AGP Executive Report

Water Science: UNH researchers say cyanobacteria and their toxins are highly diverse, complicating efforts to measure health risks as blooms become more common in New Hampshire lakes. Dartmouth Research: A new study found northeastern droughts since 1980 were 59% less frequent and 19% less intense than from 1901 to 1980, despite the region’s severe drought in 2025. Cell Development: Dartmouth co-led research using “DNA Typewriter” technology to trace cell divisions and developmental decisions in mouse embryos, offering a new way to study how early cell lineages shape later development. Rural Health Tech: Portsmouth-based Tenovi partnered with Iron Bow to offer cellular remote-monitoring devices through government contracts, allowing patients to send health readings without Wi-Fi or a smartphone. AI in Care: New Hampshire has licensed an AI system to provide acne diagnosis and treatment, putting the state at the forefront of AI-enabled medical care.

Wildlife Science: At Pack Monadnock, the Harris Center’s raptor observatory is tracking peak hawk migration, including broad-winged hawks that pass overhead in large groups. Health Technology: Portsmouth-based Tenovi partnered with Iron Bow to make cellular remote-monitoring devices available to government health programs. Patients can send readings without Wi-Fi, an app or a smartphone—a potential help for rural care. AI in Care: New Hampshire has licensed AI as a medical provider for acne diagnosis and treatment, a significant step for automated health services. Energy and Water: Debate over data centers and their effects on New Hampshire’s power grid is intensifying, as New England states discuss nuclear power. Meanwhile, a Lake Winnipesaukee Alliance report warns that the lake’s water health is declining.

STEM Workforce: A $25,000 Granite Edvance gift helped more than 20 New Hampshire graduates enroll full-time at Manchester Community College, including an electrical technology student. Photonics & Infrared: LightPath named Scott Payette to lead Hudson-based G5 Infrared, which makes cooled infrared camera systems for defense and security. Defense Technology: BAE Systems won a Lockheed Martin contract for F-35 electronic warfare systems and upgrades, extending work at its Manchester, Merrimack and Nashua facilities. Water Science: A Lake Winnipesaukee Alliance report warns that the lake’s water health is declining.

Photonics: LightPath Technologies named Scott Payette to lead Hudson-based G5 Infrared, which makes cooled infrared cameras for defense and security. He starts Oct. 12 and will oversee efforts to grow the business. Medical AI: New Hampshire has licensed AI to provide acne diagnosis and treatment, putting the technology in a role typically held by a medical provider. Data Centers: Opposition is growing over proposed New Hampshire data centers, with electricity use a central concern and a state lawmaker backing a possible moratorium. Home Energy: New Hampshire is among nine states to approve plug-in balcony solar, letting residents generate some of their own electricity without rooftop panels. Defense Manufacturing: BAE Systems won a new F-35 electronic-warfare production award; the company makes the systems at facilities in Manchester, Merrimack and Nashua. Climate Research: A Dartmouth study found drought in the Northeast has decreased in recent decades.

Water Costs: A new national study found household drinking-water bills rose 62% over the past decade; New Hampshire was among the states where increases outpaced income growth by about two to one. New Hampshire Tech: ePropelled founder Nick Grewal received the NH Tech Alliance’s Entrepreneur of the Year award for work spanning electric propulsion and autonomous vehicles. AI in Health Care: New Hampshire has approved an AI system to diagnose and treat mild acne, with referrals to human specialists for cases outside its scope. Energy and Industry: Plug-in balcony solar is now legal in New Hampshire, though safety guidance has yet to catch up; meanwhile, a defense and aerospace contractor has opened a manufacturing facility in Salem. Lake Health: A new Lake Winnipesaukee assessment, drawing on years of monitoring, reports declining water clarity and rising phosphorus and cyanobacteria levels.

