Month: February 2025

International Olympic Committee news

In the framework of the PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme, the IOC Olympic Studies Centre (OSC), with help of its Grant Selection Committee, has selected four research projects based on their academic quality and link with Olympic studies.

The selected candidates and their chosen projects are:

Ellie GENNINGS (GBR)
Research project: A Concept Mapping Study of High-Performance Adolescent Athlete’s Perspectives of Safety in Sport
Bournemouth University (GBR)Catalina MELENDRO BLANCO (COL)
Research project: From hegemonic Global North perspectives towards Global South realities: Exploring sport leaders’ views towards an intersectional sport safeguarding strategy
Canterbury Christ Church University (GBR)Monica NELSON (USA)
Research project: Strength in Difference?: Examining sex- and gender-based training practices in women’s Olympic Weightlifting
University of Waikato (NZD)Mikaela SPRINGSTEEN (USA/EST)
Research project: Rating and Ranking in the Pursuit of Perfection on Ice
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA)

The chosen candidates benefit from a grant which allows them to carry out their research project and, if relevant, to consult the Olympic Studies Centre’s resources in Lausanne (Switzerland). The results of their research must be submitted to the OSC at the end of 2025.

35 candidates from 20 countries and 5 continents applied

For this 26th edition of the programme, 22 applications were submitted by doctoral students and 13 by early career academics.

Background of the programme

The PhD Students and Early Career Academics Grant Programme is one of the two research programmes that has been organised by the OSC, aiming to support Olympic-related academic research since 1999. It contributes to promote the presence of Olympic studies in the universities by reaching out to the next generation of professors.

What is the selection process?

The grant holders were selected by a committee composed of academic experts who are renowned for their involvement in Olympic studies and of OSC representatives. The selection committee for the 2025 edition of the programme comprised the following academic members: Mahfoud Amara (Qatar University, Qatar), Dikaia Chatziefstathiou (Canterbury Christ Church University, Great Britain), Angela Schneider (Western University, Canada), Tracy Taylor (RMIT University, Australia) and Paul Wylleman (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium).

Other research grant opportunities

University professors, lecturers and research fellows who have completed their doctorate and who currently hold an academic/research appointment covering the period of the grant are eligible to apply to the Advanced Olympic Research Grant Programme. The call for applications for the 2025-2027 edition is now open and the deadline for submitting applications is 27 January 2025.

This programme aims to promote advanced research by established researchers with a humanities or social sciences perspective in priority fields of research identified by the IOC.

The full list of research projects funded by the Olympic Studies Centre since the creation of its grant programmes in 1999 is available here.

For more information on the Olympic Studies Centre and its programmes and services, visit its website or contact studies.centre@olympic.org. To discover the full OSC’s collections including 40,000 publications and 1.5km of IOC historical archives, visit the Olympic World Library.

The Olympic Studies Centre is the official centre of reference for Olympic knowledge. Its missions are to make Olympic knowledge accessible, foster and support education, teaching and research among students and academics and stimulate the dialogue between the academic community and the Olympic Movement.

Cummins

As alternative fuels and vehicle technologies gain traction, the role of components within these technologies is evolving. In battery electric vehicles (BEVs), power electronic components are critical to vehicle functionality and efficiency. Understanding their impact and potential is essential for businesses adopting BEVs or navigating the future of sustainable transportation.

Previously, we discussed the role of software across vehicle technologies and the benefits it offers OEMs. This article delves into the role of electronics in BEVs.

Power electronics and their role in BEVs

The core of a BEV is its high-capacity battery pack, which powers the electric motor. Unlike gasoline engines, BEVs convert electrical energy directly into mechanical energy with high efficiency and low emissions, enabling smooth, quiet operation and rapid acceleration. With fewer moving parts than diesel vehicles, BEV drivetrains are simpler, requiring less maintenance and reducing mechanical downtime.

Power electronics include components that convert and control electric power in BEVs to ensure optimal performance and driving experience. A key example is the electronic control module (ECM), which functions similarly in diesel and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Acting as the command center, power electronics manage electricity flow between the battery, motor, and other systems, converting stored energy into the precise forms needed for propulsion and auxiliary systems.

In BEVs, power electronics enable instant torque and responsive acceleration through components like inverters, converters, and controllers. These systems handle high voltage and current demands while safeguarding against power fluctuations, critical for battery longevity and vehicle safety.

Beyond functionality, power electronics support the broader goal of reducing emissions. By efficiently managing power, they help BEVs travel farther on a single charge, minimize energy waste, and promote sustainable transportation.

Integration of power electronics in hybrid and BEVs

Power electronics are vital in hybrid and BEVs, managing electrical flow to optimize performance and extend battery life. They convert the battery’s Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC) for the motor and reverse the process during regenerative braking. This maximizes efficiency, balances the load, and prevents power surges that could harm the battery.

