Today, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) announced the appointment of pediatric neurologist Annapurna Poduri Poduri is currently Director of the Epilepsy Genetics and Neurogenetics Programs Associate Chief for Academic Development in the Department of Neurology and the Diamond Blackfan Chair of Neuroscience Research at Boston Children’s Hospital Poduri will join NINDS as the Deputy Director at the end of September Poduri will continue her experimental science work within the intramural program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.  “I am excited to announce Dr. Poduri’s appointment as NINDS Deputy Director following an extensive and competitive search for this position,” said Dr and clinical work in pediatric neurological disorders and her extensive understanding of the importance of mentoring will help NINDS make progress towards achieving our mission.” Poduri is a leader in the field of epilepsy genetics and her work has led to the discovery of several genes associated with epilepsy Her pioneering work in the field of somatic mutation in neurodevelopmental disorders has advanced our understanding of the causes of epilepsy and related disorders Poduri’s work has been to provide precision diagnoses and treatment using genome sequencing in children with epilepsy and their families Poduri has been the principal investigator on numerous NIH-supported grants.  Poduri has served on scientific advisory boards for companies and foundations devoted to developing precision medicine and targeted treatments for patients with epilepsy including the American Neurological Association’s Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Award the American Academy of Neurology’s Dreifuss-Penry Epilepsy Award and the Harvard Club of Boston’s Most Influential Women designation This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policyand Terms of Serviceapply Tuesday | May 06 2025 | HR technology has enabled innovative digital platforms for enhancing employee engagement How has DBS Bank India leveraged it and can you share a few examples of innovative tools or platforms that are being used?DBS Bank India leverages technology to foster a highly engaged and productive workforce by integrating innovative tools with its comprehensive HR systems which provides data-driven insights to inform decisions personalise employee experiences and drive organisational change the HR Workbench centralises HR operations boosting productivity and enabling our team to focus on supporting employees Complementing this is our robust Learning Management System (LMS) offering over 10,000 modules accessible across platforms ensuring employees have the resources needed to excel in a rapidly evolving environment an end-to-end lifecycle management tool for our contingent workforce we are deploying predictive modelling to enable managers to make personalised efforts towards fostering a fulfilling work culture for their teams This proactive approach addresses the significant costs associated with employee turnover in the banking industry To further enhance workforce agility and adaptability an AI/ML-powered career enabler that understands employees’ career aspirations shares insights and matches them with curated recommendations and new role opportunities based on the Triple EEE framework (Education we are introducing Enterprise Knowledge Base a Gen-AI-powered search assistant that provides employees with seamless access to enterprise information enabling them to respond effectively to stakeholders' needs and focus on higher-value work which offers employees a comprehensive view of their total rewards these tools reflect our commitment to creating a workplace where employees feel valued what key trends do you foresee shaping the future of talent management in India particularly in the BFSI sector?We see the future of talent management in India being shaped by several key trends: the increasing use of data analytics and AI to personalise development and enhance decision-making; a heightened focus on employee experience including wellbeing programmes and a culture of recognition and a strong commitment to Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) as a critical factor in attracting and retaining top talent Our talent management strategy reflects these trends emphasising a proactive and holistic approach We prioritise building a diverse and scalable organisation by nurturing internal talent and aligning our talent planning closely with strategic business goals This involves meticulously forecasting future workforce needs including the impact of AI on the operating models of various businesses and support units fostering proactive skill-building to address an AI-enabled future and developing a robust pipeline of future leaders Our process focuses on bridging the gap between talent demand and supply collaborating closely with business leaders to translate long-term objectives into actionable annual priorities A crucial aspect of our strategy is identifying and developing high-potential individuals through a rigorous nomination process based on performance These individuals participate in a comprehensive leadership development programme designed to prepare them for accelerated career growth and a strong commitment to employee growth ensures that we possess the right leadership and capabilities to drive continued success How has the 'Reimagine' internship programme for women returning to work contributed to the organisation’s DEI goals?We recognise that women returning to work after a career break often face significant challenges re-entering a rapidly evolving professional landscape These challenges range from navigating technological advancements to overcoming unconscious biases that may exist within the workplace 'Reimagine' directly addresses these challenges by offering a structured six-month internship programme providing participants with valuable project-based experience and the invaluable support of experienced mentors This carefully designed programme helps bridge skill gaps fostering a seamless transition back into the workforce 'Reimagine' actively works to mitigate unconscious bias creating a supportive and inclusive environment where participants can thrive By tapping into this high-calibre talent pool of experienced professionals 'Reimagine' also significantly enhances gender diversity within DBS Bank India As younger employees are prioritising purpose-driven workplaces how is DBS aligning with these values?DBS Bank has embedded purpose into the very fabric of our organisation This is evident in our significant work through the DBS Foundation where we actively uplift the lives and livelihoods of those in need We focus on providing essential needs and fostering inclusion by equipping individuals with financial and digital literacy skills building resilience against life’s uncertainties and enabling them to achieve greater social and financial stability we actively encourage our employees to participate in meaningful community engagement through our ‘People of Purpose’ (PoP) employee volunteer movement We provide each employee with two official volunteer-leave days annually to support their involvement in causes they care about we design impactful volunteer programmes that directly address pressing social needs and reach those most vulnerable in our communities This resonates deeply with younger employees who are increasingly drawn to organisations that embody a strong sense of purpose and seek meaningful work that aligns with their own values We actively align our initiatives to attract and retain this vital talent pool Employees' wellbeing is becoming an important concern in today’s work environment What measures have you taken to prioritise employees' mental Could you share some key programmes or initiatives that DBS Bank India has taken for the wellbeing of its employees?Our comprehensive approach to wellbeing is encapsulated in our 'DBS Cares' programme a holistic benefits package designed to address individual needs at every life stage recognising that wellbeing is a deeply personal journey Our ‘iFlex’ wellness wallet allows employees to customise their benefits package choosing options that best suit their specific needs outpatient department (OPD) benefits or other personalised support We also encourage a healthy lifestyle through ‘iFit’ a comprehensive health management tool that provides additional rewards upon achieving fitness goals demonstrating our commitment to supporting employee wellbeing through tangible and meaningful initiatives