AI policy & ethics: A new wave of AI doomsday talk follows a researcher’s resignation from Anthropic, reviving old arguments about whether advanced systems pose existential risk. Public health & regulation: New Hampshire licensed an AI system as a medical provider for mild acne, with built-in referral rules when cases fall outside its narrow scope. Water affordability: A report from Food & Water Watch says US household drinking-water bills rose 62% from 2015–2025, faster than inflation and incomes, with New Hampshire among the steepest increases. Environment & conservation: NH Audubon is using solar-powered tags and a public app to track monarch butterfly migration in near real time. Healthcare innovation: Pig kidney transplants are moving through US trials, with a New Hampshire patient previously living 271 days on a gene-edited pig kidney before switching to a human organ. Local STEM & industry: California-based Onshore Technologies opened a cable-harness facility in Salem, expanding manufacturing in New Hampshire. Science communication: Ocean Exploration Trust’s Nautilus is streaming live ROV dives into unmapped Hawaiian abyssal habitats.

AI in Healthcare: New Hampshire signed a law letting an AI system (Nabla) act as a licensed medical provider for mild acne, diagnosing and recommending treatment from patient photos and questionnaires, with automatic referral to human dermatologists when cases fall outside scope. Public Health & Data: A new national report finds drinking water bills rose faster than inflation and income, with New Hampshire among the states seeing steep increases. Elections & Tech Ethics: Researchers say AI-generated political ads are flooding TV and social media, with many not disclosing AI use; separate reporting highlights New Hampshire Republicans using AI to turn a Black veteran’s photo into a stereotype. Energy & Grid Tech: Dartmouth and Eversource are moving ahead with dynamic line rating across thousands of miles of transmission in New Hampshire, aiming to safely unlock more capacity and delay costly upgrades. Defense & Manufacturing: BAE Systems won a $146.7M U.S. Air Force contract to build EPAWSS electronic warfare hardware in Nashua through 2030. Local Business/Industry: Onshore Technologies opened a Salem facility to make cable harnesses and related components.

Energy & Grid Tech: Dartmouth’s Thayer School and Eversource are moving ahead with dynamic line rating across about 4,000 miles of transmission in NH, MA, and VT, a four-year $95M effort aimed at safely squeezing more power through existing lines. Defense Tech: BAE Systems won a $146.7M U.S. Air Force award for 40 EPAWSS electronic-warfare hardware sets, with work in Nashua running through 2030. AI & Power Infrastructure: Vicor is pitching its power-conversion tech for AI data centers as demand for electricity delivery grows, citing a rising backlog and licensing momentum. Water Affordability: A new analysis of 2025 billing data finds household drinking-water bills rose 62% since 2015—faster than inflation, groceries, and income—hitting states including NH hard. NH Politics & Tech Ethics: A NH Senate race ad used AI to depict a Black candidate in a racist “wealthy gangster” stereotype, raising questions about digital political manipulation. Healthcare & Food Safety: FDA recalled Stewart’s Shops ice cream in NY, VT, and NH after a metal object was found; separate research highlights gaps in hepatitis B vaccination among liver transplant recipients.

Arctic Military Tech: U.S. researchers tested rapidly deployable base-camp systems in Hanover’s Extreme Cold Chamber, aiming to keep kitchens, showers, laundries, and latrines running at far colder temperatures than current gear can handle. NH Health & Care: A New Hampshire caregiver story highlights the growing dementia burden as the state’s population ages, and points to support services for families. AI in Medicine: A clinical decision-support conversation describes an AI system tied to electronic health records that’s designed to ask missing questions instead of guessing when information is incomplete. Solar Safety Gap: States are moving ahead with balcony “plug-in” solar, but safety and standards haven’t fully caught up, leaving a legal gray area for homeowners. NH Infrastructure: A crack found in a steel girder led to a lane closure on Hudson’s Veterans Memorial Bridge while engineers plan repairs. Higher Ed Affordability: A new analysis finds only about one in three public four-year colleges are affordable for students after accounting for aid, family costs, and emergency expenses. AI & Politics: Coverage continues on how deepfakes are affecting elections elsewhere, while U.S. states’ guardrails appear to be limiting worst-case scenarios.