Commercial vehicles, like electric buses and delivery trucks, gain significant advantages from power electronics. Heavy-duty electric trucks ensure precise torque control on varied terrains. In electric buses, they efficiently distribute power between driving and auxiliary systems, such as air conditioning, enhancing passenger comfort.

Cummins Inc. is advancing power electronics to improve energy consumption and vehicle range. These refinements enable commercial vehicles to travel farther, charge faster, and use energy more efficiently, making them cost-effective and practical for fleets. Such innovations are critical for cleaner, more sustainable commercial transport.

Considerations for power electronics in BEVs

Maximizing the benefits of power electronics in BEVs requires innovation and adaptability. As BEVs evolve with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), power electronics must support not only efficiency but also safety and real-time reliability.

Cost is a key factor. Efficiently designed power electronics can lower BEV development costs by optimizing energy use and reducing the need for costly cooling systems. This is especially critical for commercial BEVs, where operational efficiency directly impacts profitability.

With the industry shifting to higher voltages for better efficiency and performance, power electronics must ensure safe voltage management. Cummins addresses this shift by rethinking thermal management, electromagnetic compatibility, and component packaging, making BEVs more viable and aligned with environmental goals.

As BEVs advance, power electronics remain central to enhancing efficiency, reliability, and adoption, paving the way for a sustainable future in transportation.

Cummins is at the forefront of innovative transportation and heavy-duty operations and Accelera™ by Cummins – the zero-emissions business segment of Cummins – is at the forefront of supplying and integrating zero-emissions technologies to decarbonize the world’s hardest working industries. For more information about BEV and FCEVs, visit accelerazero.com.

For the fifteenth year in a row, Whirlpool Corporation has been named one of the “World’s Most Admired Companies” by Fortune. Whirlpool Corp. was once again selected for this honor due to the company’s performance, management, products, and commitment to the communities around the world where the company does business.

“It is an honor to be recognized by Fortune as one of the most admired companies. This recognition is the result of incredible employees around the world and their tireless commitment to improving life at home for consumers.”

“It is an honor to be recognized by Fortune as one of the most admired companies,” said Marc Bitzer, chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation. “This recognition is the result of incredible employees around the world and their tireless commitment to improving life at home for consumers.”

The World’s Most Admired Companies list highlights organizations most respected by their peers, with executives emphasizing financial stability, innovation and leadership. Fortune collaborated with Korn Ferry on this survey – the two organizations analyzed 650 companies and surveyed more than 3,300 executives to measure reputation based on nine different attributes, including each firm’s effectiveness in conducting business globally, its ability to attract, develop, and keep talent, its value as a long-term investment, its innovativeness, its use of corporate assets, and its responsibility to the community and environment.

Click here to see the full list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.”

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is a leading home appliance company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. As the last-remaining major U.S.-based manufacturer of kitchen and laundry appliances, the company is driving meaningful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir, Maytag, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, and InSinkErator. In 2024, the company reported approximately $17 billion in annual sales – close to 90% of which were in the Americas – 44,000 employees, and 40 manufacturing and technology research centers.  Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com.

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Abbott

Four out of 10 people living with diabetes miss appointments due to shame1. How can we change that?

A lot of things we commonly hear about diabetes may be based on misconceptions or stereotypes. In fact, nearly 40% of people living with diabetes will tell you1 — this chronic condition is not taken seriously enough.

And that can have a real impact on a person’s health.

When Jenny Geraci received her diabetes diagnosis, it shook her to her core. She remembers staying home all day just to process the news. But when she tried to explain that to the people in her life, they reacted as if nothing had changed at all.

“It was a life-changing thing for me, and it was brushed off,” she said. “I felt like no one cared about my personal medical challenge.”

Sometimes what isn’t said about diabetes can hurt, too.

Fortunately for her, “as I opened up, they understood more over time.”

As courageous as Geraci was, many others in her situation don’t open up — too concerned about what family or friends might think of them.

One in six American adults and hundreds of millions of people around the world who live with diabetes face barriers to receiving care1.

If we all could see the world through the eyes of the millions of people living with diabetes, it would be an eye-opener, for sure.

We’d see that living with diabetes requires daily health management — and can come with a daily barrage of misconceptions.

Let’s Rise Above the Bias

As a leader in diabetes health tech, Abbott has been fostering these conversations for more than a decade. Now, we feel it’s time to turn up the volume.

Our new initiative, “Above the Bias,” is all about supporting people living with diabetes and clearing away some of the roadblocks they face. We kicked things off with the release of a new film with the same name, putting viewers in the shoes of someone trying to manage their condition.

Together, we’ll address what we continue to hear from people living with diabetes1:

Nearly 70% believe there is stigma associated with their condition.Almost 25% have avoided sharing their diagnosis with family or friends out of embarrassment or concern.Forty percent have skipped or missed a doctor’s appointment due to shame.

Even if you’ve never seen or experienced this bias at play, its impact is very real. Consider Jonathan Reyman’s stressful story about simply trying to administer a dose of insulin.

