波士頓台灣人生物科技協會迎新 人強馬壯活動豐富

波士頓台灣人生物科技協會出席2023迎新會的歷屆會長，左起孟憲薇，謝富凱，
蔡明儒，吳佩容，朱治齊，周致宏，許祐湉，邱亮源，何逸雲、林致中。 (周菊子攝)

             (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 波士頓台灣人生物科技協會 (BTBA) 10月21日在哈佛大學Lehman Hall 迎新，由新任會長蔡明儒、吳佩容簡報新年度概況，請前會長謝富凱、孟憲薇分享當年體驗，新團隊人強馬壯多達8組，讓將近150名到會者對新的一年，充滿期待。

波士頓台灣人生物科技協會會長蔡明儒 (右二)，吳佩容(右三)感謝右起，
波士頓僑教中心潘朝榮主任，波士頓經文處處長廖朝宏，科技組組長蔡孟勳，
教育組組長黃薳玉出席。 (周菊子攝]

              駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長廖朝宏，科技組組長蔡孟勳，教育組組長黃薳玉，科技組秘書楊明儀，僑教中心主任潘昭榮，這天全員到會，除廖朝宏處長外，還全都待到活動結束才離開，對BTBA倍表尊重。

              廖朝宏處長在致詞時打趣說能夠參加，多虧有同事提早幫他報名，繼而直指BTBA成立11年後，已成大波士頓地區一個重要社團，有需要該處服務，或贊助之處，儘管說。AB Biosciences創辦人許衍明這天特地出席活動，物色生物資訊人才，可為佐證之一。

波士頓經文處處長蔡孟勳(左)和AB Bioscience 創辦人許衍明 (中)等人

              科技組組長蔡孟勳獲有陽明大學公共衛生博士學位，在臺大任教15年，已升任生物科技研究所所長，去年在國科會借調下，來波士頓出任科技組組長。他透露自己還在公衛、醫學等系開過課，因而往年來波士頓時，常會遇到學生說「老師，我上過你的課耶」。他解釋道，自己現在的工作是科技外交，要把學術界、產業界的好人才、技術，帶回臺灣，而波士頓臺灣人生物科技協會正是最好的平台。例如國科會的2030計畫，教育部的玉山計畫，都為有志回臺灣服務者提供很好的資源與報酬，

孟憲薇(左三)和謝富凱(右二) 2名BTBA前會長分享加入BTBA的緣起及收穫。

              蔡孟勳還透露，他和BTBA的淵源很深，因為創會會長陳昇宏就是他的學弟，在BTBA的第二或第三屆年會時，也曾受邀來波士頓擔任講者。

BTBA的2023年迎新，有將近150人參加。

謝富凱、孟憲薇這2位前會長則在「生技職涯大冒險」這主題下，暢談2人加入BTBA緣由，以及經由籌辦活動，帶領團隊所學到的領導力，增添了的進退應對軟實力。他們強調，付出絕對有收穫，滿滿友情，更是日後回想起來都讓人甜笑。

              新任會長蔡明儒、吳佩容在會中做了BTBA的歷史簡介，包括2012年成立，2013年開始辦年會，主講人都是業界翹楚，第一屆是中研院前院長翁啟惠，第二屆是發明「愛滋病」雞尾酒療法，曾獲時代雜誌選為世界百大人物之一的何大一博士。2022年邀到本地擁有1400多項專利，MIT僅有的12名學院教授之一的Robert Langer。

BTBA 迎新會介紹各個分組內容。 (周菊子攝)

              過去這些年來，BTBA在團隊成員熱誠奉獻中，經營得有聲有色，影響力無遠弗屆，每屆年會都有人不遠千里飛來，接著開枝散葉，陸續有德州、南卡、加州灣區、密蘇里州，以及去年在日本，成立了台灣人生物科技協會。

波士頓台灣人生物科技協會會長蔡明儒 (左)，吳佩容(右)為迎新會做開場致詞。
(周菊子攝)