Nuclear energy debate in New England: New Hampshire energy officials and regional leaders met at a nuclear policy summit in Lowell, weighing climate goals, grid constraints, safety, and public trust; NH’s roadmap for advanced nuclear is expected in 2028, with workforce and industry planning flagged as near-term priorities. Deep-sea biodiversity: Scientists working in the South Atlantic report 57 new marine species and five new genera from deep-sea samples, highlighting how fast collaborative taxonomy can expand what we know about ocean life. Ocean noise impacts: An ocean noise study points to shipping and other human activity drowning out whale communication, with researchers warning that rising underwater noise is harming how marine animals coordinate and survive. AI and politics—deepfakes: A new analysis argues that while deepfakes are reshaping elections globally, the U.S. hasn’t seen the worst-case scenario yet, crediting state guardrails and enforcement. NH bridge repair: A crack found in a steel support girder led to a one-lane closure on Hudson’s Veterans Memorial Bridge while officials coordinate with engineering consultants and the state DOT on repairs. Data-center policy fight (NH): New Hampshire’s “right-to-compute” proposal and broader data-center electricity debates continue to move through the state policy pipeline as lawmakers weigh rights, governance, and power impacts. NH healthcare tech in psychiatry: A conversation highlights an AI clinical decision support approach designed to avoid “hallucinations” by asking targeted questions when patient history is missing, aiming to improve psychiatric care planning. Local emergency training: Moultonborough will run a mock fire drill at its transfer station focused on lithium-ion battery disposal response procedures.

Higher-Education Independence: A coalition of 67+ former university leaders urged “respect” for higher ed’s independence, pushing back on federal pressure tied to the Trump administration. AI in Clinical Care: A Mayo-linked AI decision-support system aims to reduce hallucinations by asking clinicians targeted questions when data is missing, then offering guideline-based options. Bridge Safety: Hudson closed one westbound lane on the Veterans Memorial Bridge after inspectors found a crack in a steel support girder; repairs are being planned with engineering help and NHDOT. Health Policy & Access: A ValuePenguin study finds ACA Marketplace plan selections fell 4.9% in 2026 while premiums rose 19.7%, with more shoppers gravitating to the cheapest tiers. Ocean Noise Research: UNH acoustic ecologist Michelle Fournet highlights how shipping noise disrupts whale communication, making it harder for whales to hear each other. Data Centers & Rights: Coverage of “right-to-compute” debates and New Hampshire’s related proposal shows how AI, computing access, and local control are colliding. Nuclear Power Momentum: New England leaders met in Lowell to coordinate a regional nuclear roadmap, with New Hampshire’s energy officials saying the state is moving from discussion to planning.

Bridge Repair & Infrastructure: A routine inspection found a crack in a steel support girder on Hudson’s Veterans Memorial Bridge, closing one westbound lane while town officials and NH DOT plan repairs. Healthcare & Community Impact: Dartmouth Health faces scrutiny after announcing elimination of employee positions and cancelation of hundreds of vacant roles, raising questions about transparency and how workers are treated. AI in Public Life: A Claremont author event highlighted concerns about AI illustration after an AI-generated “Freedom Trail Directive” image misrepresented the Boston Public Library’s lions and dates. Higher Ed Tech Priorities: EDUCAUSE’s 2027 Top 10 IT Issues list put AI at #1 for higher education leaders, signaling governance and risk management are now urgent. Energy Policy Watch: New England governors and officials met in Lowell to coordinate a regional nuclear roadmap, with NH’s energy director saying the state is moving from early talks toward planning. Public Safety Training: Moultonborough will run a mock fire drill at its transfer station Oct. 7 focused on lithium-ion battery disposal response. Environmental Science: A study on Maine lake algae suggests one cyanobacteria type may be less toxic than previously thought, including findings from sampling in NH’s Lake Winnipesaukee.

