AGP Executive Report

Ebola Response: A U.S. doctor treated for Ebola in Berlin has been discharged as the outbreak continues in Africa, with WHO reporting ongoing cases and deaths in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Olympic Planning: IOC leaders say Los Angeles’ LA28 preparations are ahead of schedule, offering a strong endorsement two years before the 2028 Games. Michigan Higher Ed & Energy: MSU trustees will vote June 12 on the operating budget and tuition rates, plus a $27.7M anaerobic digester expansion and renewable natural gas facility. Great Lakes Tech & Ecology: Sea lamprey control is planned for Michigan’s White River with lampricide applications June 16–25 to protect the Great Lakes fishery. STEM & Policy: Michigan lawmakers introduced a “Michigan Voting Rights Act” package aimed at strengthening ballot access, including research and language access for election materials. AI & Public Stakes: U.S. leaders and AI executives are debating whether Americans should directly benefit from AI profits, including proposals for public ownership. Sports Tech in Michigan: World Cup pitch engineers, including Michigan State researchers, are working on hybrid grass surfaces designed to stay consistent across stadiums. Detroit Labor Politics: The UAW endorsed Abdul El-Sayed for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, signaling labor momentum in the Democratic primary.

Great Lakes Infrastructure: The Gordie Howe International Bridge is “essentially complete,” but final certifications and a long-running legal fight could push any opening fight into 2027–2028. Public Safety Tech: Stockton, California is rolling out AI-powered body cameras that translate real time across 50+ languages, a sign of where law enforcement tech is headed. AI Policy: Sam Altman met with Sen. Bernie Sanders after Sanders floated public ownership in AI firms, with Trump also signaling interest in an “American people” stake. Health & Aging Science: A new study links aging to active cellular remodeling via ER-phagy, while another report argues some common screenings may offer diminishing returns for older adults. Michigan Education & Workforce: Michigan’s early childhood investment push argues most brain development happens before age five, and local training continues to expand pathways into high-demand jobs. Local Notes: Flags in Michigan will fly at half-staff Saturday for former Rep. Joe Schwarz.

Dairy Update: U.S. milk production stayed on a 14-month streak, with April output at 19.96 billion pounds (+2.7% vs. a year ago) as cow numbers and milk per cow edged higher. STEM in Sports: Michigan State turfgrass researcher John Trey Rogers is helping ensure World Cup fields meet strict durability standards, including work on Rutgers-bred cultivars. Public Health & Environment: A Texas study highlights Parkinson’s disease links to pesticide exposure, raising concerns for farmworkers and nearby communities in the Rio Grande Valley. Michigan Education & Policy: Students across Michigan are forming a statewide lobbying alliance, United Michigan Student Governments, to push lawmakers on college affordability and student outcomes. Energy & Climate: Trump’s push to restart and expand coal plants includes $700M in federal support tied to AI data-center power needs, drawing renewed debate over environmental and market impacts. Michigan Wildlife: Researchers report unusual bald eagle breeding problems in Michigan, including empty nests and malnourished eaglets, tied to weather and limited food. Quantum Research: Johns Hopkins teams unveiled a noise-modeling framework for superconducting quantum processors with a major boost in predictive accuracy.

Federal Research Policy: Radiologists and other researchers are alarmed by a new OMB proposal that would tighten federal grant rules, expand oversight, and allow suspending or terminating funds over compliance or policy concerns. Public Health Disparities: U-M researchers report long-acting asthma inhaler use remains lower for Black, Hispanic, Asian, and other non-White adults, even after accounting for access and socioeconomic factors. Industrial AI in Michigan: Siemens is teaming with HighByte to connect factory operational data with AI-ready software, aiming to bridge OT and IT for scalable industrial AI. Energy Storage Boom: CATL expects energy storage to hit about half of its global battery sales by 2030, driven by renewables and grid needs; it also ties into Michigan via Ford’s licensed tech. Local Tech & Infrastructure: Allen Park denied a 26-megawatt data center site plan after multiple postponements and resident concerns; Traverse City is speeding street striping before peak tourism. Michigan Health & Care: Michigan Medicaid enrollment dropped by 5% with fears of more uninsured as federal requirements loom. Great Lakes Focus: Michigan kicks off Great Lakes and Fresh Water Week with sturgeon restoration and water stewardship events.

