Latest news with #Culbertson
Technical.ly
a day ago
- Business
- Technical.ly
Techstars announces AI Health accelerator will stay in Baltimore, with more cash for startups
Techstars' accelerator focused on artificial intelligence and healthcare will stay in Baltimore for the next few years and companies taking part can expect more cash, organizers announced Thursday. The AI Health Baltimore accelerator will host five more programs in the region. Participating startups can expect up to $220,000 in investment instead of the previous $120,000, managing director Nick Culbertson said at the accelerator's inaugural demo day at M&T Bank Stadium. Eight companies hailing from Argentina to Pittsburgh pitched their startups at the event. Innovations included using AI to detect cancer, using the tech as a between-sessions therapy assistant and having it facilitate compliance with rebate policies. No companies in this cohort were from Baltimore, and Culbertson acknowledged that. 'We really want companies in Baltimore to apply,' Culbertson told the crowd. However, he added, 'It's not just about Baltimore companies. Many of the companies who came here, came here because of the resources we have to offer, because of the ecosystem we have provided.' That ecosystem includes Johns Hopkins University and Mid-Atlantic insurance provider CareFirst — the program's key partners. Inaugural cohort urged to stay in Baltimore Lester Davis, the executive vice president and chief of staff at CareFirst, called for founders in this cohort to keep a presence in the region. 'We need you to stay here,' Davis told the crowd. 'Baltimore, the Maryland area, has everything that you need … Stay right here, invest here, build here.' AidRx CEO Tony Lee is taking that advice. He's creating a platform that enables pharmacists to work remotely and connect with patients and outpatient physicians. While completing the Techstars program, Lee from Calgary signed with three outpatient clinics in Canada to use his product. Plus, he's now working with digital health firm Scene Health in Brooklandville to use his product. Leaning into investments in health, tech Investment in AI and healthcare is on the rise for Techstars. The firm is running another health-focused accelerator in nearby DC this spring, with applications accepted now through June 11. Baltimore gets equal investment from Techstars in comparison to players like New York and London, per Andrew Cleland, its chief investment officer. Techstars is also leaning into these health and AI verticals, he said. Out of 500 healthcare investments from Techstars, a third of those are related to AI. Those companies are some of Techstars most successful. 'They've rewarded investors and owners and families,' Cleland told the crowd during a presentation. 'They've changed for our thousands of people. All that context goes into why we're here and why we're so committed to this program.' Applications just closed for the next cohort in Baltimore, and that group will start in September.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
‘New star' may appear in the night sky after deep space explosion
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Astronomers are excitedly waiting for the arrival of a new light in the sky this year that appears once every 80 years. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shared on May 1 a list of important astronomical events to keep an eye out for in the days ahead. Among the highlights was a notice for an eagerly anticipated nova event that will add just a little more light to the sky soon. 27 News reached out to Solar System Ambassador Brenda Culbertson with the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) for an explanation on this special event and how people can spot it in the night sky. She said the light is expected to appear in the Corona Borealis, also known as the Northern Crown, morning constellation. 'T Coronae Borealis (T CrB for short) is a binary system, two stars orbiting a central point of gravity,' Culbertson said. 'One of the stars is a Red Giant, an older, larger, and relatively cooler star, and the other is a White Dwarf, a smaller (about the size of Earth), denser, and relatively hotter star. Gravity of the White Dwarf accumulates some of the gases from the Red Giant partner. As the gases from the Red Giant build up on the White Dwarf, pressure increases and causes a thermonuclear reaction, and an explosion occurs that blows the outer shell of the White Dwarf out into space. The explosion is called a nova. Only the outer shell of gases is blown off, and the star, itself, remains.' Big sunspot appears, what this means for Earth Culbertson said the explosive process can happen multiple times with the last recorded nova from this binary star system appearing in 1946. NASA also reports that documented outbursts from T CrB have been reported in 1866, 1787 and possibly even in 1217. Astronomers now expect the same event to occur again in the near future. NASA has likened the event to a 'new star' appearing in the night sky for casual observers. However, this nova will be a temporary brightening of a star system that will be visible for only a few nights. 'T CrB, also known as the Blaze Star, was expected to go nova in 2024, but we are still waiting for it to happen,' Culbertson said. 'It is not what is being called a new star, but one that exists and will brighten at some point. If it happens when we are watching, and we see it go nova, that will be a nice sight to see, for sure.' People should be able to view the nova with the unaided eye once the sun goes down. You can learn more about T CrB and the nova process by clicking here. What new Kansas laws go into effect on July 1, 2025? For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Big sunspot appears, what this means for Earth
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Astronomers are monitoring a large dark spot on the sun's surface which could impact Earth in the days ahead. 27 News spoke with Brenda Culbertson this week, a solar system ambassador with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), about a massive sunspot, dubbed 4079, and what it could mean for residents on Earth. She said astronomers have been monitoring the sunspot complex, which stretches nearly 87,000 miles across, for several days. 'The energy from 4079 is very strong, and as it approaches the center of the solar face, it faces Earth directly,' Culbertson said. 'If any major solar flares occur while it is facing Earth, we will receive a direct hit of solar energy and solar particles, setting off a geomagnetic storm.' What new Kansas laws go into effect on July 1, 2025? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) describes geomagnetic storms as major disturbances in the Earth's magnetosphere which can result in increased activity of the northern lights/aurora borealis. Sunspots can erupt in events referred to as coronal mass ejections (CME) which send solar particles out into space and towards Earth on occasion. Periods of especially intense geomagnetic storms can result in disruptions to technology and widespread blackouts. 