ensures a supportive and thriving workplace where employees feel valued cared for and empowered to prioritise their overall health and wellbeing Upskilling and reskilling are critical in today’s fast-changing work environment How does DBS Bank India address this need and what skills do you see as most in demand for the future of work?We take a skills-based approach strategically aligning employees with projects that leverage their existing strengths while simultaneously providing ample opportunities for growth and development By proactively identifying skill gaps through the strategic use of AI we create highly targeted and personalised upskilling and reskilling programmes tailored to meet individual needs iGrow helps employees understand their career aspirations and identify new opportunities within DBS using the ‘Triple E’ approach – Education We're investing heavily in upskilling our people in critical areas such as cloud computing data science and agile development— equipping them with the skills that will shape the future of our industry and allow us to continue delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers thereby also delivering on our brand promise of ‘Live more what are DBS Bank’s priorities for retaining top talent while fostering a culture of innovation and inclusion?In today's competitive talent market DBS Bank India believes in attracting top talent and actively cultivating it This is achieved through a multipronged approach focused on fostering a culture of innovation and inclusion A key component is our Employee Experience Council a dedicated team that actively listens to employee needs and develops tailored programmes to enhance their experience This ensures that our initiatives are not only relevant but also impactful We focus on leadership development and career advancement investing in our employees at every level to build a future-ready workforce We empower employees to pursue roles aligned with their aspirations offering ample opportunities for internal mobility This boosts employee satisfaction and fuels organisational agility Our robust mentorship programmes provide personalised guidance and a safe space for employees to learn These initiatives help us ensure that DBS Bank India remains a destination of choice for top talent Abdulla Mazumder9871609348Abdulla@businessworld.in Aparna Sengupta 9958000128aparna@businessworld.in Bilquis Naqvee 9910382910Bilquis.naqvee@businessworld.in Vinod Kumar 9810961195Vinod@businessworld.in Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on our latest news wondered: What could be learned from the brain tissue removed during surgery Could it yield a better genetic understanding of epilepsy “If we could know what caused epilepsy for these individuals maybe we could actually treat them with science on our side,” she says When Poduri was in medical school in the late 1990s, only three or four epilepsy-related genes were known. Today, through work in her own lab and many others A genetic diagnosis can mean a change in a child’s medications and guidance for family members who may share the same genetic variant it can spark the use or development of new epilepsy medications — with the help of Poduri’s zebrafish models — adding to an arsenal that’s changed little in more than 20 years Poduri’s passions also lie in making genetic diagnoses accessible to families routinely “Early diagnosis means children don’t have to keep having MRIs and spinal taps,” she says A new study published in Lancet Neurology — the first of its kind — takes a bold step in that direction Through the International Precision Child Health Partnership (IPCHiP) co-founded by Boston Children’s in 2021 researchers at Boston Children’s and other centers in Australia and Canada performed rapid whole-genome sequencing of DNA from 100 infants with new-onset epilepsy and This approach isn’t the norm today clinically “A typical scenario for a baby with epilepsy is a short clinic or hospital visit that doesn’t include discussion of possible genetic causes or how to test for them,” Poduri says “When an infant is on multiple medications there are so many acute issues to be addressed that there’s often no time to get to genetics And most centers don’t have genetic counselors or other professionals who can navigate genetic testing for families.” Whole-genome sequencing is also not the norm in the clinic it is more expensive than whole-exome sequencing identifying mutations in regulatory elements and duplications and deletions in the genome that can also cause disease “We wanted to provide evidence that rapid genome sequencing really does have a clinical impact,” says Alissa D’Gama, MD, PhD a clinical fellow in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine who is in Poduri’s lab and is first author on the study “Sometimes it can happen in an intensive care setting but not a lot of payers will pay for rapid testing in outpatient or other inpatient settings We hope our work will influence future policy decisions.” whole-genome sequencing provided diagnostic information for 43 usually within two to three weeks of enrolling in the study The median time from an infant developing seizures to getting a sequencing result was 37 days Diagnostic sequencing results influenced treatment decisions in 24 of the 43 infants (56 percent) pointed to potential precision therapies for 49 percent and provided new prognostic information for 86 percent the diagnosis had health implications for parents or led to other family members being tested sequencing was clinically useful for 55 percent of the entire cohort whether families received a diagnosis or not and whether the prognosis was good or poor The study also showed that rapid whole-genome sequencing is feasible in multiple care settings Diagnostic yields were 30 percent for infants seen in the outpatient setting 44 percent for infants admitted to non-intensive inpatient care and 71 percent for infants in intensive care “Prior studies of rapid sequencing have primarily enrolled from intensive care settings and haven’t focused on a specific disease cohort,” notes D’Gama Poduri and D’Gama hope their findings will help make whole genome sequencing routine for infants with epilepsy “The barriers to precise diagnosis and precision treatment are no longer scientific knowledge barriers,” Poduri says “We want to make the so-called ‘impractical’ practical and accessible for all children with epilepsy.” She and her team are educating clinicians and payers about the value of epilepsy genomics working through professional epilepsy and neurology societies They are also looking to partner with neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the community and provide genomics services to clinics with underrepresented populations What if we go to other locations and provide translators?” Poduri says “We have eager young people ready to go out and carry this forward It takes a whole health system to come together and say ‘Let’s make this available to our patients.’” Refer a patient to the Epilepsy Center Sign up for our weekly email newsletter for the latest parenting tips and news for your family from Boston Children's To make your experience more customized and user-friendly we use cookies for functional, analytic, and user-experience purposes. We do not share your confidential medical information with third parties using these tools. You can learn more by reading our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Boston Children’s Hospital has a storied history of breakthrough research It’s where Sidney Farber discovered that drugs could treat cancer where Nobel laureate John Enders made critical advances in the development of the polio vaccine Berry Brazelton delivered parenting advice for decades and introduced his famed Touchpoints program Boston Children’s routinely draws more research funding from the National Institutes of Health than any other pediatric hospital — and most adult hospitals It has a million square feet of research space spread across its buildings But it also has sweeping research programs crossing disciplines — by October 1 it will have sequenced the genes of 1,000 patients with rare or unexplained diseases aims to deepen understanding of these diseases What follows are five more potential leaps forward out of the hospital’s labs The most dreaded injury in sports has been treated the same way for decades When people suffer a torn anterior cruciate ligament the knee is reconstructed using one or two ligaments from elsewhere in the leg followed by six to nine months of rehabilitation