Addiction continues to be a major public health crisis in America. In Volume III of the MIT Science Policy Review, Cole Korponay reviews the current understanding of the drug-brain relationship, and describes the evolving policy landscape around America’s response to the drug addiction crisis. Finally, Korponay highlights some emerging science that could lead to new avenues for preventing and treating addiction. The cover image, designed by our Creative Director Daymé Delgado, symbolizes the process in which science and technology advancements can be harnessed to craft evidence-based policies to address drug addiction and improve patient outcomes.
Methane emissions are a major component of human-driven climate change. In Volume III of the MIT Science Policy Review, William Sawyer et al. review technologies and policies to reduce emissions, and discuss current global efforts towards this reduction. The authors emphasize that a current gap in methane emission technology, monitoring with high resolution in space and time, must be closed to drive emission reduction. They also describe how different industries, such as the oil/gas sector and agriculture, are at different stages of technology and policy development deployment. Finally, they note that global cooperation within and between the private and public sectors may promote global methane emission reduction. The cover image, designed by our Creative Director Daymé Delgado, visualizes that many different sources of methane emissions result in a disruptive outcome: global warming.
Editorial
Editor’s Note | Aug. 29, 2022
Reflections on communication and leadership
MIT SPR’s Editor-in-Chief for Volume III reflects on their time in leadership at the journal.
Perspectives
Climate Change | Aug. 29, 2022
Battery deployment in the U.S. faces non-technical barriers
Energy storage, particularly through advanced battery technologies, is critical for overcoming the intermittency of renewable energy and enabling deep decarbonization of the power grid. While lithium-ion batteries have gained momentum due to prior scaling in electronics and electric vehicles, broader adoption of more diverse, cost-effective storage solutions is hindered by high upfront costs and material supply chain constraints. Addressing these challenges will require targeted government intervention, smarter economic strategies, and accelerated innovation to ensure timely deployment of scalable, affordable, and sustainable grid storage technologies.
Climate Change | Aug. 29, 2022
A comparison of American and Chinese policies for electric vehicle technologies
The transition to clean energy and electric vehicles (EVs) depends heavily on critical metals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements, making control over these resources strategically vital. While China has implemented a coordinated industrial policy such as Made in China 2025 to dominate high-tech sectors and secure battery material supply chains, the U.S. has lagged in commercialization despite leading in early-stage R&D. To remain competitive and support decarbonization, the U.S. must strengthen domestic supply chains, scale manufacturing, and adopt long-term industrial strategies, as highlighted by recent legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
Science Enterprise | Aug. 29, 2022
Article Processing Charges may not be sustainable for academic researchers
The shift to online and open-access (OA) publishing has improved research accessibility but created new economic burdens, particularly through rising Article Processing Charges (APCs) that disproportionately affect individual research groups. While OA increases global access to scientific knowledge, the APC model risks unsustainable cost growth and market concentration among a few dominant publishers. To address this, stakeholders—including researchers, universities, and funders must explore cost-sharing reforms, encourage alternatives like preprints and nonprofit journals, and adopt policies that prioritize affordability and equitable access to scientific publishing.
Science Enterprise | Aug. 29, 2022
Helping deep tech founders build in strange shores
Immigrant founders play a vital role in U.S. innovation and economic growth, particularly in deep tech sectors like AI and biotechnology, yet face significant immigration and funding barriers. Complex visa processes, ineligibility for key non-dilutive funding like SBIR grants, and limited fast-track residency options hinder their ability to build companies in the U.S. To maintain global innovation leadership, the U.S. must reform immigration policies to better support deep tech entrepreneurs, enabling them to start companies, access funding, and stay long-term.
Reviews
AI, Space and Security | Aug. 29, 2022
Whither Section 230? – Law and disruptive technology
This article examines the legal challenges posed by fast-evolving internet technologies, focusing on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which broadly shields online platforms from liability for third-party content. Originally intended to foster content moderation and free expression, courts have interpreted Section 230 to grant sweeping immunity even in cases involving serious harm like terrorism and sex trafficking raising concerns about unchecked power and lack of accountability. With congressional reform unlikely in the short term, the debate is increasingly shifting to the courts, where a growing number of influential judges, including Justice Thomas, are questioning the current broad interpretation and calling for a more balanced approach.
AI, Space and Security | Aug. 29, 2022
Survey and analysis of U.S. policies to address ransomware
Ransomware attacks have surged in recent years, targeting critical infrastructure and exploiting cryptocurrencies and cyber-insurance to create a lucrative criminal industry. While technical measures such as backups and network segmentation help mitigate attacks, they cannot eliminate risks, especially as zero-day vulnerabilities and human error persist. To effectively address ransomware, policymakers must combine technical defenses with regulatory action, particularly around payment reporting, incident disclosure, and cryptocurrency oversight to disrupt the financial incentives driving these attacks.
