AGP Executive Report

Penn STEM & Tech: Valley National Bank launched “Valley Foundry,” a new platform aimed at accelerating adoption of AI, cybersecurity, and data analytics through partnerships with startups and fintechs. AI & Security: Anthropic says it found nine influence operations using its Claude platform, highlighting how foreign-linked actors are trying to shape politics through AI-generated content. Data Centers & Power: Pennsylvania lawmakers and local officials are pushing back on data center growth, including calls for tighter permitting and more local control over where facilities can be built. Health & Research: Penn Medicine received a major $50 million gift to advance early-stage research into autoimmune diseases and cancer. Campus STEM: UPenn completed a new veterinary education facility at New Bolton Center, adding classrooms and a high-tech simulation lab for hands-on training. Environment & Biology: Cal Poly’s Project RattleCam captured rattlesnake pups being born in a Pennsylvania den, using live cameras to shift public perception of the animals. Public Safety & Policy: A Luzerne County councilman proposed limits on mass surveillance cameras while still allowing targeted law enforcement use. 9/11 Commemoration: Multiple stories mark the 25th anniversary with Ground Zero remembrance, recovered artifacts, and how the attacks reshaped emergency planning and public life.

Data Centers & Grid Stress: Aligned Data Centers broke ground on a 2 GW “Project Phoenix” campus in Shippingport, pitching it as community-centered infrastructure under Pennsylvania’s GRID rules. Weather Tech for AI Power: Climavision opened a private radar network and forecasting platform for AI data centers as PJM pushes large users to secure power by June 2027. Local Planning Fight: A Lehigh Valley developer says its next-gen data center is built to win community support, while Pennsylvania lawmakers weigh limits on tech-heavy surveillance and infrastructure. Election Mail Reliability: A USPS inspector general audit found training gaps and ballot tracking errors that delayed some primary ballots, raising concerns ahead of the midterms. Public Safety Tech Backlash: Pennsylvania lawmakers move toward limits or bans on Flock cameras/automated license plate readers amid privacy and surveillance concerns. Climate & Infrastructure Risk: Pennsylvania’s aging levees face scarce funding and harsher weather, increasing flood failure risk. Health & Research: CervoMed will present early biomarker results for neflamapimod in a Philadelphia ISFTD meeting; meanwhile, ProPublica reports a rise in ectopic pregnancy deaths tied to abortion restrictions.

Pennsylvania Measles Update: A Lancaster County coroner confirmed two infant deaths tied to Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak, but says the CDC hasn’t clarified whether it will count them as measles-associated—highlighting a messy gap between local determinations and federal reporting. Election Mail Scrutiny: A U.S. Postal Service audit found training and ballot-tracking failures at some facilities during this year’s primaries, raising concerns about how well the system can handle heavier November demands. Data Centers vs. Power: New reporting underscores how AI-driven data centers are straining electricity supplies, with forecasts suggesting data centers could take a much larger share of U.S. power by 2030. School Policy in PA: Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a bill requiring daily recess for K–5 students, aiming to boost movement and social time. Tech & Privacy: Ontario courts warned of a cybersecurity breach tied to a Thomson Reuters case-management platform used to store court records. Local STEM/Space: A Pennsylvania Wilds Astronomy Club is pushing for an observatory at Mill Cove, building on a growing library telescope program.

AI & Data Centers: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warns the U.S. must “win the AI race” or face a no-day-after-tomorrow scenario, as Pennsylvania pushes tougher data-center permitting tied to energy affordability, environmental protections, workforce plans, and local approval. Penn Medicine Research: Mindera Health and Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine launch a funded study of quinacrine for cutaneous lupus erythematosus, aiming to clarify why some patients respond when others don’t. 9/11 Health Toll: The World Trade Center Health Program certified 10,393 new cancers in a year, underscoring how the 25-year health burden keeps rising as debates continue over which illnesses should count. Public Health (Measles): The American Academy of Pediatrics issues new guidance for managing infants with congenital measles as outbreaks grow, including recent Pennsylvania deaths. Immigration Tech & Airports: Spotlight PA reports ICE sharply increased charter use of Penn State’s State College Regional Airport to move detainees between facilities. STEM/Defense: DARPA backs “smart” red blood cells with Penn, MIT, and Northeastern to improve oxygen delivery and endurance. Infrastructure & Connectivity: GoNetspeed plans a fiber build in Amsterdam, NY, with up to 6 Gbps symmetrical speeds. Healthcare Facilities: Encompass Health opens a new inpatient rehab hospital in Lower Providence Township with advanced therapy services.