Of the roughly 100,000 people who undergo ACL reconstruction each year most — teenagers included — will start experiencing arthritis in the repaired knee after 15 to 20 years Martha Murray became an orthopedic surgeon in part because she wanted to find a better approach The obvious fix is stitching the ACL back together Murray wondered if there was a way to keep those tears from happening she’s developed a new technique called bridge-enhanced ACL repair she places an implant between the torn ends of the ligament infuses that implant with the patient’s blood This combination provides a bridge that should stay in place long enough to let the ACL heal Preliminary research on animals suggests Murray’s scaffolding will help people with ACL tears avoid arthritis Murray will get results from a clinical trial she ran comparing 65 people treated with her approach with 35 who got conventional ACL reconstruction She’s cofounded Miach Orthopaedics to produce the implant should the current trial lead to federal approval that could mean bringing the implant to market by the end of 2020 Our immune system is rarely more challenged than just after birth Millions of newborns die worldwide from infections Ofer Levy is creating models of the newborn immune system to probe the source of its weaknesses who directs the precision vaccines program at Boston Children’s and his colleagues build simulated human immune systems in lab dishes then test potential vaccine candidates on them One target is the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) the number one cause of hospitalizations for babies in the US He also wants to develop new vaccines that are more effective and easier to administer even ones that can be personalized by age group The 30-member team of doctors and scientists has been studying the impact of the bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine given mostly to newborns in the developing world to prevent tuberculosis Versions of the vaccine appear to work differently in different places the BCG vaccine seemed to strengthen a baby’s overall immune system — infants vaccinated at birth were 50 percent less likely to die of any cause in the first month of life than ones who didn’t get it It’s a mystery why this happens in just one part of the world Levy and his colleagues hope that if they can unravel the clues Their goal is to prevent fentanyl — a synthetic opioid that’s been blamed for most of the opioid-related deaths — from entering the brain in turn preventing overdoses in youths who’ve become addicted to opioids > Related: For more on Boston Children’s 150th anniversary, click here. When Dr. Annapurna Poduri finished her training in pediatric epilepsy 15 years ago, there were only a few genes known to be related to its trademark seizures. Since then, medical researchers have discovered hundreds of genes connected to the condition. But the most effective way to stop seizures in some types of epilepsy remains unchanged: Surgically removing the chunk of the brain where the seizures begin. It’s tricky to research childhood cancers — they occur relatively rarely, accounting for less than 1 percent of cancers. This makes it hard for researchers to find enough patients to do things such as run clinical trials to test new therapies. Collins says being at Boston Children’s helps, because the hospital draws more cancer patients than she’d have at most other places, giving her a better shot at making progress. Collins uses genetic sequencing and other techniques to help her better understand how patients’ immune systems respond to cancer. One aim, she says, is to predict patient responses, to avoid wasting precious time on treatments that won’t help. Although it will still be a long time before pediatric cancers can routinely be cured with immune therapies, Collins draws inspiration from the few success stories she’s seen so far. “Those patients make you want to keep going,” she says. So when doctors at Boston Children’s wanted a volunteer to test an experimental gene therapy, Johnson was game, even though the doctors would need to kill his damaged red blood cells using chemotherapy. They’d then replace them with versions of his own red blood cells they’d genetically modified. If it worked, he wouldn’t need transfusions anymore. And it could help others with sickle cell, including his 7-year-old brother, Aiden. Johnson was the first patient in a clinical trial for the new gene therapy. In the spring of 2018, he spent a month at Boston Children’s as his red blood cells were destroyed and rebuilt. He hasn’t needed any treatments for sickle cell since. Two more young adults with sickle cell have since been treated at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s with equally powerful results. Next up: One teenager with the disease, and then — if all goes well — two younger children. Home Delivery Gift Subscriptions Log In Manage My Account Customer Service Delivery Issues Feedback News Tips Help & FAQs Staff List Advertise Newsletters View the ePaper Order Back Issues News in Education Search the Archives Privacy Policy Terms of Service Terms of Purchase Work at Boston Globe Media Internship Program Co-op Program Do Not Sell My Personal Information The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. based at West Florida Hospital in Pensacola has received initial accreditation and is seeking immediate applicants to begin training in 2021 A new physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) residency program The program is part of a UCF-HCA Healthcare consortium that is building residency programs across Central and North Central Florida The residency is the consortium’s 26th program and is the first at West Florida Hospital UCF and HCA currently are training more than 440 residents and fellows in greater Orlando Gainesville and Ocala to help alleviate the state’s physician shortage so applicants will need to have completed 12 months of training in an approved residency program by July 1 Applications should be submitted through ERAS (the NRMP program code is 1587340A0) Qualified applicants will be selected for interviews and the program also plans to participate in the Match Week Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) in March 2020 The program will accept four residents a year for a total of 12 accredited positions Poduri served as program director for the University of Rochester’s PM&R residency for two decades and also chaired the university’s PM&R Department “We are committed to training young physicians to learn lead and practice with humanism to become highly skilled physiatrists for the community,” Poduri says “This is outstanding news for our community our physicians and graduate medical education as a whole.” — Gay Nord West Florida Hospital provides Pensacola’s first Accredited Chest Pain Center and Breast Imaging Center of Excellence It is also a 2018 Straight A Safety Hospital The West Florida Healthcare campus includes the acute care hospital CARF-accredited physical rehabilitation hospital “We are pleased to announce the addition of a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at West Florida Hospital,” says Gay Nord our physicians and graduate medical education as a whole At West Florida Hospital we have a focus on clinical quality advanced technology and service excellence We are excited about our partnership with University of Central Florida and look forward to providing an outstanding training experience to residents.” To learn more about the PM&R program at West Florida Hospital, please contact Michelle Stevenson at Michelle.Stevenson@hcahealthcare.com When child neurologist Annapurna Poduri, MD, MPH finished her clinical epilepsy fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital in 2004 she was struck to find that the genetic understanding of epilepsy had changed little in the decade since she started medical school Many questions were unanswered — and some weren’t yet being asked Existing treatments were still not working in a third of patients Some needed brain surgery for relief from seizures Poduri and her colleagues have identified dozens of genetic causes of epilepsy One of the first was found in a boy with daily seizures whose entire right brain was malformed and enlarged; the genetic abnormality was detectable in only about a third of his brain cells Other patients have had even smaller percentages of brain cells affected requiring deep genomic sequencing to identify their mutations As genomic sequencing has become more routine, discovery has been accelerated. Through the