AI, Space and Security | Aug. 29, 2022
Lethal autonomous weapons systems & artificial intelligence: Trends, challenges, and policies
Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) are rapidly advancing due to improvements in AI and sensor technology, raising serious humanitarian, legal, and political concerns. While many nations and international organizations call for regulation or bans, key military powers including the U.S., Russia, and China, continue development, citing strategic advantages. The growing risks include errors in targeting, lack of accountability, adversarial attacks, and potential violations of international humanitarian law, all underscoring the urgent need for nuanced and enforceable global governance before catastrophic misuse occurs.
AI, Space and Security | Aug. 29, 2022
AML by design: Designing a central bank digital currency to stifle money laundering
Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) offer a unique opportunity to embed anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) objectives directly into the design of digital money. By leveraging tools such as digital identity systems, algorithmic suspicious transaction reporting, and privacy-conscious data governance, CBDCs can help detect and deter illicit financial activity while balancing trade-offs with privacy, financial inclusion, and compliance costs. Ultimately, a thoughtfully designed CBDC can serve as a dynamic regulatory tool continuously evaluated and improved to support safer, more inclusive, and transparent financial systems.
Climate Change | Aug. 29, 2022
Beyond lithium-ion batteries: Shaping the transition to sustainable electrochemical energy storage
To support global decarbonization, advanced battery technologies must not only meet rising performance demands but also prioritize sustainability. While lithium-ion batteries currently dominate, their resource constraints and environmental impact highlight the growing need for beyond-lithium-ion (BLI) alternatives, such as sodium- and potassium-based systems that rely on abundant, widely distributed materials. Targeted policy support, investment in research, and the development of recycling infrastructure are essential to advancing these next-generation batteries and ensuring a sustainable, secure energy future.
Climate Change | Aug. 29, 2022
Methane emissions and global warming: Mitigation technologies, policy ambitions, and global efforts
The article highlights that methane is responsible for nearly one-third of global warming and presents a critical opportunity for rapid climate impact reduction due to its high short-term warming potential and relatively short atmospheric lifespan. Many methane emissions, particularly from oil and gas operations, can be cost-effectively mitigated using current technologies, but widespread adoption is hindered by policy and monitoring limitations. Addressing harder-to-detect sources, such as those from agriculture, waste, and natural systems will require improved detection technologies, innovative mitigation approaches, and expanded policy frameworks to support both near-term action and long-term climate goals.
Climate Change | Aug. 29, 2022
Addressing the single-use plastic proliferation problem
Plastics have become essential to modern life, but their production from fossil fuels, low recyclability, and environmental persistence have created a growing global waste crisis. While bans on single-use plastics, particularly bags have shown some success, especially in Europe, they are not sufficient alone and often face enforcement and equity challenges. A more comprehensive policy approach combining bans, fees, extended producer responsibility, education, and investment in sustainable materials and advanced recycling technologies is essential for addressing the full life cycle and environmental impact of plastic waste.
Healthcare | Aug. 29, 2022
The past, present, and future of human challenge trials
Human Challenge Trials (HCTs), in which volunteers are deliberately exposed to infectious agents under controlled conditions, offer the potential to accelerate vaccine development and deepen understanding of disease, but raise complex ethical, safety, and regulatory concerns. While HCTs have a long history and have contributed significantly to vaccine progress, their use, especially during pandemics like COVID-19 demands rigorous informed consent, participant protection, and careful risk-benefit analysis. As HCTs gain prominence, especially with the success of SARS-CoV-2 trials in the U.K., the global research community continues to debate how to standardize regulations while balancing urgency, scientific value, and ethical responsibility.
Healthcare | Aug. 29, 2022
The future of treating aging
As global life expectancy rises and fertility declines, societies are grappling with the health and economic challenges of population aging. Recent scientific advances in geroscience suggest that targeting the biological mechanisms of aging could prevent or delay multiple chronic diseases, potentially extending healthy lifespan rather than merely treating one disease at a time. While debate continues over whether aging should be classified as a disease, experts agree that developing validated biomarkers and regulatory frameworks for gerotherapeutics is essential to safely translate these innovations into preventive and therapeutic strategies for the aging population.
Healthcare | Aug. 29, 2022
Should machines be allowed to ‘read our minds’? Uses and regulation of biometric techniques that attempt to infer mental states
Biometric techniques that aim to infer individuals’ mental states such as stress, fatigue, or intentions are increasingly used in wellness apps, clinical research, and surveillance of students and workers, despite limited scientific validation and significant ethical concerns. These tools risk violating privacy, amplifying algorithmic bias, and making consequential decisions based on flawed inferences, especially when deployed outside of regulated settings. To access their potential benefits while mitigating harm, the article calls for rigorous scientific research, expanded legal definitions, proactive regulation, and coordinated international oversight.