NIH & Public Health: Two NIH scientists face federal charges after authorities say they tried to smuggle 113 vials of monkeypox-related material through Detroit Metro Airport, including deactivated mpox and other contents, and allegedly misled customs officials. Michigan Energy & Land Use: Fayette Township in southwest Michigan denied a utility-scale solar expansion after months of controversy, citing concerns about farmland conversion and ordinance provisions. AI Infrastructure & Water: Google announced it’s pursuing “water positive” data centers by 2030 and is funding water stewardship projects, as communities debate data center impacts. STEM & Research Integrity: An IU biology professor is challenging a USDA lab shutdown after a federal investigation, raising questions about how research oversight is handled. Education & Tech Use: A Metro Detroit teacher is using “old school” writing checks—handwritten drafts plus in-class work—to curb AI-assisted cheating. Local Tech & Business: Grand Rapids’ former Fat Boy Burgers reopened as Kobold’s Kitchen, blending a board game lounge with a restaurant and café.

Public Health & Security: Two NIH scientists, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, were charged in Detroit for allegedly smuggling deactivated mpox vials from the Republic of Congo and lying to investigators; prosecutors say the case involved undeclared biological materials and could have put the public at risk. Medical Tech: Wayne State University and RediMinds received a new USPTO patent for real-time detection and visualization of surgical bleeding using computer vision and augmented-reality overlays. Michigan Research: U-M researchers reported a new way to group neurons by shared structure and gene regulation, aiming to speed mammalian brain research beyond one-neuron-at-a-time methods. AI & Defense Industry: Blaize and Winmate are bringing rugged edge AI concepts to COMPUTEX 2026 after a U.S. debut at Michigan’s MDEX. Energy & Work Visas: An H-2A wage rule change is reshaping farm labor costs, with Michigan State research highlighting potential savings and ongoing legal challenges. Local Tech Policy: Saline’s hyperscale data center expansion faces backlash from residents and lawmakers, including criticism tied to community opposition. Environment & Exploration: Michigan DNR and filmmakers plan a live ROV descent to Lake Superior’s deepest point, “Superior Maximus,” for a documentary.

Biodefense & Public Safety: Two NIH researchers tied to Rocky Mountain Laboratories were charged in federal court over an alleged mpox smuggling scheme through Detroit Metro Airport, including claims they carried undeclared vials and lied to customs officials. Energy & Regulation: Michigan AG Dana Nessel says she’ll intervene as Consumers Energy seeks a roughly $456M annual rate increase, with the filing triggering a new review at the Michigan Public Service Commission. Local Tech & Media Infrastructure: Gray Media will break ground on an expanded WILX-WSYM Lansing facility to modernize local news production and expand multiplatform streaming and digital-first capabilities. Public Health & Rural Access: Michigan is set to receive more than $173M from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, aiming to expand access, workforce capacity, and modernize rural care delivery. Science Policy: A coalition led by California AG Rob Bonta urged the Federal Judicial Center to keep climate science guidance in its judicial manual, arguing judges need up-to-date science. Community STEM Pipeline: Plainwell High School recognized 34 Top Honors graduates, including a student headed to MIT for aerospace engineering.

Public Health & Biosecurity: Federal prosecutors charged two NIH-affiliated researchers with allegedly smuggling 113 vials of deactivated mpox into the U.S. through Detroit Metro Airport and lying to investigators after a trip from the Republic of Congo. Water Quality & Great Lakes: Michigan released its first annual report under the updated Domestic Action Plan for Lake Erie phosphorus runoff, outlining progress toward a sustained 40% reduction and next steps for 2026. Public Safety Tech: Detroit police say a ShotSpotter alert helped lead to a fatal shooting investigation on Gratiot Avenue, as the city weighs gunshot-detection technology bids amid privacy and cost debates. STEM Education & Workforce: Western Michigan University and the West Michigan Aviation Academy announced a pathway partnership to streamline admission for qualified aviation students into WMU’s flight science program. Local Infrastructure: Iron Mountain endorsed a $1.2M Safe Routes to School project (fully grant-funded) to add sidewalks, ramps, and crosswalks near schools, targeting safer walking and biking for kids. Research Policy: An MSU researcher warns federal rules limit cannabis studies to low-potency products, making it harder to assess health effects of what people actually buy in Michigan.

