers highlighted chemical upcycling of common plastics into high-value surfactants that could become soap ingredients. Patent Support for Innovators: Patent Attorney launched a redesigned website aimed at helping Virginia inventors and startups navigate filing, responding to examiners, and commercialization.

Space & Defense: The U.S. Navy tested a robotic system off Virginia’s coast that can capture, refuel, and release an unmanned vessel at sea—transferring 400 gallons across about 100 connection cycles—aimed at keeping uncrewed platforms deployed longer. AI Infrastructure & Power: Virginia lawmakers and regulators are pressing on NextEra’s proposed Dominion takeover, with House Speaker Don Scott warning the State Corporation Commission must focus on actions that protect clean-energy goals, affordability, jobs, and Richmond’s role as a co-headquarters. Data Centers, Community Backlash: In Spotsylvania County, residents are organizing against a planned 633-acre data center campus at Belvedere Plantation, while a Pennsylvania farmer rejected a roughly $15.7M offer for an AI data center and instead accepted a conservation easement. Robotics in the Data Center: Meta is trialing dual-armed robots to swap network cables inside server racks, signaling more automation for physical maintenance work. STEM Discovery: Scientists described a “new” frog species in Ecuador after re-checking century-old museum specimens—Pristimantis milpe—showing how taxonomy can still change with better review. Education Outcomes: New local six-year degree completion figures highlight gaps and gains across Virginia cities and schools, including Harrisonburg’s 82.2% rate for Asian students and Norfolk’s lower pooled rate for Asian students. Policy & Privacy: Flock license-plate camera fights keep spreading, with more communities ending or suspending programs amid surveillance concerns.

Surveillance Backlash in Virginia: DeFlock reports a surge in U.S. communities rejecting automated license plate readers; in Virginia, Lynchburg ended its Flock contract after residents raised privacy and warrant concerns, while other local debates continue. STEM + Defense Pipeline: A Beavercreek firm, ARCTOS, won up to a $60M Air Force Research Laboratory contract to expand STEM outreach, internships, and mentorship tied to Wright-Patterson. Navy Shipbuilding: The U.S. Navy awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries $336.1M for long-lead materials for the USS William J. Clinton (CVN-82), pushing the carrier deeper into funded procurement. AI Chips + Data Centers: DeepSeek reportedly ordered 160,000 Ascend 950DT chips for an Inner Mongolia data center, underscoring the fast shift toward inference-focused deployments. Health Policy: A George Mason-led study finds Virginia Medicaid reimburses preventive care at lower rates than private insurance, raising concerns about physician participation and patient access. Education Outcomes: New six-year bachelor’s completion figures highlight gaps by race and city, including William & Mary’s 88.9% completion for Black students and lower rates in some other Virginia institutions.

Remote Work & Mental Health: A new Science-linked study finds remote work can increase loneliness, especially for people living alone, with hybrid setups potentially easing the social hit. Defense Tech in Virginia: The U.S. approved a potential $5B Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia for JDAM-ER systems, precision guidance kits, and bombs—Boeing (Arlington) is listed as principal contractor. Public Safety on Trails: NOVA Parks and local police are warning that some e-bikes can reach 40–50 mph and aren’t safe for the W&OD Trail’s mixed-use crowd. Cybersecurity & Identity Theft: FBI-linked reporting says 153M+ driver’s license scans are for sale on dark web markets via an identity verification provider, raising risks for fraud and verification systems. Health & Research: UVA Health will open a Lynchburg cancer clinic this fall, bringing infusion and oncology services closer to home. STEM in the Lab: Auburn researchers report a bacterial route to testosterone production, revealing a new microbial pathway tied to prostate biology. Sports Safety: Donations helped fund Guardian Caps for TKMS football players, aiming to reduce concussion risk. Tech Policy & Youth: UVA researchers are studying how teens’ digital lives are shaped by Virginia’s school cell-phone ban and what that means for mental health. AI Security: A new report warns of “slopsquatting,” where AI-generated fake package names can slip into software supply chains.

AI in Schools: A Virginia special education teacher says generative AI cuts IEP writing and paperwork time by more than half, giving her more weekend time. Health Policy: A new Virginia-led study finds Medicaid—both fee-for-service and managed care—pays doctors substantially less than other insurers, using Transparency in Coverage and Virginia claims data. Semiconductors & National Security: The Trump administration backs Micron in a New York environmental dispute over a proposed $100B chip hub near Syracuse, arguing delays threaten U.S. security and supply chains. Cyber/Privacy & Politics: Rep. Suhas Subramanyam says the FBI/DOJ monitored his calls with Virginia Sen. Louise Lucas during a politically sensitive period. Public Safety Tech: Maryland began a statewide body-camera rollout for correctional officers under a long-term Axon contract. STEM Industry in Virginia: Heven AeroTech opened a hydrogen-powered drone production facility in Winchester as part of a nationwide manufacturing push. Data Centers & Community Trust: A Reuters/Ipsos poll highlights low public approval for data center construction pace, with many opposing sites near home.

Defense & Manufacturing: IperionX won a second U.S. Army task order to expand industrial-scale titanium manufacturing at its Virginia campus, aiming to speed up production of Army fasteners and strengthen domestic supply. STEM Education & Workforce: UVA Health and partners hosted a NextGen Healthcare Summit for middle schoolers, using hands-on activities (and a grant-backed toolkit) to spark interest in healthcare careers. Tech Policy & Privacy: Virginia localities keep pausing Flock license-plate camera use amid privacy and governance concerns, with Goochland suspending ALPR after community pushback and other counties already cutting ties. AI & Data Centers: A new wave of debate continues over AI’s water and energy footprint; experts say public data is too limited to verify claims like Sam Altman’s “almond vs. ChatGPT” comparison. Public Health: Ballad Health is offering free first-time low-dose CT lung cancer screenings for eligible patients starting Sept. 1, 2026. Cybersecurity & Fraud: Reports highlight FBI interest in a dark-web service selling scanned driver’s licenses, raising concerns about identity theft risk. Higher Ed Research Ethics: A VCU animal-testing letter urges the university to stop animal studies, reflecting ongoing pressure for humane, non-animal research methods.

Antitrust & Big Tech: A federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia spared Google from selling its ad exchange (AdX), ordering behavioral changes instead in the DOJ’s latest push to break up the company’s digital advertising power. Public Health & Water: Virginia-adjacent policy pressure is growing as AG Jeff Jackson urges EPA to require microplastics monitoring in drinking water. Cybersecurity & Identity Theft: The FBI is investigating a dark-web service allegedly selling scanned driver’s licenses for 153+ million people, including a Virginia driver’s license used as a sample. STEM in the Community: Virginia Cooperative Extension highlights how land-grant research from Virginia Tech and Virginia State University reaches farmers, gardeners, and youth through local agents and programs. Education & Workforce Pathways: Halifax County leaders used a film on career-based learning to push a mindset shift toward equal value for non-college pathways. Energy & Infrastructure Backlash: Data center politics are intensifying nationwide, with states moving from incentives toward restrictions over power, water, and community impacts. Defense Tech: DARPA’s hypersonic cruise missile program sets an industry day in Arlington, Virginia, focused on faster, higher-rate manufacturing. Local STEM & Learning Tech: NoctIQ launched an AI anti-snore pillow aimed at improving sleep for couples.