              在歷屆會長、幹部的悉心經營，總要想出還可以增加，造福同儕的活動後，BTBA今年分立了科學創新、業界職涯發展，領袖人才發展、活動交流、募資、宣傳、美編設計、數位科技，依序推選出楊志祥，姚俊辰；畢家興、謝宗霖；胡金儒、蔡函庭，林琪蓁；王韋程，彭筱伃；羅維中，蘇彥竹、吳淑瑋，沈宜蓉，高士婷、林岸萱，陳語安、林書弘等小組長帶領活動。前幾年推出後頗受歡迎的播客 (Podcast) 「生技來一刻」已推出全新第四季，職涯導師 (Mentorship)項目，也將在12月2日以「晤面 (Meetup)」的見面交流活動，繼續辦理。

波士頓台灣人生物科技協會開枝散葉，去年連日本都成立了台灣人生物科技協會。
(周菊子攝)

              在這新年度開始之際，BTBA已排定一系列活動，包括10月28日和日本台灣人生物科技協會合作，在線上舉辦「日本就職經驗談」，11月4日組隊到Samuel Adams酒廠參觀，遙想金字塔時期埃及人用最古老生物科技釀啤酒，再親眼看看Samuel Adam用21世紀科技釀啤酒的生物科技應用。11月18日在Lehman Hall二樓201，舉辦「生物科技/醫療保健產業中數據驅動的決策(Data-Driven Decision Making in Biotech/Healthcare)」的討論會，邀請專家來分享業界經驗

吳淑瑋(左一)等人在迎新這天擔任接待。(周菊子攝)

              新任會長蔡明儒、吳佩容在BTBA這場迎新活動中，還安排「快速交流 (speed networking)」活動，邀請了臺灣大學校友會會長黃楷智，紐英崙玉山科技協會會長許益祥，波士頓臺灣人醫師協會創辦人陳思達等人出席交流。 (僑務電子報:   https://ocacnews.net/article/353396 )

4名麻省理工學院學者獲得美國國家技術與創新等獎

(圖片來自MIT通訊)

             (Boston Orange 綜合編譯) 美國總統拜登 (Joe Biden) 10月24日宣佈今年 (2023) 的國家技術與創新獎章和國家科學獎章的得主，麻省理工學院 (MIT) 及麾下附屬機構，有4人獲獎。

              這4名獲獎者為發明光學相干斷層掃描 (OCT) 的James Fujimoto，Elihu Thomson， David Huang，以及致力跨國研究、合作的MIT工程學院前院長Subra Suresh。

              James Fujimoto現為Elihu Thomson電機工程教授，以及電子研究實驗室 (RLE)首席研究員。Eric Swanson為麻省理工學院RLE研究員暨Deshpande科技創新中心導師。David Huang則是奧勒岡健康與科學大學眼科教授David Huang。

今年稍早，他們三人也因這頗具影響力的工作獲得了拉斯克-德貝基臨床醫學研究獎。

該技術利用反射光以非侵入性方式生成敏感組織（如眼睛）的高解析度影像。  1991 年時，他們在《科學》雜誌上發表的論文中介紹了 OCT，此後已成為眼科護理標準，並用於診斷和治療許多疾病，包括黃斑部病變、青光眼和糖尿病視網膜病變。

拜登總統在頒獎時表示，“如果我們下定決心，一切都有可能，你們所有人都擁有令人難以置信的頭腦。” 「你們拯救了人們的生命，你們改變了我們看待世界的方式，你們讓世界變得更好。 我不知道我們還能要求什麼」。”

Healey州長提名Fabiola White任青少年法庭副法官 Edee Alexander進假釋局

Governor Healey Nominates Fabiola White to Juvenile Court and Edee Alexander to Parole Board   

BOSTON – Governor Maura T. Healey today nominated Fabiola White as Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court and Edith “Edee” Alexander to the Massachusetts Parole Board. The nominees will now be considered by the Governor’s Council for confirmation. 