“One time I had my needle out on a bathroom sink and someone asked me if I was ‘shooting up,’ ” he said. “I felt annoyed. I was trying to be discreet.” By sharing more knowledge and more experiences — more broadly — we can help reduce stigma, create understanding and empower those living with diabetes to access the care they need.

Correcting Common Myths About Diabetes

We can’t debunk every myth about diabetes, but we can name some of them in hopes of starting a positive dialogue.

It’s not anyone’s “fault” for living with diabetes.Diabetes is not contagious.Not everyone living with diabetes uses or needs insulin.Plenty of people living with diabetes are athletes or have active lifestyles.People living with diabetes can eat sugar.

To that last point, Dawn Culver-Henkel — who, like Jenny, lives with Type 2 diabetes and uses Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring system — said any discussion of diet can quickly turn into a discouraging one.

“A lot of these interactions, I think, are around food,” Culver-Henkel said. “The real issue, I find, is about weight and not the disease.”

What Can We Do to Make a Difference?

So how can we help support those living with diabetes in our community? There are little things we can do every day for our friends’ and families’ health.

We know that 70% of people with diabetes feel that supportive comments boost their motivation to manage their health1. With that in mind, using person-first language, avoiding judgement and blame, celebrating small wins and asking open-ended questions are all things we can do daily to help diminish the impacts of diabetes bias.

Reyman, meanwhile, can focus on what really matters: Enjoying life and living it on his terms.

“I have (diabetes) under control,” he said. “I’m probably going to live to a ripe old age, and whatever happens won’t be because of diabetes.”

References

1 Data on file. Research conducted by Savanta on behalf of Abbott between May and August 2024 was executed in three distinct phases among people with diabetes across Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S.

Important safety information

FreeStyle Libre Systems

For Important Safety Information, please visit
https://www.freestyle.abbott/us-en/safety-information.html.

MONTREAL, February 10, 2025 /3BL/ – BrainBox AI, a pioneer in autonomous and generative AI building technology, is offering attendees an exclusive experience with its Cloud Building Management System (CBMS). The platform focuses on centralizing building management, offering a single-pane view for monitoring all sites, reducing oversight time.

Designed to empower entire building management teams, BrainBox AI’s Cloud BMS is a scalable, AI-driven system that integrates seamlessly with all major brands of building automation infrastructure. Built with portfolio scale and asset diversity in mind, its customizable features enable teams to tailor views and controls to match the specific needs of different roles. Leveraging cloud technology, it delivers real-time optimization, insights, and control, and reporting. The Cloud Building Management System is already deployed in over 2,000 buildings across the globe. 

Among its many features, the BrainBox AI Cloud BMS enables:

Control and optimization: Optimize buildings remotely, whether on-site, at the office, or on the go.Workflow Automation:  With a no-code logic builder for scheduling, setpoints, and equipment management.Unlock AI insights with ARIA: The BrainBox AI virtual building engineer, for predictive maintenance and real-time system adjustments.

“We are excited to showcase this latest addition to our advanced product suite here are AHR.” Said Omar Tabba, Chief Product Officer at BrainBox AI. “As industry trailblazers, we are constantly focused on innovating for the times that lie ahead. The future of building management is in the cloud. For facility managers constantly on the go, this means giving them the data and apps they need, literally, in the palm of their hands. That is what our incredibly intuitive Cloud BMS solution achieves with unparalleled speed and impact.”

Throughout the conference, BrainBox AI’s Cloud BMS and its virtual building engineer ARIA will be showcased through dynamic illustrations of the solutions working together. Combined, these two products help facility managers to be more proactive by working with service providers to strategically prioritize equipment maintenance, thereby unlocking new capabilities in building operations optimization. Conference attendees are encouraged to visit the BrainBox AI booth #193 at Orange County Convention Center for a unique in-person experience led by BrainBox AI representatives. 

About BrainBox AI 
Founded in 2017, BrainBox AI was created to address the dilemma currently facing the built environment: its energy consumption and significant contribution to climate change. As innovators of the global energy transition, BrainBox AI’s game-changing HVAC technology leverages autonomous AI to make buildings smarter, greener and more efficient. Working together with our trusted global partners, BrainBox AI supports real estate clients in various sectors, including office buildings, hotels, commercial retail, grocery stores, airports and more.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, a global AI hub, our workforce of over 190 employees, bring with them talent from all sectors with the common thread of being in business to heal our planet. BrainBox AI works in collaboration with research partners including Mila – Quebec AI Institute, the Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO) as well as educational institutions including McGill University and The University of Montreal.

On January 3, 2025, BrainBox AI was acquired by global climate innovator Trane Technologies (NYSE:TT). Learn more.

For more information visit: brainboxai.com. 

Contact: 
Liz Culley-Sullo, 
Director, Public Relations 
l.culley-sullo@brainboxai.com