National Academy of Sciences elects record number of women

The National Academy of Sciences held its annual meeting over the past three days and there have been a few developments of note:

• Record class: The NAS announced yesterday that women make up 40% of its newly elected class, the highest number in any one year in the organization’s 156-year history.
• Opioids: The National Academy of Medicine, which works alongside NAS, and more than 100 other groups — including hospitals and universities — committed yesterday to reverse trends associated with the opioid epidemic in the U.S.
• Sexual harassment: NAS members and officers voted yesterday in favor of an amendment to the organization's bylaws that would remove members who had been proven to be sexual harassers. The vote is now being put in front of all members, including those not present, and the final say is not expected until mid-June.