Detroit corruption probe: Federal prosecutors unsealed a case alleging a former Detroit People Mover official took bribes tied to fake IT invoices, adding to the city’s long-running corruption fallout. Data centers under fire: In Illinois, Joliet residents sued to halt a proposed data-center campus, arguing the city fast-tracked approvals and skipped required public review and environmental scrutiny. AI and jobs debate: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman walked back earlier AI job-loss claims, saying firms adopting AI most are also hiring more, while he celebrated a major Detroit-area data-center milestone. Michigan AI policy: Minnesota moved to require human physician review for health-insurance prior authorizations denied using AI. Michigan research & biotech: U-M researchers are running a clinical trial of a microneedle stamp for peanut allergy desensitization, and a U-M team is doing late-night acoustic surveys to study little brown bats in Alaska. Energy tech: Michigan battery startup Volt Harbor raised $2M to commercialize modular, software-defined energy storage for data centers and the grid. Public health & climate science: Michigan AG-led coalition urged federal courts to keep climate-science guidance in judicial manuals. Local business: Traverse City’s Milk & Honey Café and Ice Creamery won a statewide “best ice cream parlor” honor.

Great Lakes Readiness: Coast Guard personnel met with Northern Michigan partners in Traverse City to coordinate maritime readiness and response, including salvage, marine firefighting, and a demo of an underwater unmanned autonomous vehicle, with a Cut River drill planned for Aug. 17-18. Horticulture Research: MDARD awarded $50,000 in horticulture fund grants to Michigan State University projects targeting greenhouse runoff cleanup, weed control in ornamental trees, and nursery production challenges. Lake Erie Water Quality: MDARD, EGLE and DNR released Michigan’s first annual report under the updated Domestic Action Plan, tracking progress toward a sustained 40% phosphorus reduction in the Western Lake Erie Basin. AI + Local Impact: Sam Altman visited OpenAI’s Saline Township data center site, pitching it as a “template” for community engagement around electricity and water concerns. Clean Energy Siting Fight: A battery storage proposal near a Kalamazoo-area farm is sparking a recall effort and pollinator worries over noise and fire risk. Health Tech in Schools: University of Michigan researchers urged CPR/AED training for kids, citing gaps in school preparedness for sudden cardiac arrest. Auto Supply Chain Labor: UAW Local 2093 workers began a strike at American Axle’s Three Rivers plant, part of broader pressure on auto parts wages and concessions.

Data Centers & Local Power Costs: A new debate is heating up over whether data centers can truly lower electricity bills—or just shift costs—after utilities argued regulators should see the benefits, while critics demand proof. Michigan Health Tech: U-M researchers are testing a $2M NIH-funded approach using brace-based exoskeletons to reduce knee osteoarthritis pain, aiming to delay or avoid surgery. Medical Imaging Breakthrough: A first-in-human PET radiotracer study could noninvasively diagnose primary aldosteronism, potentially replacing adrenal vein sampling. Energy Storage in Michigan: DTE Energy will invest $1.6B with LG Energy Solution Vertech to build Michigan-made battery storage, targeting 1.5 GW/6 GWh across eight projects. Great Lakes Readiness: Coast Guard officials met Northern Michigan partners to boost maritime response, including an underwater autonomous vehicle demo and a major drill near the Straits of Mackinac. Local Research Impact: A study will measure how Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary drives northeast Michigan recreation and tourism spending. Workforce & Industry Pressure: A strike at a Three Rivers axle plant could disrupt GM truck production, showing how supply-chain bottlenecks can cascade fast. Sports Tech & Safety Research: Claude Lemieux’s family will donate his brain to Boston University’s CTE Center, adding to ongoing research into head-impact effects.

IndyCar in Detroit: Alex Palou won the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix for the fourth time in eight starts, using an early pit strategy that paid off when cautions reshuffled the field; Kyle Kirkwood finished second and Graham Rahal third, while on-track incidents left Will Power and Scott McLaughlin frustrated. Edge AI for defense and industry: Blaize and Winmate showcased rugged edge AI concepts at COMPUTEX 2026 after debuting together at Michigan Defense Expo (MDEX) in Detroit, aiming at real-time inference in unmanned and mission-critical settings. Clean energy manufacturing: A new report says the U.S. has 825 active clean energy manufacturing facilities and supports about 215,700 jobs, with Michigan highlighted for battery cell manufacturing. Great Lakes readiness: The Coast Guard met with Northern Michigan partners in Traverse City to discuss maritime response tech, including an underwater unmanned autonomous vehicle demo, plus upcoming drills near the Straits of Mackinac. Water and wildlife: Lake Superior State University marked 40 years of Atlantic salmon releases with a June 4 community event, pairing hatchery tours with the public release. Public health research: A trial found a single dose of psilocybin plus psychotherapy increased the odds of cocaine abstinence versus active placebo plus therapy. Higher ed governance: A Michigan-focused piece argues universities must ask better questions as boards and leaders face nonstop disruption, from tech acceleration to financial pressure.