hospital-wide Children’s Rare Disease Cohorts initiative Poduri’s team has now sequenced the genomes of more than 500 patients “We’ve gotten genetic answers for over 100 children As genetic variants are discovered in children with epilepsy researchers can confirm whether a variant is truly causative determine whether its effects could be reversed (see sidebar) Genes making active protein in the brain and those that seem to be involved in neuronal excitability go to the top of the list for further vetting The Epilepsy Genetics team can now model patients’ genes and test treatments at growing scale thanks to a new research partner: a tiny aquarium fish Whereas mice are slightly closer to humans genetically zebrafish have more than 80 percent of the same genes we do And when genes involved in human epilepsy are perturbed they sometimes show evidence of seizure activity Early on, Poduri teamed up with fellow neurologist Alexander Rotenberg, MD, PhD who developed an ultra-miniaturized EEG apparatus for zebrafish they can detect whether fish with introduced mutations in epilepsy genes are more seizure-prone than their companions so within five or six days you can look for core features of epilepsy like hyperexcitability and fast swirling movements that approximate seizure-like behaviors,” says Poduri we have a short list of 12 that we will start to investigate we’ll have three or four that cause seizure activity in zebrafish and will be able to test seizure medications.” The tiny size of zebrafish embryos allows for rapid This involves loading the fish into 96-well plates and adding different medications — from a library of known drugs — into the fishes’ water Automated detectors can then capture the fishes’ movements and brain activity and flag those whose seizures disappear when a given drug is added she and her colleagues are leading a precision medicine project to determine the potential of genetics to change routine care and patient outcomes An early report from the team indicates that genetic testing benefits children with unexplained epilepsy 72 percent had changes to their medical management based on the results of genetic testing “We hope to demonstrate the impact of early genetic diagnosis in babies with epilepsy,” says Poduri “When they come to the hospital with their first seizure we want to diagnose them quickly and find ways to change their treatment based on their genetics And eventually maybe even diagnose infants with a tendency for epilepsy before they have seizures and across countries to be able to move things faster.” Visit the Epilepsy Genetics Program and the Poduri Lab To make your experience more customized and user-friendly we use cookies for functional, analytic, and user-experience purposes. We do not share your confidential medical information with third parties using these tools. You can learn more by reading our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below. The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse how you use this website, store your preferences, and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you. These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent. You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience. Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data. Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns. 23-year-old Varsha Gajula and 27-year-old Sumanth Sai Poduri were taken to Mosaic Medical Center in S The accident happened Saturday evening on northbound Highway 71 just north of Interstate 29 when a herd of deer entered the road and hit the driver’s side of the northbound car demolishing the vehicle Poduri was the only person not wearing a seat belt Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb I remember eating my breakfast and next thing I knew my mom was repeatedly asking me why I wasn’t responding to her This was the beginning of my journey with epilepsy I had seizures everywhere — from the classroom to the basketball court — as many as 8 to 12 a month as if I was looking down at everything around me Then I would wake up and not remember anything Some medication made me feel like a zombie a pediatric neurosurgeon who specializes in epilepsy surgery made sure to explain the surgery to me in detail Madsen and the rest of the Boston Children’s team I’m now more than seven years seizure-free and the rest of the team at Boston Children’s have made it possible for me to achieve so much in life I graduated recently from Stonehill College and am living on my own I’m now working at Boston Children’s as a patient experience representative I was given the chance to work in the Neurosurgery Department It feels amazing to be a part of a team that helps patients just like me I understand the families’ feelings of uncertainty but I also know how the possibility of being seizure free feels. Getting to work in the department that changed my life for the better is another dream I have achieved Learn more about the Epilepsy Center The number of genes implicated in epilepsy has grown rapidly in the past decade This raises questions about what tests to offer to people with unexplained epilepsy and whether those tests would yield actionable information practice guidelines developed by genetic counselors at Boston Children’s Hospital offer a way forward In the first systematic evidence review of the literature on epilepsy genetic testing, Beth Sheidley, MS, CGC, co-director of the Epilepsy Genetics Program and her colleagues examined the yield of commonly ordered we’ve gone from ‘zero to 60’ in terms of the kinds of tests available and the number of labs offering tests,” says Sheidley “Much of the time it’s been hard even for genetics professionals to keep up with.” In all, they reviewed 154 studies published through 2020 that met their inclusion criteria. As they report in the journal Epilepsia establishing a diagnosis 48 percent of the time which identifies DNA deletions and duplications (9 percent). Patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy or neurodevelopmental comorbidities were more likely to receive a genetic diagnosis Forty-three studies reported outcomes of genetic testing beyond diagnostic yield Sheidley recommends that future studies systematically assess these important outcomes Based on these data, genetic counseling program manager Lacey Smith, MS, CGC, led the development of a practice guideline. The guideline was endorsed by the American Epilepsy Society and published recently in the Journal of Genetic Counseling It recommends the following approach to genetic testing for people with unexplained epilepsy: evidence-based guideline will help make genetic testing a more routine part of epilepsy care accessible to many more families,” says Smith Sheidley, Smith, and coauthor Ann Poduri, MD, MPH hope their work will help persuade insurance providers to cover testing “Our evidence review and guidelines drive home that genetics is an important part of the clinical evaluation of epilepsy and shouldn’t be overlooked as something experimental or confined to the research arena,” Sheidley says allowing us to address the question of why each patient has epilepsy,” adds Poduri “It will help us translate the science of epilepsy genetics to so many patients and their families Refer a patient to the Epilepsy Genetics Program The Harvard Club of Boston honored seven women at its 2020 Boston’s Most Influential Women Gala on Feb selecting each of the powerhouse recipients for outstanding achievement president emerita and Arthur Kingsley Porter University Professor at Harvard; Annapurna Poduri director of the epilepsy genetics program and Poduri Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School; Laurie H president and CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute director of Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and Richard and Susan Smith Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School; Elizabeth L executive director of The Commonwealth Institute a non-profit that promotes the advancement of female business leaders; Geri Denterlein founder and CEO of public relations firm Denterlein; and Katey Stone head coach of the Harvard women’s ice hockey team the Harvard Club honored Sheena Collier with the Rising Star Award Collier is the founder and CEO of The Collier Connection which focuses on networking and resource building with the city’s Black community Collier works as a senior economic opportunity adviser for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce who performed on “America’s Got Talent” in 2018 Grace Griffin