 

“Fabiola White has shown a lifelong commitment to protecting and supporting children in need of care and I’m confident her experiences will serve her well as an Associate Justice on our Juvenile Court. Similarly, Edee Alexander has dedicated her career to equitable treatment under the law and I am excited to nominate her as a Parole Board Member,” said Governor Healey. “I look forward to hearing from the Governor’s Council as they consider these nominees.” 

 

“We are proud to submit Fabiola White and Edee Alexander to the Governor’s Council for consideration,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “They have both dedicated their careers to public service and upholding the law and will be incredible assets to our state’s justice system.”  

 

Fabiola White brings a lifetime of personal and professional experience to the Juvenile Court bench. She emigrated from Haiti to Cambridge as a child and was raised in foster care. She has worked for Massachusetts Probation Services since 2019, first as an Administrative Attorney and currently as Deputy Legal Counsel. Prior to that, she led her own practice where she represented children and families in care and protection proceedings, guardianships, child requiring assistance and delinquency proceedings in the Cambridge and Boston Juvenile Courts. In addition, she represented adults in criminal cases in the Cambridge and Chelsea district courts. She previously worked for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office as a Victim Witness Advocate in Suffolk Superior court, Chelsea District Court and the Boston Municipal Courts. While at the district attorney’s office she worked part-time at the “Meeting Place” as a Child Access Supervisor where she facilitated and documented child-parent interactions in court ordered supervised visits. Attorney White is also a council member of the Massachusetts Bar Associations Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Section Council and a member of Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association. She has a B.A in Criminal Justice from Lasell College, M.A in Criminal Justice from Suffolk University and a J.D. from Massachusetts School of Law. Attorney White lives in Medford with her husband and three children. 
The mission of the Juvenile Court is to protect children from abuse and neglect, to promote opportunities for children to reside in safe, stable, permanent family environments, to strengthen families, to rehabilitate juveniles, and to protect the public from delinquent and criminal behavior. The Juvenile Court Department has jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters including delinquencies, youthful offender cases, care and protection matters and children requiring assistance cases. It has 42 judges, including the Chief Justice, sitting in over 40 courthouses. 

 

For more information about the Juvenile Court, visit its homepage. 

 

Edee Alexander has been a leader in her community for decades. She currently works as a Probation Officer for the Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court, where she assists in running the court’s CHOICE program, a comprehensive 18-month program aimed at reducing recidivism among young adults aged 18-24. Through the program, young people who are on administrative or supervised probation meet regularly with Alexander, enroll in educational and job training programs, attend parenting courses if they are parents, and have access to meals. Many of the program participants are housing insecure. Alexander began her career as the Program Director of Perrin House Community Services in Boston, where she was responsible for the supervision and operation of a residential program for pregnant and postpartum women recovering from substance use disorder. She later worked as a Faculty Research Associate at Boston University’s Graduate School of Social Work where she managed start up programs connecting city youth and their parents with educational and employment opportunities. She has a B.A. in Social Work from Lincoln University and a Masters of Education Counseling/Psychology from Cambridge College. She’s a member of the Alpha Kappa Delta Honor Society and a former Board Member of United Homes for Children and Peace at Home. 

The Parole Board’s mission is to promote public safety through supervised, conditional release of inmates to the community, so that a successful transition from confinement to discharge from parole provides a basis for continued responsible conduct. The Parole Board serves the public, victims, inmates, parolees, and petitioners throughout the Commonwealth by conducting face-to-face parole release hearings, providing notice and assistance to victims, supervising parolees in the community, and providing reentry services to those leaving custody with no mandated post-release supervision. 

 

For more information about the Massachusetts Parole Board, visit its homepage. 