Cancer Research: An experimental pill, daraxonrasib, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at ASCO, targets a mutated protein in more than 90% of pancreatic cancers and helped patients with advanced disease live longer, though effects faded over time. Health Tech in Michigan: Israeli startup PatenSee is expanding in Michigan with Henry Ford Health to evaluate an AI, non-contact imaging system for dialysis vascular access, aiming for a commercial launch in early 2027. Michigan Innovation Economy: A new Ann Arbor SPARK scorecard argues Michigan’s research strength isn’t translating into enough billion-dollar startups, with early-stage funding lagging other innovation states. Great Lakes Environment: A Tribune-style report highlights plastic pellet (“nurdles”) pollution reaching Lake Erie via storm drains, pointing to petrochemical supply chains as a major source. Policy & Voting Tech: USPS proposes requiring states to submit mail-ballot voter lists and barcode-linked data for federal elections, raising new hurdles for election officials. Public Health & Safety: WHO says Ebola patients in the current outbreak have recovered, including the first documented recovery of a confirmed Bundibugyo patient.

U-M Data Center Fight: The University of Michigan is pressing ahead with plans for a major supercomputing facility in Ypsilanti Township, even as local officials pass denouncement resolutions and a moratorium restricts water and sewer use for data centers—U-M’s legal team argues the moratorium is invalid and discriminatory. Crash Safety at High-Traffic Sites: Detroit Metro Airport is investigating a vehicle crash into the Evans Terminal, the second such incident this year, as experts urge stronger concrete or steel barriers to reduce both accidents and attacks. Public Health & Policy: Gov. Tina Kotek leads a multi-state pushback against a federal Medicaid mandate, warning states face unclear rules, rushed system changes, and risks that eligible people could lose coverage. STEM & Research in Michigan: MSU opened its Pollinator Performance Center to study honeybees and support pollination research ahead of a beekeeping conference. Local Tech Workforce: Ferris State’s RN-to-MSN online program earned top national and Michigan rankings for affordability and quality. Community Tech/Business: A Detroit childcare provider says zoning rules are blocking expansion despite meeting state safety requirements, adding to a statewide childcare seat gap.

Great Lakes Conservation: A new report revisits how introducing salmon helped restore fish-eating birds like ospreys and eagles, tying today’s wildlife gains to past Michigan DNR actions and public advocacy. Public Safety Tech: Saginaw Township approved 34 Flock license-plate cameras to support investigations and missing-person searches, with officials stressing no facial recognition. STEM & Workforce Pipelines: Genesee County students visited U-M Flint for “Data Science Day,” while three northern Michigan employers earned apprenticeship “Champions” recognition for registered programs. Cybersecurity for Clean Energy: A Michigan House bill would require cybersecurity plans for solar farms, including risk-based controls and incident reporting to state police and local emergency coordinators. AI in Manufacturing: Stratview Research’s white paper maps how AI is boosting composites manufacturing efficiency, design speed, and first-pass quality. Health & Policy: U.S. Catholic bishops’ 2025 child-protection report flags more than 1,000 abuse allegations and staffing/records weaknesses. Local Innovation in Detroit: Apple highlighted Detroit’s fifth Developer Academy graduating class, spotlighting local app makers and community projects. Defense Tech in Michigan: The Pentagon’s Drone Dominance Phase 2 qualifier will send 79 drones to Camp Grayling, with 49 companies selected.

Workforce & Education: Workforce Pell is moving from federal rulemaking to college implementation, with the May 19 final guidance now pushing schools to align eligibility and short-term training programs fast. Higher Ed Policy: A bipartisan Senate push would overhaul college sports compensation rules, while a separate national framework bill remains stalled in the House. Energy Storage & Grid Tech: DTE Energy signed a multi-project battery storage procurement with LG Energy Solution Vertech, targeting 1.5 GW/6 GWh across eight Michigan sites to boost reliability and jobs. EV Adoption: Ann Arbor is designing a local EV rebate program (up to $7,500 new, $4,000 used) aimed at filling the gap left by expired federal incentives. Space & Defense: The Space Force awarded SpaceX a $4.16B contract to accelerate satellite tracking of moving aircraft and drones, aiming for an operational constellation by 2028. Public Health: Michigan officials are warning of rising Lyme disease risk as cases spread across the Upper Midwest, including Michigan. Environment & Water: Michigan is rolling out a way to report suspected harmful algal blooms, as toxic cyanobacteria alerts expand on inland lakes. Local Industry Skills: Detroit’s Operation Next cohort launched with advanced manufacturing training and certifications for CNC, welding, and robotics. Infrastructure & Planning: GPS apps are prematurely routing travelers to the unopened Gordie Howe bridge, prompting bridge authority reminders to use alternate crossings.