can be reached at grace.griffin@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @GraceMGriffin. DBS Bank leverages AI-driven tools and personalised programs to enhance employee experience and streamline HR processes Seeing people as their most important asset and helping them build long-term and fulfilling careers DBS Bank has continually improved its employee experience leveraging internal feedback to undertake targeted interventions “It resulted in benefits such as improved advocacy The bank has been working on harnessing emerging technologies such as AI and big data analytics to tailor the employee experience by making processes more responsive and efficient a 24/7 virtual assistant that every DBS employee can use for real-time queries and support It serves as a swift problem-solving mechanism for day-to-day HR and admin queries using artificial intelligence and natural language processing “We have seen high levels of interaction on OneBot – monthly average message volumes received in India vary between 5500 and 6000 The fact that the resolution to most of these questions is automated helps to significantly reduce the time spent by HR support staff on routine inquiries OneBot creates a smoother employee experience and reduces toil,” explains Kishore Seeing AI and Gen AI as game changers and an enabler to pathbreaking developments fundamentally reshaping the way we view work in the next five years DBS Bank has also been integrating AI into strategic workforce planning “This is aimed to enable us to accurately forecast long-term business needs and assess future workforce requirements,” says Kishore by focusing on the synergy between human and AI capabilities i.e to use Gen AI to supplement human skillsets Kishore suggests expanding AI-powered training programs “We also offer comprehensive training to equip all employees with proficiency in prompt engineering and other AI tools This includes tailored modules for roles directly utilising AI ensuring our workforce is skilled in these technologies The goal is to craft targeted development programs that align with the bank’s anticipated needs,” explains Kishore AI-driven engagement initiatives and their impact Since implementing AI-driven engagement initiatives says Kishore the bank has observed significant improvement in both employee satisfaction and productivity including the annual employee engagement survey MyVoice indicate positive trends across various aspects of engagement.” The consistent emphasis on improving employee well-being as a Group resulted in a well-being score of 89% in 2023 10 percentage points above that of other financial services institutions we equip employees with workbenches that provide one-stop platforms to perform their tasks as well as by automating and optimising workflows these initiatives resulted in a MyVoice score on Productivity of 88% at a Group level 19 percentage points above that of other financial services institutions.” To boost employee engagement and develop a robust "Job Intelligence Maestro" (JIM) facilitates the job application process by reviewing resumes and identifying potential resignations in advance “This reduces the time and effort required for screening and onboarding and even improves candidate fitment freeing up recruiters to concentrate on value-added activities where human discretion is more useful like sourcing candidates The time taken to review each CV has reduced significantly from 40 minutes to 8 minutes on average,” asserts Kishore AI to identify skill gaps and personalise employee upskilling To encourage its employees to adopt a growth mindset and equip themselves with future-ready skills the bank leverages AI to identify skill gaps and tailor upskilling or reskilling programs ensuring the workforce is well-prepared for current and emerging challenges “One example of this strategy in action from DBS Bank India is iGrow - our personalised growth and development platform powered by AI/ML,” informs Kishore “The platform is trained to collate and analyse employee career aspirations to curate personalised education-exposure-experience (70-20-10) from a host of more than ten thousand courses.” iGrow has achieved a 77% adoption rate since its launch in 2023 As featured in People Matters Maganti Chakrapani was one of the freedom fighters in the West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh He was best known for his role in the 1942 Quit India Movement Maganti convened a secret meeting at Satyavada and incited the people to sabotage the government machinery some railway telephone cables near Satyavada were severed the following night He held gatherings at Tanuku on successive days from the 10th to the 12th of August encouraging people to join the uprising approximately 200 Tanuku Board High School students went on strike Congress leaders Maganti Chakrapani and Andhra Bhishama Poduri Perraju convened a conference in Attili where they delivered fiery speeches and thus fired up the people to revolt and launch the uprising 'there and then.' Following this conference an angry crowd of 400 people led by Maganti Chakrapani destroyed documents at the Attili Railway Station and set fire to the Relangi Railway Station's bunks Maganti was caught in Marteru on 18th August 1942 and imprisoned for a year His continued detention revealed that the district administration feared the bold young leader and his ability to trigger an uprising among students and the labour classes Maganti Chakrapani's name today is synonymous with bravery and devotion to India's Independence Movement has been using technology extensively to find and hire talent The Bank is truly and deeply immersed in advancing its digital-transformation agenda “This ethos reflects in our hiring process as we seek to create a richer experience for our applicants the Jobs Intelligence Maestro (JIM) was developed in Q4 2019 to streamline the end-to-end job application process and enable real-time interaction 24/7,” claims Kishore Poduri Development of this chatbot technology had begun in April 2017 in collaboration with DBS Bank’s in-house talent-acquisition team our talent-acquisition specialist now takes only eight minutes to assess a candidate’s resume as compared to the 30 minutes taken earlier.” By automating the pre-screening process the organisation can now save some 40 man-hours a month which has been looking to make effective use of AI in its hiring processes as AI works well for high-volume hiring where there are significantly more applicants about 5,000 candidates applied for 400-500 jobs The objective behind deploying such technology was just to improve the application experience for job aspirants as well as the HR team Jobs Intelligence Maestro was initially deployed to screen applicants for high-volume hiring of wealth planners These planners are critical resources who manage the investment needs of the Bank’s growing retail base The AI-backed application at DBS has helped make the screening process more efficient and applicant-friendly while also freeing up recruiter’s valuable time to focus on the later stages of the hiring process as compared to the 30 minutes taken earlier The goals of the project were aligned with the team’s vision of using AI to help make smooth and scrutinised decisions in the recruitment process at DBS The artificial intelligence programme introduced in the year 2018 has sped up and improved the quality of initial screening for so-called wealth planners entry-level staff in its consumer-banking operation This pre-screening chatbot makes effective use of its cognitive and personality tests to assess candidates and answer their queries It has been helping create a better experience for job applicants and providing a faster and more streamlined process The applicants are mostly busy during the day and many of the Bank’s recruiters end up working long hours to connect with them at times convenient to the applicants such as JIM takes care of the pre-screening process and enables the recruiters to focus more on other work of higher value The once manual processes have all now been fully automated the chatbot can also answer any job-related questions from the candidate during the application process collect applicants’ responses for pre-screening questions and conduct psychometric profiling assessments a recruiter evaluates the scores and makes the final decision on whether or not the applicant should proceed to a face-to-face interview with the hiring manager this AI interface reduces recruiters’ workload Manual processes – such as posting screening questions