Measles in Pennsylvania Schools: School nurses across the state are scrambling as a measles outbreak climbs, with rising exemptions and record-setting case counts pushing districts to chase immunization records and schedule free vaccine clinics. Data Center Fight in PA: In Bethlehem’s 135th House District debate, the data-center question dominated—one candidate called for “no data centers,” while the other argued for stronger state rules like limits on NDAs and pauses for local zoning updates. DEP Air Pollution Hearing: Pennsylvania DEP will hold a public hearing on Stockertown cement company Hercules Cement’s emissions plan, reviewing its Reasonably Available Control Technology requirements. AI + Privacy in Education: Seven Pennsylvania families sued to opt out of required school devices in Lower Merion, challenging how take-home tech affects students and parental rights. Energy + Nuclear: The U.S. DOE closed a nearly $2B loan to restart Iowa’s Duane Arnold nuclear plant, tied to rising AI and cloud power demand. Tech Backlash on Cameras: Across the country, Flock camera bans and warrant demands are heating up as election-season politics targets automated surveillance tech. Penn Real Estate: Penn took full ownership of The Axis student housing building, simplifying its long-running partnership structure.

AI & Data Centers Backlash: A new debate is heating up over whether cloud seeding could offset data-center water and noise concerns, with a startup pitching drones that release salt to trigger rain near facilities—though scientists and critics remain skeptical. Semiconductor Supply Risk: China export curbs are delaying U.S.-bound indium phosphide shipments, threatening capacity for lasers and high-speed photodetectors used in fiber and data-center networks. Energy & Grid Buildout: Fayette County is bracing for a major new “Trump Power Plant” natural-gas generation hub, raising local questions about siting and property impacts. Agritech Automation: Butler County dairy farms are using state-backed innovation grants to adopt robotic milking, showing how Pennsylvania agriculture is moving toward labor-saving tech. Health Tech & Policy: GLP-1 weight-loss users face mental-health and follow-up-care risks after stopping therapy, while a new telehealth company launches GLP-1-based addiction treatment nationwide. STEM in the Community: Swarthmore College’s Fungi Fest spotlights mycology through walks, talks, and hands-on programming. AI Governance: Insurers are pushing for ways to audit AI underwriting so regulators and customers can understand how decisions are made.

Immigration & Campus Work Rules: Georgetown University is halting most international students’ off-campus jobs and internships, allowing work only when it’s “required to graduate,” after new DHS guidance. Public Health & Policy: A new study finds nearly 40% of US inpatient mental health nurses report high burnout, with supportive work environments linked to lower burnout and turnover. Infectious Disease Watch: Researchers in China described a new tick-borne virus (ALTNV) carried by an Asian longhorned tick already established across 21 US states—no US human cases reported yet. Healthcare & Aging: A new report ranks Wisconsin hospitals highest for patient experience, using CMS survey star ratings. Pennsylvania Education: Philadelphia’s English language arts curriculum overhaul is facing rollout friction, with teachers citing limited training, pacing issues, and not enough time for full-book reading. Local STEM Community: Seneca Valley science teacher KC Cahall won a Pennsylvania Science Teachers Association award for middle school teaching. Tech & Governance: OpenAI is reportedly hiring Jessica Schumer to expand government outreach as AI regulation fights intensify.

Power & Industry: Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-Joon is pushing a U.S. AI/data-center power push with a “world’s first” 22.9kV solid state transformer, backed by local manufacturing plans. Clean Steel: A new Ceres report argues direct reduced iron (DRI) is the best near-term path to modernize America’s steel—lower costs, less local air pollution, and big emissions cuts versus blast furnaces. Local Food Tech: Culineer is expanding across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland, linking home cooks to local farms and markets with recipes to reduce the “friction” that keeps people from buying local. Biotech Access: Patients are traveling to China for CAR-T cancer treatment, drawn by lower costs and faster access to a therapy that can reach remission. Space Science: NASA says the Swift space telescope is headed for an uncontrolled return to Earth, with reentry expected before the end of 2026. Health & Policy: Pennsylvania measles cases are rising again, with new reports of Lehigh Valley cases and renewed debate over vaccination thresholds and CDC tallying. STEM Education & Careers: Mount Aloysius College is holding fall open houses for DuBois healthcare programs (nursing, radiography, surgical technology), touting fast completion and job placement partnerships.