波士頓考古實驗室新址4000平方英尺 25日剪綵啟用

MAYOR WU CUTS RIBBON ON CITY OF BOSTON’S NEW ARCHAEOLOGY LAB The Mary C. Beaudry Community Archaeology Center in West Roxbury will be open to the public

BOSTON - Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - Today, Mayor Wu cut the ribbon on the City of Boston’s new Archaeology Lab, located on the first floor of the the City of Boston Archival Center at 201 Rivermoor Street in West Roxbury, to celebrate Archaeology Month in Massachusetts. The new, 4,000 square foot facility includes two processing laboratories, an artifact digitizing lab with state-of-the-art 3D scanners, printers, and photography equipment, an artifact repository of over 1,000,000 artifacts from dozens of ancient and historical sites in Boston, an extensive historical ceramic and lithic raw material comparative type collection, a specialized wet laboratory, a research library featuring over 2,000 reference books and archaeological reports, museum exhibit spaces, and a new exhibit on the archaeology of the 1630s James Garrett house site in Charlestown. The lab will be open to the public during normal business hours year-round where hundreds of artifacts can be viewed that span thousands of years and come from across Boston.  “Boston is proud of our legacy as one of the most historic cities in the country, and the City’s new Archeology Lab will play a critical role in our mission to preserve and add to the historical record reflecting all our communities,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m thrilled to welcome residents and visitors alike to the Lab and look forward to sharing records of our rich history with the community.”   The lab is named after Dr. Mary C. Beaudry, who was a celebrated local archaeologist with a four-decade career that celebrated and uplifted the lives of underrepresented peoples. Dr. Beaudry conducted some of the earliest archaeological surveys and analysis in Boston, including Boston Common and the Blackstone Block. Dr. Beaudry was a generous patron of the City Archaeology program, including the donation of her archaeological library of over 2,000 volumes to the City of Boston’s Archaeology Program. This summer, Mayor Wu cut the ribbon on the City of Boston’s new exhibit, “Slavery in Boston.” This exhibit – located in Faneuil Hall – provides an opportunity to discuss Boston’s role in enslavement and shares the stories of the enslaved and freed people in Boston through research and archaeological artifacts found under Faneuil Hall. As part of the Slavery in Boston exhibit in Faneuil Hall that opened in June, the City Archaeology Program released a publicly available list of known enslaved people in Boston. Earlier this month, the Archaeology team and the Eleven Names Project added nearly 1,000 additional names, growing the list to 2,552 individual records on people of color in Boston before 1783.  "Dr. Mary Beaudry recognized that archeology can be a tool that elevates, acknowledges and honors the multilayered history of our communities," said Reverend Mariama White-Hammond, Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space. "I am thrilled to attend the opening of the Community Archaeology Center which is a key component of elevating under-appreciated histories and making our City’s history accessible to all." The Office of Historic Preservation works to ensure that Boston’s history is inclusive, honest, and elevates every community to have the tools and resources to research, preserve, acknowledge, and celebrate their history. The office includes the the City Archaeology Program, Boston Landmarks Commission and the Commemoration Commission. Last year, Mayor Wu and the Boston City Council designated eight new historic designations and Highland Park as an Architectural Conservation District, the largest number in one year since 1983. Any 10 registered Boston voters can petition the Boston Landmarks Commission to designate a historic neighborhood, building, landscape, or object as a protected Boston Landmark or District. Local historic districts carry the ability to regulate change in historic neighborhoods, unlike National Register districts, which advocate for their protection. You can learn more about designating a landmark in Boston by emailing BLC@boston.gov.   “The Archaeology Program turns 40 this year, and I’m truly amazed at how far we have come, both in the space we now inhabit and in the scope and impact of our work,” said City Archaeologist Joe Bagley. Additionally, Mayor Wu created the new Office of Historic Preservation, which falls under the Environment, Energy and Open Space Cabinet, on July 1, 2022. The Office of Historic Preservation works to ensure that Boston’s history is inclusive, honest, and elevates every community to have the tools and resources to research, preserve, acknowledge, and celebrate their history. The new office includes the Boston Landmarks Commission, the City Archaeology Program, and the Commemoration Commission. There are over 8,000 properties designated as individual Landmarks or located within Boston’s local historic districts. Preserving historic structures supports the City’s carbon neutrality and zero waste goals by preserving the upfront embodied carbon, which is the energy it took to harvest, manufacture, and ship building materials that make up these properties.