conducting psychometric assessments – are now fully automated This frees up recruiters’ time so they can take on higher value work and enhance skillsets Data shows that 97 per cent of candidates’ questions can be answered by JIM About one-third of the candidates who are cleared through the JIM interface compared to only one-seventh that were hired under the previous manual system “Over the last six months of its deployment shortlisting 25 per cent of these for the next steps of the hiring process it has enabled recruiters to focus more time on interviewing applicants talent advisory or even upskilling themselves.” “We are committed to being an employer of choice for the brightest minds in the country and will continue to foster talent through our strong people proposition,” asserts Poduri All she wanted to do since her school days was pursue journalism She takes keen interest in digging into the unpublished aspects of people's life and profession Her writing experience has been quite diverse – entrepreneurship management and now she enjoys writing on HR She is a foodie by nature and pet lover at heart Please enter an answer in digits:one × four = once a high-flying beauty and content platform Just as IKEA’s furniture is thoughtfully designed for functionality a retail execution and visual merchandising company has appointed three senior leaders to key… Oracle and Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) will together provide skills development training… Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) is a prominent talking point in today's corporate landscape How have you championed D&I initiatives at DBS Bank India and what do you see as the most significant benefits of fostering diversity within an organisation DBS Bank India is committed to fostering a culture that champions Diversity empowering individuals to 'Live Fulfilled.' We cultivate a work environment where the distinctive strengths of each individual are celebrated for their diverse perspectives and people with various identities feel valued and supported in realising their full potential A key initiative in our DEI strategy is the establishment of a senior leadership-led gender-agnostic Diversity Council that is committed to increasing representation across genders and activating diverse talent communities for a continuous and resilient talent pipeline These objectives are enabled through the pillars of: Initiatives such as diversity slates for senior-level positions and a women-centric referral policy have helped to build a strong pipeline under the ‘Conscious Acquisition’ pillar Our current gender diversity at DBS Bank India stands at 30% and we aim to elevate this to 35% in the next three years with initiatives where we plan for diversity hires against diversity exits and focus on gender and generational diversity in campus hiring Our goal is already in view as we have achieved 48% diversity in our latest campus hire cohort Under ‘Customised Development’ we have curated learning & development programs including the 'My Persona Women Leadership Development Program,' which prepares early-career women for future leadership roles and 'Reimagine,' which supports seamless transitions for women re-entering the workforce after a career break There are also internal networking forums for women to learn from each other and gamified DEI challenges to enhance understanding of related principles as a part of ‘Continuous Engagement’ We also have associated with the Global Lean In Group and operate Lean-In circles as peer learning platforms for experience based knowledge sharing and up to 26 weeks of maternity leave for new mothers and up to 100% work-from-home support for employees with new-borns or newly adopted children up to six years of age Our focus on DEI is one of the highest-ranking parameters on our employee engagement survey consistently growing over the past few years DEI also stands out as one of the top-rated parameters on Glassdoor's employer review platform currently scoring 4.2 out of 5 on the rating scale Women's representation in the HR technology sector has been growing How do you see women contributing to growth in this sector and what strategies have you employed to encourage women's participation in HR tech at your organisation?   It is heartening to see the growing representation of women in the workforce Women can bring a distinct set of experiences and skills that are integral to fostering innovative solutions and improved decision-making This diversity is valuable because it broadens the range of ideas and problem-solving strategies within an organisation DBS Bank India has always been at the forefront of championing diversity and this philosophy extends beyond banking Our global technology hub DBS Tech India at Hyderabad has nearly 31% representation of women and also 46% diversity amongst new hires in the last year In our efforts to increase the representation of women in tech-focused roles There are specific hackathons that we deploy to hire women in tech roles in addition to continuous skill development programs that we offer to help them progress in their careers at DBS Could you discuss specific ways in which AI has improved productivity and enhanced employee satisfaction at DBS Bank India AI and ML have opened the door for a wide variety of applications in the HR domain and have the potential to provide a holistic yet customised employee experience DBS embodies the spirit of a career enabler by staying abreast of the evolving career aspirations of its diverse employee base and by providing them opportunities to grow with DBS A key step forward in this direction is iGrow – a personalized career champion that leverages the power of AI and ML to empower employees It evaluates the skills required for each job role based on the job description and offers relevant training courses The platform leverages a ‘Skill Graph’ to determine the employee’s skill adjacency and potential for an aspirational role It recommends a ‘Triple E’ approach – Education Experience based on the identified skills gaps Recognising that recruiters often invest a significant amount of time in gathering information and responding to emails before meeting shortlisted candidates This innovative tool has been able to reduce the average time spent on filtering through job applications from 40 minutes to 8 minutes as manual processes like posting screening questions conducting psychometric assessments and tests are fully automated JIM operates as a conversational agent and helps offer unified experience to job -seekers The company is also deploying a retention model that identifies top indicative resignation signals for each employee flagged out as a flight risk and subsequently triggers an email alert to Line Managers so that they can start targeted interventions to retain their best people a valued 24/7 virtual assistant for our employees OneBot analyses data to provide personalised experiences tailored to individual preferences and work styles It serves as an all-in-one solution for employee queries acting as a personal assistant to help navigate internal systems and processes Employee well-being is a critical focus in today's work environment What measures have you taken to prioritise employees' mental and what impact has this had on creating a healthier workforce Ensuring the well-being of our employees is a key priority and we have implemented a comprehensive well-being strategy encompassing mental One of the newer initiatives that we rolled out was the hyper-personalisation of benefits our employees have enjoyed the flexibility to determine their insurance and dependant coverage employees have access to a Flexible Wellness Wallet 'iFlex,' which allows them to tailor their benefits package to align with their life stage while safeguarding the health and wellness of themselves and their families we have introduced the 'iFit' program designed to promote both physical and mental well-being among employees 'Wellness Days' are organised regularly as part of this program Another key product - 'iOK,' enables employees to access professional counselling for themselves and their families along with local resources and coaching programs to address stress employees can utilise the services of 24 Response—a tech-enabled on-demand safety and assistance service provided at no cost The success of these initiatives is evident in our recent annual engagement survey where 88% of our employees expressed satisfaction with our well-being programs We view these efforts as an ongoing commitment rather than a one-time