Healthcare | Aug. 29, 2022
The next frontier of combating drug addiction in America
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep flaws in America’s addiction care system, sparking a shift toward harm-reduction policies and neuroscience-informed approaches. Expanding access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT), the most effective but underused strategy for opioid use disorder remains a key opportunity. Meanwhile, emerging neuroscience tools like brain stimulation and predictive brain-based risk assessments offer promising new paths for treatment and prevention, signaling a potential turning point in the fight against addiction.
Healthcare | Aug. 29, 2022
Biogen’s Aduhelm controversy as a case study for accelerated approval biomarkers in Alzheimer’s and related diseases
The approval of Aduhelm, an Alzheimer’s drug, through the FDA’s Accelerated Approval Program sparked significant controversy due to its reliance on amyloid-beta biomarker reduction rather than demonstrated cognitive improvement, raising concerns about the validity of surrogate endpoints. While surrogate biomarkers can accelerate drug access for patients with serious diseases, insufficient validation, especially in complex, heterogeneous conditions like Alzheimer’s may expose patients to ineffective or unsafe treatments. The Aduhelm case has major implications for future neurodegenerative drug development, policy around accelerated approval, and the use of biomarkers, particularly in rare diseases where traditional trials are often not feasible.
Healthcare, Space and Security | Aug. 29, 2022
Biosecurity risks and governance in the age of synthetic biology
The article highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic underscored global vulnerability to biological threats and the growing risks posed by advances in synthetic biology, which have lowered the barriers to engineering and deploying bioweapons. While international frameworks like the Biological Weapons Convention exist, they suffer from enforcement and verification gaps, especially in the face of rapid biotechnological development. Improving biological threat attribution technologies, regulating DNA synthesis, and expanding surveillance systems are key strategies proposed to strengthen global biosecurity and prevent the misuse of biotechnology.
Space and Security, Climate Change | Aug. 29, 2022
Space sustainability isn’t just about space debris: On the atmospheric impact of space launches
The rapid growth of the space launch industry presents significant but understudied environmental risks, particularly from rocket emissions that deplete the ozone layer and contribute to radiative forcing in the stratosphere and mesosphere. Despite increasing awareness, there are currently no international regulations addressing these emissions, and existing national policies are fragmented and insufficient. To mitigate future impacts, coordinated global efforts, such as research on emissions, the development of sustainability metrics, and the adoption of market-based or regulatory solutions are urgently needed to promote more environmentally responsible launch vehicle designs.
Interviews
AI | Aug. 29, 2022
Natural language processing: Understanding the current landscape
Kathleen Siminyu and Chris Tanner highlight the current challenges and opportunities in natural language processing (NLP), particularly around data scarcity for low-resource languages, model bias, and lack of generalizability. Siminyu emphasizes community-driven approaches and linguistic diversity in African NLP, while Tanner focuses on technical rigor, model interpretability, and the socio-political implications of AI deployment.
Healthcare | Aug. 29, 2022
On innovation in public health across government, industry, and academia
Melvin Crum, Donna Taraborelli, and David Walt highlight how COVID-19 spurred innovation in public health through data modernization, digital health entrepreneurship, and expanded collaboration between government, academia, and industry.
Healthcare | Aug. 29, 2022
An interview with Ryan Morhard: On biosecurity and pandemic preparedness
Ryan Morhard emphasizes that the growing bioeconomy and advances in biotechnology present a transformative opportunity to build sustainable, “neglect-resistant” public health infrastructure, enabling early detection and rapid response to future pandemics and societal challenges.
Climate Change | Aug. 29, 2022
An interview with Professor Paul Joskow: On grid integration and decarbonization
Professor Paul Joskow emphasizes that the failure of the New England Clean Energy Connect project illustrates the urgent need for coordinated regional energy policy, public understanding of infrastructure tradeoffs, and a clear, unified national decarbonization strategy to achieve cost-effective clean energy goals.
Climate Change | Aug. 29, 2022
An interview with Oscar Ocampo: On reaching net zero in Mexico
Oscar Ocampo, energy coordinator at IMCO, warns that recent Mexican energy policies have paused and in many ways reversed the country’s progress toward clean energy and climate commitments, jeopardizing legal certainty, international trade relations, investment competitiveness, and public trust, while reinforcing the urgent need for data-driven, depoliticized energy policy and regional cooperation.
Science Enterprise | Aug. 29, 2022
An interview with Sairee Chahal: Founder, serial
entrepreneur, and evangelist for women’s role in
nation building
Sairee Chahal, founder of SHEROES and Mahila Money, is building a tech-enabled ecosystem to empower women in India through safe online communities, access to finance, and entrepreneurial support, while advocating for gender-inclusive policies and greater collaboration between government and innovation-driven platforms.