告別陳毓禮

 

麻州財政廳長Goldberg支持嬰兒債券法

Treasurer Goldberg Testifies in Support of Baby Bonds Legislation in Massachusetts 

BOSTON – Today State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and her Office of Economic Empowerment (OEE) testified in support of House Bill 1157 and Senate Bill 1999, An Act addressing the racial wealth gap, at the Joint Committee on Financial Service’s hearing and the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight’s hearing. These bills aim to create a Baby Bonds program, which would establish an at-birth publicly funded trust fund for eligible Massachusetts children. Once recipients reach adulthood, funds can be used for asset-enhancing activities like pursuing post-secondary education, starting a business, or buying a home. This legislation represents a step toward narrowing the racial wealth gap. 

REMARKS OF TREASURER AND RECEIVER GENERAL DEBORAH B. GOLDBERG

Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight and Joint Committee on Financial Services

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 

As prepared for delivery: 

Thank you for taking me out of turn to speak with you today. 

I am here to express my strong support for Senate Bill 1999 and House Bill 1157, An Act addressing the racial wealth gap, which I filed in partnership with Senator Paul Feeney and Representative Andres Vargas. These bills would establish a Baby Bonds program in Massachusetts. 

A Baby Bonds program in Massachusetts would bring asset building opportunities, like buying a home, starting a business, saving for retirement, and accessing post-secondary education, for kids in our most vulnerable communities. This program would not only help future generations achieve upward mobility, but would also save taxpayers money in the long term and support our overall economy. 

We are all too familiar with the staggering inequities that persist in our state. 

According to a study by the Federal Reserve Bank, the median net worth of white households in Boston in 2015 was just under $250,000 ($247,500), while the median net worth of Black households was $8. 

That is not a typo. Eight dollars. And post pandemic and now inflation, believe me it has not gotten better… 

The negative impacts of these inequities are far-reaching and perpetuate the cycle of intergenerational poverty. 

Addressing these disparities will allow us to mitigate risks and reach untapped potential. 

The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation estimates that the gross state product would increase by about $25 billion over five-years if the state eliminated the racial divide in wages, housing, investments, and wealth. 

Nationally, a Brookings study estimates that the economic output in the United States would be $22.9 trillion higher today if opportunities and outcomes around employment and education had been equitably distributed by race and ethnicity. 

Understanding the human and economic risk of inaction on the racial wealth gap, I convened a Task Force in 2022 to study the creation of a Baby Bonds program in Massachusetts. 

This diverse, cross-sector group helped to develop the bill before you today. It aims to provide low-income individuals with a “nest egg”, a tool to expand opportunity for themselves and for their families. 

Specifically, the legislation would create an at-birth publicly funded pooled trust fund program for children under one, who are enrolled in TAFDC (Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children) or who are part of the state’s foster care system. When they reach adulthood, participants can access the funds and spend them in ways that help grow assets over time. 

The goal is to promote more equitable participation in our state’s economy and to give people the opportunity to build for themselves. 

Simply put, Baby Bonds are an investment in our collective future. They are a way to level the playing field and give every child a chance to achieve their full potential. 

I am deeply committed to addressing the root causes of poverty and promoting an inclusive economy. As with our other programs in the Office of Economic Empowerment, a Massachusetts Baby Bonds program would also include financial education and wraparound services for participants, their families, and their communities. 

For these reasons, I ask that the Committees support Senate Bill 1999 and House Bill 1157 by issuing a favorable recommendation and I look forward to working with members in moving this issue forward. 

I am happy to answer any questions the Committees may have.

Healey州長訪Yamouth宣傳化糞池系統稅收抵免漲3倍

 In Yarmouth, Governor Healey Highlights Efforts to Lower Housing Costs on the Cape 

For the first time in 20 years, Governor Healey increased the Septic System Tax Credit by 300%  

 

YARMOUTH – Today, Governor Maura T. Healey visited the Yarmouth Gardens in Yarmouth as part of her Cutting Taxes, Saving You Money tour to raise awareness of the provisions of her tax cuts package that will help lower housing costs by providing relief to homeowners and renters and spurring more housing production. She also highlighted her $4 billion Affordable Homes Act that she introduced last week, which will unlock the creation, preservation and modernization of nearly 70,000 homes. 

