AGP Executive Report

STEM Education: ODOT is offering Oklahoma K–12 teachers free workshops and hands-on lessons that bring transportation engineering into classrooms. Data Centers: Tulsa County officials are seeking outside technical help to assess data-center plans, as residents and gubernatorial candidates raise questions about power costs, cooling and accountability. AI in Schools: Oklahoma districts are setting guardrails for classroom AI as educators weigh how to use the technology. Oklahoma Science: UT Austin researchers say the meteorite impact that formed a crater in Oklahoma happened about 100 million years later than previously thought. Aerospace and Drones: Oklahoma’s aerospace and defense sector is drawing attention for its economic impact, while an Osage-owned range hosted an international drone competition and astronaut Victor Glover highlighted the state’s contributions to NASA’s Artemis II mission. Medical Research: Oklahoma lawmakers are studying the creation of an Alzheimer’s disease research center, a proposal that could expand research and support for families.

Data Center Oversight: Tulsa County Commissioner Stan Sallee wants independent technical experts to help communities assess developers’ claims about power, water and neighborhood impacts. Oklahoma gubernatorial candidates also disagree over a pause on new projects and taxpayer support. STEM Classrooms: ODOT is offering free hands-on transportation STEM workshops and classroom resources to K–12 teachers for the 2026–27 school year. Oklahoma Science: UT Austin researchers used zircon crystals to date the Ames meteor impact to about 370 million years ago—nearly 100 million years later than previously thought—and link it to a marine extinction period. Alzheimer’s Research: State lawmakers explored creating an Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in Oklahoma, where about 71,000 people age 65 and older are living with the disease. Digital Privacy: A federal judge ruled that a Tulsa County deputy’s warrantless search of weeks of Flock license-plate data violated the Fourth Amendment, spotlighting the privacy risks of surveillance technology.

Classroom STEM: ODOT is offering Oklahoma teachers free workshops and hands-on transportation lessons for the 2026–27 school year. AI & Energy: Oklahoma’s governor candidates differ on data-center development as residents raise questions about power and cooling costs; utilities are also weighing whether to curtail data centers during peak demand. Oklahoma’s Deep Past: UT Austin researchers date the Ames meteor impact to about 370 million years ago, not 467 million, placing it near a major marine extinction event. AI in Schools: Oklahoma districts are setting classroom rules for AI, with some allowing it for brainstorming and writing support while guarding against students outsourcing their work. Alzheimer’s Research: Lawmakers are studying what it would take to establish a federally designated research center in Oklahoma, where about 71,000 people age 65 and older live with the disease.

AgTech: Oklahoma State researchers are helping test satellite-based irrigation guidance with High Plains farmers, aiming to make every drop count as water supplies tighten. Data Centers: Oklahoma residents are seeking answers about data centers’ electricity costs, cooling needs and accountability. Space & Research: NASA astronaut Victor Glover highlighted Oklahoma’s contributions to Artemis II; OU and OSU are also among 15 universities joining a regional consortium to expand shared computing for scientific research. Environmental Oversight: State regulators want more support for emissions and ozone estimates in the revised permit application for a proposed Inola aluminum smelter. STEM Careers: CareerTech and the Oklahoma Hospital Association will host a free virtual healthcare career expo Oct. 23, connecting students with professionals and training pathways.

Space & Aerospace: Artemis II pilot Victor Glover spotlighted Oklahoma’s role in the lunar mission: Stillwater’s Frontier Electronic Systems built the spacecraft’s hand controller. He urged Oklahomans to pursue aerospace careers, an industry with a reported $52.5 billion annual impact in the state. Wildlife Science: OSU researchers warn that migratory birds, including Oklahoma’s scissor-tailed flycatcher, are declining. Window treatments cut bird collisions by 70%, researchers say. Courtroom Technology: Oklahoma lawmakers are weighing a three-year pilot to record proceedings in 12 courtrooms, easing pressure from court-reporter shortages. Certified reporters would still verify official transcripts. Geology: New zircon dating suggests Oklahoma’s Ames crater formed about 370 million years ago—not 470 million—revising its possible link to a major extinction event. Climate: September 2026 was Oklahoma’s hottest September on record.

STEM Education: East Central University opened its 64,000-square-foot Dan Hays STEM Center, bringing math and computer science together with an expanded nursing school. Aerospace and Defense: Oklahoma’s industry generates an estimated $52.5 billion in annual economic impact and supports 250,000 jobs, according to a new study; its impact has grown by $9 billion since 2017. Research: The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation is accepting applications for 2027 summer research internships, offering students a path into biomedical science. Technology and Privacy: An Oklahoma federal judge ruled that a deputy’s warrantless search of Flock license-plate camera data violated the Fourth Amendment, raising questions about police use of surveillance tools. Oklahoma Science: New zircon dating suggests the Ames crater formed about 370 million years ago—roughly 100 million years later than earlier estimates.