endeavor and our goal is to cultivate a work culture where health and well-being are ingrained into every aspect of our employees' experience Can you share examples of tools or platforms DBS Bank India has employed to improve employee engagement and collaboration DBS Bank India aims to create enriching experiences for its dedicated employees to empower them to live fulfilled In addition to a standard HR Management System (Workday) that gives us insights into making the right organisational changes and delivering personalised experiences we have leveraged technology and automation in many other ways We have recently launched HR Workbench that provides a unified interface for different HR operational personas to access important applications and tools This helps improve the productivity and reduces the work toil of the extended HR teams In line with our commitment to build a future-ready workforce we have a robust Learning Management System (LMS) – that has over 10,000 courses (classroom instructor-led as well as virtual) we have Beeline - an end-to-end lifecycle management tool for our contingent workforce seamlessly integrating the vendor on whose payroll the resource is hired a personalized Total Rewards statement that gives a comprehensive view of our Employee Value Proposition (EVP) The Total Rewards approach encompasses not just compensation A key element in this approach is our recognition platform – peer recognitions (iTQ and can be given irrespective of business/location The points accruing from these peer recognitions can be redeemed for vouchers and merchandise Team recognitions (WeTQ) can be made by respective business heads and senior leadership and are a great way to motivate project teams what has been the top development or challenge in the HR space in 2023 a key challenge in the HR space has been navigating the evolving landscape of employee well-being and mental health coupled with external factors impacting personal lives have underscored the importance of robust well-being initiatives The challenge lies in tailoring our programs to drive resiliency and address the diverse needs of our workforce ensuring that they feel supported and connected this is done through our comprehensive bouquet of EVP offerings as a part of our endeavour to be a forerunner in the employee benefits space by providing holistic employee experiences that go beyond traditional benefits to also address the mental and emotional health of our employees What are some of the industry-specific challenges or trends in HR that you foresee in 2024 Talent acquisition and retention remains a significant challenge specialised skills become increasingly crucial and attracting top talent demands innovative strategies This also calls for an optimum balance between creating an internal pipeline of homegrown candidates and the infusion of external talent that brings in fresh perspectives In the context of today’s workplaces that are melting pots of different specialised services we recognise have employee cohorts from all walks of life it is important to have an onboarding program that sets out company values as a thread of commonality explains organisational priorities and has a mechanism for regular feedback in addition to providing the right set of resources to effectively carry out one’s job duties Our strategy involves using a comprehensive talent management approach fostering an inclusive workplace and adapting policies to align with the changing dynamics of work and talent It is key to the success of a future-forward workplace that employees can engage with their organisation with a common purpose and also leverage the unique strengths of respective generations A public art commission is set to illuminate London’s Thames bridges on an unprecedented scale The River Thames has been an important trade and transport route for centuries playing a key role in London’s growth and development Now it is hoped that the next phase of a new art installation will transform the river at night casting a fresh light on the city’s rich heritage of architecture and infrastructure Illuminated River is being delivered by the Illuminated River Foundation with the support from the Mayor of London and funders including the Rothschild Foundation the Blavatnik Family Foundation and the Reuben Foundation Phase one of the project was completed in summer 2019 up to 14 of the bridges straddling the Thames will be illuminated by an LED installation Designed and programmed by New York-based artist Leo Villareal the project will be the longest public art commission in the world as it covers a 3.7km section of the Thames It is expected that it will be viewed 130M times each year of its decade long lifespan The overall project budget equates to an average cost of £3M for each bridge implementation and subsequent maintenance for the 10 years to 2029 working in partnership with architect Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands their relationship with one another and the communities they connect on either bank FM Conway was appointed to install the required cabling and LEDs for four bridges – London Bridge Southwark Bridge and the Millennium Bridge – as part of the first phase of works The contractor has since been appointed to deliver the second phase of works The contract for the remaining bridges – Tower Bridge Chelsea Bridge and Albert Bridge – has yet to be awarded the team was about three quarters of the way through work on phase two across five sites effectively,” explains FM Conway senior contract manager Adam Barnes “The four bridges in phase one were located slightly closer together but the locations for phase two are far more dispersed.” You think one bridge might be easier than another but actually they all have their own complexities Phase two started in July and includes installation of around 4,000 light fittings 15km of power and fibre optic cabling and cable trays with a two week interval between each start date “Blackfriars was one of the first to start so we’re due to finish in early December,” explains Barnes FM Conway has also been tasked with delivering structural design elements as part of a JCT contract “We’ve been given a CDP design pack [contractors design package] so we’re effectively doing the drawings and the design for the structural elements We’ve been given a concept and a RIBA stage four drawing and we’re bringing it all to life,” says Barnes He describes the team as “construction ninjas” installing the light fittings with such accuracy that they fit seamlessly with the aesthetics of each structure “The measure of a job well done is that you can’t notice it until it’s dusk and the lights go on,” he adds We’re gaining access to parts of these structures that haven’t been accessed for years While the lighting design is unique to each bridge the contractor’s approach on site is similarly tailored to the varying requirements of each structure “Each bridge is completely unique in its nature so you have to look at it in terms of the specific geographical position and the impact on its environment and surroundings,” explains Barnes FM Conway structures director Matt Smith describes the work on Blackfriars Bridge as exemplifying the complexity of the project The proximity to railway infrastructure has meant that any closures on Blackfriars’ road bridge also required the same span to be closed on the neighbouring railway bridge “It has required a lot of negotiation with Network Rail,” he says “It doesn’t matter which bridge you’re working on – you think one bridge might be easier than another but actually they all have their own complexities.”  