'One of the largest sunspot areas in recorded history occurred 1-2 September 1859, and it produced what is now called the Carrington Event,' Culbertson said. 'That was a geomagnetic storm so strong that aurora was seen around Earth, disrupted electric grids, caused blackouts, and even reportedly started fires in telegraph stations. Sunspot 4079 covers about half the area that caused the Carrington Event, so we do not expect anything majorly disruptive from it.' People in the U.S. witnessed the impact of one especially potent geomagnetic storm in 2024, referred to as the Gannon solar storm, that brought the northern lights into parts of the Midwest. Culbertson said some people may see strong activity of the lights in the days ahead if conditions prove favorable. For now, Culbertson and other astronomers will continue to monitor sunspot 4079. The SWPC may issue an alert for a geomagnetic storm in the near future, ranking it on a scale of G1 to G5 depending on its strength, to notify people about the possibility of seeing the northern lights. What is corporal punishment and is it allowed in Kansas? For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Winnipeg Free Press
02-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Recruits prepare for policing career after graduating from Brandon college
After five years of working toward his goal of becoming a police officer — including time as an auxiliary constable with the Sainte-Anne Police Service — Fabian Toews is one step closer to realizing his dream. The 24-year-old from Niverville recently completed the public safety certificate program at Assiniboine Community College in Brandon, which had been recommended by a Sainte-Anne officer who had completed it. Next week, Toews begins the second phase of his training with the Brandon Police Service, where he has been hired as a recruit constable. 'It has been incredibly rewarding,' Toews said about the program. 'It genuinely felt like being part of a police academy, particularly after being hired to join Brandon Police Service while continuing to study.' Assiniboine's program has trained law enforcement-ready graduates for nearly 20 years. On Friday, another 15 students graduated during a ceremony in Brandon. Of this year's cohort, two —including Toews — have been hired by Brandon police. One is in the final stages of the competition process, and three others are expected to become cadets. Bailey Culbertson, 20, who is originally from Melita in the southwest corner of Manitoba, is in the final stages of the hiring process for the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service in northwestern Ontario. 'I've always had an interest in law enforcement from a very young age,' she said. 'I just searched for options of what would be a good entry course to gain some background, educational-wise, for law enforcement, and I came across this. It helped me out. I ended up getting a job.' Culbertson, who said she has an interest in the cultural background of Indigenous people, always knew she wanted to police in a remote community. 'I want to travel and gain that experience of isolated communities, of what they're experiencing, because in Canadian northern communities, there's not a lot of resources,' Culbertson said. The certificate program emphasizes non-biased policing, with a focus on inclusive and culturally sensitive policing. 'We went to the Riverbank Discovery Centre (in Brandon) for Truth and Reconciliation week,' Toews said. 'We made teepees, we cooked bannock, participated in a feast and played with the children. It was a great experience to get more into Indigenous cultures.' Since its inception in 2006, the program has had 21 classes with more than 300 grads. Ninety per cent still work in law enforcement or public safety roles. More than half of Brandon police officers are grads of the program, said former Winnipeg police chief Jack Ewatski, who is the academic chairperson for the public safety institute at the college. He said the program continually evolves to meet the demands of modern policing. 'All police agencies right now are really facing challenges in terms of recruiting and hiring people,' Ewatski said, noting police officers are viewed in a negative light by some members of society. 'Our base program gives people the foundational aspects to do the job. We're continuing to evolve to meet the needs of the police services to help get people out in the street, out in the field, quicker, than in the past.' The college also delivers recruit training for the Manitoba First Nations Police Service and prepares members of the Winnipeg Community Safety Team, including staff who work on Winnipeg Transit buses. 'These students represent the future of policing, and we're committed to supporting their growth as they work toward their personal and professional goals,' said Greg Hebert, deputy chief of Brandon police. Scott BilleckReporter Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade's worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024. Read more about Scott. Every piece of reporting Scott produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Kansas astronomer on space probe that will crash into earth
KANSAS (KSNT) – A Soviet space probe built to withstand Venus' harsh atmosphere will crash into Earth at an unknown location sometime next week. 27 News spoke to NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Brenda Culbertson to get an idea of when and where the craft could crash down. She said the craft was supposed to fly to Venus, but because of a faulty mechanism didn't make it out of Earth's orbit. In 1972, the probe split into two parts, the 'main bus' and the 'descent craft'. The descent craft will crash into Earth between May 7 and May 13, according to NASA. Gov. Kelly declares state of disaster for fuel supplies The mission was originally part of the Soviet space program that started in 1962, and the name 'Cosmos/Kosmos' was given to Soviet spacecraft that remained in Earth's orbit. 'So far, scientists do not know exactly when or where KOSMOS 482 will reenter Earth's atmosphere, but because it was designed to fly through the atmosphere of Venus, the craft is expected to remain intact, even after it reaches the ground,' Culbertson said. Culbertson said KOSMOS 482 has parachutes that were designed to help with landing on Venus but after all this time in space, they likely won't work. 'Of course, not knowing exactly where it will wind up, the extent of any damage is unknown,' Culbertson said. 'Since Earth is mostly covered by water, and the reentry location can be anywhere between the latitudes of 52 degrees south to 52 degrees north, the reentry will most likely be over one of the oceans.' 'Budget constraints': USS Topeka won't attend military event According to Culbertson, the probe is small, about 3.2 feet in diameter and weighs about 495 pounds. She said it shouldn't cause major damage at the speed of 150 mph as it passes through Earth's atmosphere. She said that if the probe is seen, it will likely appear like meteors do when they streak across the sky. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