The Yarmouth Gardens is supported by several state initiatives, including the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, which was increased in the tax cuts package, and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which the Governor proposed increasing in the Affordable Homes Act. Another provision of the tax cuts package that will impact Cape residents is the tripling of the maximum credit available for Septic System Tax Credit to ease the burden on homeowners to replace these tanks. Additionally, the Affordable Homes Act would give communities the local option of adopting a real estate transaction fee of 0.5 percent to 2 percent on the portion of a property sale over $1 million – or the county median home sale price. This policy has strong support among Cape communities. 

“Our administration is making Massachusetts more affordable from the Cape to the Berkshires, and we’re proud to be in Yarmouth today to spread the word about the savings that we’re delivering,” said Governor Healey. “Both our tax cuts package and the Affordable Homes Act include crucial provisions that we know Cape residents have been asking for, including relief for homeowners with septic tanks and local option transfer fees to spur more housing production.” 

“If we want to build more housing to lower costs across the state, then we need to give communities the tools they have been asking for to unlock that production,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “We’re proud that the Affordable Homes Act would empower communities to implement the solutions they need to address their housing challenges, and that our tax cuts package puts money back in the pockets of those who are struggling to keep up with rising housing costs.”  

“The high cost of housing has been holding too many Cape residents back,” said Yarmouth Town Administrator, Robert Whritenour. “It's great to host Governor Healey here at Yarmouth Gardens today to showcase how her administration is working to create great partnerships to make Massachusetts more affordable, put real dollars back into people's pockets, and build more housing to meet the needs of our growing communities.” 

“On the Cape and Islands, the housing crisis has caused our region to become profoundly unaffordable, eroding year round communities from Chilmark to Provincetown,” said Senator Julian Cyr (D-Truro). “Governor Healey’s Affordable Homes Act is a huge step forward in our long-sought efforts to implement a local option transfer fee on luxury real estate, in addition to other creative initiatives such as seasonal designations for communities impacted by tourism and Accessory Dwelling Unit permitting by right. The needs of Cape Codders and Islanders are front and center in the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s game changing housing legislation.”   

“Our towns desperately need affordable housing for teachers, firefighters, nurses, and other essential community members who are being driven out by profoundly unaffordable home prices,” said Representative of Falmouth Dylan Fernandes. “I am grateful for Governor Healey’s leadership in supporting affordable housing programs across the board and ensuring that Massachusetts remains a competitive, affordable state for our middle class.” 

Provisions of the tax cuts package that will make housing more affordable include: 

• Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) – increases annual program cap from $10 million to $57 million in 2023, and thereafter to $30 million annually. 

• Septic System Tax Credit – Triples the maximum credit available from $6,000 to $18,000 and increases the amount claimable to $4,000 per year, easing the burden on homeowners facing the high cost of septic tank replacement or repair. 

• Rental deduction – increases rental deduction cap from $3,000 to $4,000. 

• Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit – Doubles the credit, from $1,200 to $2,400 for low-income seniors to help minimizes their taxes.  

• Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) – increases annual program cap from $40 million to $60 million 

• Estate Tax – Increases the threshold from $1 million to $2 million with a credit that mitigates the cliff effect. This change brings Massachusetts more in line with other states and keeps pace with the rising value of homes in communities across the state. This reform will allow seniors to pass on generational wealth, making it more attractive to retire and age in Massachusetts and for families to stay geographically close. 

The tax cuts package included necessary support for families, seniors and businesses as well. On October 5, Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll visited Gardner Elementary School and the Haverhill YMCA to celebrate the nation’s most generous Child and Family Tax Credit. On October 10, Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll visited the Northborough Senior Center to celebrate doubling the Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit and additional tax cuts to save seniors money. On October 18, Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll visited St. Mary’s the Morningstar in Pittsfield to celebrate savings for senior homeowners. Additional visits will be planned in the coming days to celebrate relief for businesses and more.