AI & Elections: A new look at political deepfakes argues the “nightmare” scenario hasn’t hit U.S. races yet, pointing instead to state laws that set norms and penalties. Higher Ed Tech: EDUCAUSE’s 2027 IT priorities put AI at the top for the first time, signaling AI governance as an urgent, day-to-day campus IT issue. Data Centers & Policy: New Hampshire’s “right-to-compute” debate keeps moving, with lawmakers weighing how to protect access to computing and AI while local governments fight over development impacts. Nuclear in New England: New Hampshire and neighbors are aligning around a regional nuclear roadmap, but major uncertainty remains about demand, costs, and who will take the first big risks. Public Safety Tech: A mock fire drill in Moultonborough targets lithium-ion battery disposal risks at solid waste facilities, testing coordination across 911 and mutual aid. Environment Research: A study on Maine lake algae suggests one bloom-forming cyanobacterium may be less toxic than feared, including findings from genetic analysis. Local STEM Community: NH conservation groups host a potluck Oct. 7 featuring findings from a turtle wetland-road crossing assessment. Mobility & Infrastructure: “Week Without Driving” in the Upper Valley (Oct. 1–8) pushes residents to test how well transit and active transportation work when cars aren’t an option.

Data Centers & Power Costs: A new fight over the “Ratepayer Protection Act” to limit data-center electricity costs failed in the U.S. Senate (57-43), with NH Sen. Maggie Hassan among supporters, as lawmakers and residents push back on AI-driven power demand. Regional Nuclear Push: New England governors and energy officials held a nuclear strategy summit, with NH’s energy director saying no single state can pull off new nuclear alone—collaboration is the plan. Balcony Solar Safety: States are rapidly legalizing plug-in “balcony solar,” but safety guidelines and standards still lag, leaving a legal gray area for homeowners and renters. NH Higher Ed Access: The University System of New Hampshire launched the “New Hampshire Promise,” offering free tuition for families earning up to $100,000 for first-time students starting fall 2027. Healthcare Politics: The Trump administration began sending $500 ACA refund checks to nearly 1 million people in HealthCare.gov states, a move strategists say could sway the Nov. 3 midterms. Local STEM/Health: MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital earned Joint Commission Primary Stroke Certification, highlighting continued clinical quality upgrades. Agriculture & Sustainability: Berlin’s Richard Rosen, who built American Ag Energy and developed large greenhouses, died at 87.

Data Center Power Costs: The U.S. Senate failed to pass Sen. Jon Husted’s Ratepayer Protection Act, falling short of the 60-vote threshold in a 57-43 vote, despite strong House support—an issue that directly targets how grid upgrades and electricity costs could be shared with data centers. NH Higher Ed Affordability: The University System of New Hampshire launched the New Hampshire Promise for families earning up to $100,000, offering free in-state tuition for first-time students starting fall 2027 at UNH, Keene State, and Plymouth State. Grid Modernization Grant: Eversource was tentatively selected for $47.7M from the DOE to expand capacity on existing transmission lines, partnering with Dartmouth Engineering and using sensors, forecasting, and software across about 4,000 miles of lines in New England. Housing Pressure in Cities: A New Hampshire Housing report finds a widening gap between wages and rent, with Lebanon’s median-rent affordability requiring about $47/hour—far above the state’s median wage. Opioid Safety Watch: Health officials warn about cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid reported in at least 24 states, described as extremely potent and hard to detect on standard drug tests. Medical Research Funding: MaineHealth won a five-year, $13.2M NIH COBRE grant to strengthen acute care research and rural health work across multiple conditions.

Nuclear Energy Debate: New England is seeing a “nuclear transition,” with researchers and industry discussing small modular reactors, microreactors, and fusion as electricity demand rises—while protesters keep pressure on the region’s nuclear future, including New Hampshire’s Seabrook. AI + Power Costs Politics: The U.S. Senate blocked the Ratepayer Protection Act, a bill meant to push states to consider whether data centers should help cover grid upgrade costs; New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan backed the bill, but it still fell short of the 60-vote threshold. NH Tech Leadership: The New Hampshire Tech Alliance named ePropelled founder Nick Grewal its 2026 Entrepreneur of the Year, spotlighting advanced manufacturing and autonomy work tied to aerospace, defense, and maritime markets. Privacy + Health Tech: A new review challenges a common claim that state law blocks trained sonographers from administering ultrasound contrast agents, while separate reporting highlights low hepatitis B vaccination rates among liver transplant recipients. Community Science & Learning: A genealogist talk in New Durham uses a 1788 murder case to show how researchers piece together early New Hampshire history.