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How Many Coronavirus Cases Are Happening In Schools? This Tracker Keeps Count

Simone Popperl Bo Hamby Steve Inskeep

August 28, 2020 |

NPR |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Kansas

The National Education Association has launched a school-focused COVID-19 case tracker in the U.S., all thank to the efforts of a Kansas theater teacher. Alisha Morris started with an excel sheet and took to online searches to start logging the number of positive cases, first around her state, and later was tracking 48 U.S. states. By the time she handed off the data to the NEA, Morris, along with various volunteers "had logged over nearly 4,300 cases at more than 1,000 schools."

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The young people fighting the worst smog in Europe

Jessica Bateman

July 01, 2020 |

BBC |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: North Macedonia, Skopje

To measure the level of air quality in Skopje – one of the most polluted cities in Europe – an engineering student developed an app that alerts residents of the pollution levels. The app has raised the awareness of the severity of the city's pollution problem and has helped to kickstart initiatives aimed to address it.

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How police forces in western Canada are working to speed up ballistic imaging to solve gun crimes quicker

Marsha McLeod

May 27, 2020 |

The Globe and Mail |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Canada, Edmonton, Alberta

As Canada sees an increase in gun violence, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are increasing their capacity to do ballistic imaging – an analysis that is able to potentially connect multiple crimes. Across the country, individual police agencies are developing their own way of conducting this analysis or working with the RCMP, which has access to an integrated network of crime information, to expedite the process.

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Tech startups want to reinvent the bulk aisle—grocery's most glorious, affordable, unwieldy section. That's going to be harder than it looks.

Karine Vann

April 18, 2020 |

The Counter |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

The bulk food aisle in grocery stories - where dry goods are weighed and put in containers that consumers can bring from home - is getting more attention as tech solutions arise to revamp this shopping experience. From SmartBins to MIWA, solutions typically involve using technology to track weight more efficiently and cleanly while generating data on consumer habits. These solutions help consumers save money, have a higher profit margin for companies, and reduce waste in the process.

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Save the Words

Lorraine Boissoneault

April 01, 2020 |

The Believer |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Menominee, Wisconsin

Efforts are underway on the Menominee Reservation in northeastern Wisconsin to preserve the at-risk language of Menominee. That looks like conducting school entirely in Menominee, printing Menominee-language books, updating the language with twenty-first-century terms, and poring over old texts and audio transcripts to transfer vocabulary into a database. There are many challenges facing this initiative and many of the workers are volunteers or poorly-compensated, but those doing the work feel a great sense of responsibility and duty to carry on.

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With command and control, Taiwan excels in managing COVID-19

Don Shapiro

March 23, 2020 |

Channel News Asia |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Taiwan

After the 2003 SARS epidemic, Taiwan formed the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), which has proved necessary in the face of COVID19. The CECC has helped coordinated screenings for incoming travelers, rationing face masks, creating a hotline, and enforcing mandatory self-quarantines. They’ve also integrated health insurance, immigration, and customs databases to identify those most at risk.

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Meet the Detectives Solving Crimes Against Trees

Klaus Sieg

February 28, 2020 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Germany, Hamburg

The Center of Competence on the Origin of Timber in Germany is using innovative methods to help determine timber products’ origins in order to stop illegal wood trading. Scientists can identify wood’s anatomical features and compare them with microscopic samples in the center’s digital database to determine where a piece of wood originally grew. While the process can sometimes take a while, the center has had some successes in detecting illegal logging from some manufacturers.

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Iowa Election Snafu: What Happens When IT And Cybersecurity Best Practices Are Ignored

Jody Westby

February 06, 2020 |

Forbes |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Iowa

The wireless application that malfunctioned during the Iowa caucuses highlighted lessons that election officials must apply in future caucuses. The app skipped or was deficient in most of the established best practices for developing software systems. Software should meet minimum privacy and security standards and it should be tested for functionality and security, with access to regular maintenance as needed. Officials should understand the importance of the best practices and standards when making IT decisions and regular testing to identify vulnerabilities, which are promptly addressed, should take place.

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Catholic Community Services, Pulse for Good aim to improve experience for homeless clients

Taylor Stevens

January 03, 2020 |

The Salt Lake Tribune |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Salt Lake City, Utah

In Utah, Catholic Community Services uses an online survey platform called Pulse for Good to learn what members of vulnerable communities actually want and need. After generating input from the local homeless population, Catholic Community Services was able to tailor their support to items the population said that they needed, such as bus tokens, wipes to clean up coffee, and new shower faucet handles in the restrooms.

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Cities Struggle to Boost Ridership With ‘Uber for Transit' Schemes

Flavie Halais

January 02, 2020 |

Wired |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: China, Shanghai

Data-driven transport can improve access and efficiency if properly implemented. In Shanghai, China, users benefit from customized bus routes designed by artificial intelligence software. Other countries, however, have discontinued pilots of programs similar to the one implemented in China. Elsewhere, in Innisfil, Ontario, a different kind of program helps to fill the gap in public transport--namely, subsidized Uber rides.

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