Geothermal AI Leap: PNNL, Fervo and NVIDIA say they’re building an AI “digital twin” (EGS-Twin) to model enhanced geothermal reservoirs in real time, aiming to cut weeks of analysis and help operators respond faster underground. Measles Alert in the Lehigh Valley: Two measles cases were reported in the Lehigh Valley, as Pennsylvania’s outbreak climbs to 577 total cases and vaccine coverage lags the ~92–94% community threshold. Public Health + Dementia Clue: A Drexel study links voice disorders (even without hearing loss) to a 58% higher dementia risk, raising the prospect of earlier screening. Energy Workforce Push: California’s heat-pump rollout is getting a training boost for HVAC instructors, with schools able to receive equipment support to keep curricula current. Education Access in PA: Bloomsburg Area SD launched a healthy, free breakfast program for students, part of broader universal breakfast funding. Local Tech in Schools: Lawrence County Career Technology Center enrollment is up slightly to 420 for 2025–26, reflecting continued demand for hands-on training. Data Center Backlash: Across the U.S., opposition to data centers is becoming a major election issue, with communities raising concerns about impacts on air, water, and local costs.

Data Centers & Elections: Wall Street and political strategists are treating data-center backlash as a key midterm “wedge” issue, with big AI money and ad campaigns pushing back as communities worry about costs, water use, and air impacts. Pennsylvania Public Health: Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak remains politically charged as federal and state leaders spar over whether measles deaths should count in CDC tallies, even as local officials urge vaccination. STEM in the Classroom & Workforce: Northampton Community College opened a Precision Machining and Tool Design Center and is rolling out new machining credentials, aiming to feed local advanced manufacturing jobs. AI + Industry in PA: FieldAI and Caterpillar are advancing “physical AI” with sensor-driven digital twins and robotics software, backed by major funding and NVIDIA tools. Tech for Training: Shoot 360 in Norristown brings camera-and-sensor basketball analytics to local athletes, turning practice into game-like feedback. Health Research: A Drexel study links voice disorders (even without hearing loss) to higher dementia risk, adding a new possible early warning sign. Local STEM/Community Tech: Philips is expanding AI and imaging partnerships with WellSpan Health across Pennsylvania hospitals.

Brain Injury Care in PA: A Pennsylvania camp for kids with traumatic brain injuries is moving ahead despite federal hesitancies, as the CDC reshuffles how it supports concussion surveillance, education, and prevention. Unconventional Physics: Graphene researchers report superconductivity in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene can be switched off by screening electron interactions—strong experimental support for an electron-driven mechanism. Public Health Fight Over Measles: Two measles-associated infant deaths in Lancaster County are sparking a high-stakes dispute, with the CDC refusing to count them as measles deaths while Pennsylvania officials point to falling vaccination rates. AI + Surveillance Backlash: Flock cameras are becoming a major election flashpoint, with communities rejecting or suspending automated license-plate systems and candidates debating bans and warrants. Housing Policy Update (Luzerne County): New state law requires property buyers (with exceptions for owner-occupied homes) to submit contact info to help municipalities address code violations. Cost of Living: A SmartAsset analysis finds living comfortably in Pennsylvania in 2026 may require about $97,011 for a single adult and $247,936 for a family of four. STEM Education & Workforce: Penn State Beaver and other PA schools show uneven bachelor’s completion rates by race and county, while Lycoming Career Technology Center enrollment rose to 358 for 2025–26.

Measles Clash in PA: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. acknowledged a measles-linked infant death in Lancaster County, citing the county coroner, while the CDC still withholds the deaths from its national tally—fueling a high-stakes fight over how public health data is counted. Public Health & Vaccines: A separate Pennsylvania editorial argues measles outbreaks can’t be treated like politics and calls for stronger vaccination leadership. GLP-1 Drug Safety: A new NYU Langone study links GLP-1 weight-loss meds (Ozempic/Wegovy) to higher male pattern hair loss risk, tied to the GLP1R gene. AI + Data Centers: Reporting highlights backlash to data center growth and how it’s shaping midterm politics, including warnings from leaders about public health and power strain. Energy & Infrastructure: PECO earns national recognition for economic development, while a nuclear restart effort gains momentum with PNNL support. Tech Policy & Work Visas: USCIS revoked/denied multiple H-1B petitions over low wage classifications, signaling tighter scrutiny of skilled tech pay. Campus/Industry STEM: Penn State Master Gardeners planted flowers for Flight 93 families, and Pennsylvania lawmakers push AI in education legislation. Local STEM Build: A Lancaster rowhouse renovation showcases Passive House-style performance upgrades with heat pumps and air sealing.