With around 100 workers across the five pan-London sites each day accessibility has been a major issue on the project particularly when social distancing requirements are added to the mix Westminster and Lambeth bridges are located within government security zones The team has worked closely with key stakeholders along the Thames as well as introducing some innovative approaches to overcome access challenges “The project is a true example of collaborative working,” insists Smith “We have three subcontractors working with us to provide rope access and delivery of materials to the sites.” It is this work with stakeholders that helped phase one of the project win the Small Project of the Year category in this year’s British Construction Industry Awards The contractor has also trialled the use of e-cargo bikes on the project reducing the number of construction vehicles travelling into the city Each bike can carry up to 250kg and is fitted with an electric pedal assist motor and GPS tracking While the bikes are obviously no replacement for lorries they are a step in the right direction towards improving sustainability in construction Efforts to increasing efficiencies across the project have also made it necessary to have an open and frank dialogue with the supply chain and key stakeholders which allows you to have productive conversations,” says Smith FM Conway’s long-standing relationships with many of the bridge owners and engineers as well as other contractors on the river like Tideway has allowed the team to resolve issues quickly while working within tight time frames They know we’ve got the best interests of the structures at heart,” explains Smith It really is about making sure those structures are treated correctly.” The contractor has also gained unique insight of the structures’ condition over the course of the project allowing the team to feed back to the bridge owners about necessary maintenance and repair works “We’re gaining access to parts of these structures that haven’t been accessed for years,” Smith adds “It’s an opportunity for us to tell the owners what we’ve identified We’re able to take our Illuminated River hat off and put our bridge maintenance hat on.” When the contractor is finished on site and has completed handover to the client the next stage of phase two will begin in early 2021 This will involve aiming and focusing the lights with Villareal due on site in March to finalise the work While the contract for the third and final phase of the project has yet to be awarded the team is primed to embrace the lessons learned and embed them on future schemes “The biggest thing for me is making sure we continue this level of planning from start to finish on future projects,” says Barnes I’ve seen how important it is to really explain yourself and give people the facts and information they need Everything is a lot easier if everyone can provide clarity and talk openly and freely across a project.” While the scheme for each bridge is different lighting firm Signify’s Reach LEDs have generally been used to illuminate the underside of the bridge soffits fixed to existing stonework piers and abutment walls or on brackets above the piers and abutments But Villareal’s design is tailored to the structure and form of each of the bridges with different fittings selected to create specific lighting effects Signify’s Linear Graze LEDs will be used for Lambeth Bridge to create a linear blade of light along the façade of the structure Adjacent Westminster Bridge will be accented with String Node LEDs which are used in small areas to highlight detailed sections of the structure “They [the Node LEDs] are also used in really tight clusters on the Golden Jubilee Bridge where they’re packed into existing spaces on the parapet sections of the bridge,” explains Barnes It’s similar to the linear grey – it’s a long fitting that will be installed along the façade of Waterloo Bridge Like what you've read? To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. Tagged with: A transatlantic research network is finding ways to repurpose decommissioned wind turbine… People travelling in vehicles with their smartphones could provide bridge owners with… A challenging location has driven out of the box thinking for the… Collaboration and supply chain focus have enabled the delivery of a bridge… In a bid to promote inclusivity in the workplace DBS Bank India has unveiled a new initiative The programme is tailored for women transitioning back into professional life Recognising the challenges faced by individuals re-entering the corporate world after a career hiatus the bank has introduced a specialised six-month internship programme It aims to assist selected returnees with projects and mentorship from experienced industry leaders facilitating a smoother transition back to work The programme offers hands-on experience within an environment recognised as one of the ‘100 Best Companies for Women in India’ for eight consecutive years the move underscores DBS’ ongoing commitment to fostering diversity and supporting employees across various life stages as part of its responsible business practices managing director and country head – HR emphasised the importance of nurturing a diverse talent pool and providing comprehensive support to employees He highlighted the positive impact of DBS’ previous initiatives citing a notable 13 per cent increase in the engagement score for women in 2023 compared to the previous year “These are signs that our efforts are paying off as we continue to focus on creating an environment where all employees are supported to thrive professionally and live fulfilled,” he added DBS’ commitment to employee well-being extends beyond gender inclusivity The bank recently enhanced its paternity and adoption leave for new fathers from two weeks to four aiming to promote gender parity and encourage shared parental responsibilities the organisation strives to be a forerunner in the employee benefits space by taking a hyper-personalised approach to cater to the evolving needs of a diverse workforce Please enter an answer in digits:twenty − nineteen = was awarded the Rotary Moorabool Shire Spirit Award MOORABOOL’S top budding creatives have been honoured at a special awards ceremony The Moorabool Youth Art Awards showcased young talent from across the shire on Thursday 20 June at the Bacchus Marsh Public Hall took home the Rotary Moorabool Shire Spirit Award Awards were presented by Moorabool Shire Mayor Cr Ally Munari who lauded the talents of the region’s emerging creatives “It was a fantastic evening celebrating the wonderful artwork our young people created,” she said Winners were chosen by a panel of expert judges with creative entries spanning a variety of mediums “It was great to see such a variety of work “We have some talented young artists in our shire and I congratulate everyone who submitted their work.” were honoured with the Perspectives of Young People Award celebrating artwork that captured the “diverse perspectives” of the region’s youth with their work exhibited at the Lerderderg Library and the Bacchus Marsh Public Hall throughout June Moorabool Shire youth coordinator Miff Jennings said the council wanted to provide pathways for young people to nurture their talent “What’s exciting is that we know art and having opportunities to create and demonstrate their art in public places gives young people an opportunity to share their perspective,” she said “Often that opportunity can be lost a little bit with media narratives around young people and that sort of thing “Getting to see a local perspective through art is pretty powerful and making sure we’re providing recognition of young artists.” The main goal of the construction of the new Danube Bridge is to ease the traffic in the city centre and to promote the development of the southern parts of Budapest jointly designed by the Dutch UNStudio and BuroHappold Engineering and the connecting boulevard will integrate the radial highways and motorway entry sections to the capital the project reached an important stage: with the public procurement announcement the planning of the tram lane passing through the bridge has started the new bridge will enable a 30% reduction in traffic on the Chain Bridge and a 10% reduction on traffic on the Petőfi Bridge the number of vehicles going through the city centre will be reduced by 55,000 each day The investment will be implemented in one of the most exciting areas of ​​Budapest in terms of urban development The areas of South Buda and South Pest have developed significantly in recent decades and the new bridge will help to exploit the potential of North Csepel the tram line will be built between Fehérvári Street and Gubacsi Street and it will be the first public transport with a fixed-track line to connect the southern districts shared the following video presenting the 3D rendering of the new Danube Bridge on his Youtube channel The Galvani Bridge will have 2×2 road lanes and bicycle lanes and barrier-free sidewalks on either side Featured image: video still from Budapest új hídja and website in this browser for the next time I comment Y"},"category":false,"taxonomy":{"active":false,"name":"category"}},"markup":{"custom_html":true,"wpp-start":"","wpp-end":"<\/ul>","title-start":"","title-end":"<\/h2>","post-html":"{thumb} {title} {stats}<\/span>{excerpt}<\/p><\/li>"},"theme":{"name":""}} You have successfully joined our subscriber list SupportUs Newsletter © 2025 DailyNewsHungary | All rights reserved