Industrial Training Push: Washington University in St. Louis joins the federal Foundry School lecture series to boost U.S. manufacturing know-how, with Penn State and Penn State also in the lineup for talks on factory design, supply chains, and assembly-line engineering. Measles Fight in PA: A Lancaster County coroner confirmed a six-week-old Amish infant died from measles, as the Shapiro–RFK Jr. dispute continues over whether Pennsylvania deaths should appear in CDC tallies. CDC Data Standoff: The CDC’s latest update still omits the Pennsylvania deaths, adding an asterisk while it works to standardize how measles deaths are classified. AI in Schools: Pennsylvania lawmakers advance bills to set AI guardrails for K-12, including privacy protections, vendor standards, district AI policies, and limits on using AI for mental or behavioral health services. Data Center Transparency: Nearly half of Pennsylvania “fast track” data center municipalities signed NDAs, raising concerns that public records access is being squeezed. Apple Leadership Shift: John Ternus takes over as Apple CEO, signaling an engineering-led push ahead of a Sept. 9 product event. Surveillance Tech Backlash: Florida revoked permits for license plate readers after privacy and misuse concerns, adding to the growing push against automated monitoring.

AI & Society: A new CNN report frames AI as a “Dune-like” power shift, citing public concern that AI could worsen relationships and raise high societal risk. Penn STEM Policy: Pennsylvania’s data-center boom is colliding with politics: Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an order requiring local approval before DEP reviews permits, while a separate report warns small businesses may get squeezed by higher electricity costs. Public Health & Research: NIH terminated two Pitt Alzheimer’s studies, cutting about $7M and halting work; meanwhile, CDC-Penn measles record disputes keep fueling controversy. Privacy Tech: Homeland Security Sec. Mullin asked AG Blanche to investigate whether ERIC and contractors improperly shared sensitive motor-vehicle data, raising Driver’s Privacy Protection Act concerns. Energy & Waste: Casella and Waga Energy brought a third RNG facility online at the McKean Landfill in Pennsylvania, using WAGABOX tech to upgrade landfill gas. STEM in Schools: Danville students used drone skills in agriculture classes during a visit from PA Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding.

Wildlife Governance: A new report from the Wildlife Management Institute says Pennsylvania’s Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission face sustainability and budget imbalances, and recommends major changes that could consolidate services. Workforce & Education: A Penn study finds GLP-1 drugs used for type 2 diabetes are linked to higher hair loss risk; separately, an ERS analysis of teacher turnover across several states (including Pennsylvania) points to better district planning and more support for special education and early-career teachers. Health Policy: Pennsylvania has started mailing work-rule warnings to 700,000+ Medicaid expansion enrollees, with exemptions and updates routed through myCOMPASS PA. STEM & Industry in PA: Bentley Systems opened a Center City Philadelphia office to house 150 engineers; Stoelzle Glass temporarily laid off 200 workers during a $100M Monaca renovation. Energy & Tech Politics: Data center backlash is reshaping state policy debates, including Pennsylvania’s growing focus on regulation, transparency, and power impacts. Public Safety Tech: Shamong Township is considering a one-year moratorium on Flock automated license plate readers and related vehicle surveillance.

Measles Fight in PA: U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asked the CDC to remove references to two Pennsylvania deaths from the national measles tally after he questioned whether measles contributed, Reuters reports—an escalation in the Shapiro–Kennedy clash as Pennsylvania’s outbreak climbs to 540 cases and spreads via travel exposure at a Turnpike service plaza. Nursing Perspective on Public Health: A separate op-ed from nurses argues the country is “morally distressed,” pointing to preventable disease resurgence and politicized messaging around vaccines. AI Data Center Backlash Hits Politics: A new ad push backed by major tech investors targets voters in battleground states as opposition to AI data centers grows, with polls showing many Americans oppose new facilities near their homes. Power Planning for Big Loads: Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission warns that data centers and other large customers could sharply reshape electricity demand forecasts, raising the stakes for generation and transmission planning. Prehospital Blood in Western PA: Allegheny Health Network launched a prehospital blood program for northern Butler County, aiming to give critical patients blood before they reach the hospital. Defense Tech in PA: Boeing won a $55.4M U.S. Special Operations contract for flight-control actuator systems for MH-47G helicopters, with work centered at Boeing’s Ridley Park facility.