Aerospace Growth: Tulsa’s aerospace and defense sector generates more than $11 billion a year and supports nearly 43,000 regional jobs, as leaders eye growth in commercial space and advanced aviation. Research Pathways: OMRF is accepting applications for paid, eight-week summer biomedical internships, with free housing available to some students. Nuclear and Data Centers: At the Tar Creek Conference, Oklahoma environmental advocates raised concerns about nuclear waste, large data centers and limited public information as the state pursues a nuclear development campus. Drone Safety: Oklahoma City-based Vigilant Aerospace won a Fast Company technology award for software that helps drones detect and avoid aircraft. Wildlife Design: OU students earned an award for building WildCare Oklahoma a recovery space with separate areas for bats and chimney swifts. Impact Crater: New reporting on an Oklahoma meteor crater points to a revised estimate of when the impact occurred.

AI in Schools: Oklahoma districts are setting classroom guardrails as students and teachers adapt to new technology. Aerospace: State leaders say Oklahoma’s aerospace industry has grown by $9 billion since 2017, highlighting the sector’s rising economic impact. Surveillance Tech: A federal judge ruled a Tulsa County deputy’s warrantless search of Flock license-plate data unconstitutional and threw out evidence in a drug case. Data Centers: The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes voted to halt data center construction for three years, as Oklahoma City projects invest in off-grid power. Oklahoma Science: New zircon dating suggests the Ames impact crater may be about 370 million years old, revising its estimated age; September also set a record as Oklahoma’s hottest on record.

AI & Education in Oklahoma: Deer Creek Public Schools hosted a “Screenagers: AI” event and panel to help families use AI responsibly, with mental health experts urging guardrails. Local AI Policy: Oklahoma schools are “building the airplane while it’s flying,” setting limits on how students can use AI for brainstorming and writing without letting it replace learning. STEM Pipeline: Science Museum Oklahoma’s Innovation Week drew 1,300 seventh graders for hands-on robotics, electricity, and virtual reality demos aimed at STEM careers. Aerospace Growth: Oklahoma’s aerospace and defense industry hit $52.5B in annual economic impact and supports 250,000+ jobs, with leaders citing drones, MRO, and military demand. Drones & Safety Research: The FAA awarded $12M to 19 companies to advance drone integration tech, including avoidance, satellite links, and counter-drone sensing. Privacy Fight: A federal judge ruled a Tulsa deputy’s Flock license-plate search was unconstitutional “mass surveillance,” raising pressure on automated plate tracking. Energy & Data Centers: Oklahoma City’s data center campus is pursuing off-grid power, while tribes like the Cheyenne and Arapaho approved a 3-year data center ban on tribal lands. Workforce & Trades: More Oklahoma women are entering skilled trades programs, with hands-on training in automotive, welding, HVAC, and electrical work. Food Safety: FDA recalled Nature’s Own Hawaiian Bread in multiple states, including Oklahoma, over undeclared milk. Policy & Health Costs: New research links post-Dobbs abortion bans to higher out-of-pocket premium costs for women, with larger impacts for Black and Hispanic women.

FAA Drone Funding: The FAA awarded $12 million to 19 companies for drone research and testing to help safely expand drone operations in the national airspace. AI Infrastructure Watch: Hitachi Vantara says the AI buildout is “rhyming” with the 1990s fiber boom—capacity is growing, but enterprise demand and trust in outputs still lag. Privacy in Oklahoma: A federal judge ruled Oklahoma police use of Flock license-plate readers for 30 days of location tracking was “indiscriminate mass surveillance,” violating the Fourth Amendment. Opioid Prevention Grants: Oklahoma’s Opioid Abatement Board opened a new grant round for schools and tech/higher-ed programs, funding prevention and naloxone efforts. Workforce & Disability: Oklahoma’s Department of Rehabilitation Services says its programs helped more than 1,100 Oklahomans with disabilities find work last year as October’s Disability Employment Awareness Month kicks off. Local STEM/Health: OU honored two medicine residents with the Lloyd Rader Award for clinical and research excellence. Education & Trades: Oklahoma Technical College highlights more women entering skilled trades programs, with hands-on training aimed at filling workforce needs. Food Safety: Flowers Foods recalled Nature’s Own Hawaiian Bread in multiple states, including Oklahoma, due to undeclared milk.

Semiconductor R&D in the Midwest: EMD Electronics (Merck KGaA) opened a new 38,000-square-foot research center in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, to develop materials for next-gen chip manufacturing, part of a $200M investment that also includes work in California and Oklahoma. AI + education pipeline: Oklahoma schools are setting guardrails for AI in classrooms, while NSU’s online Master of Education in Science Education earned a No. 8 national ranking. Privacy vs. tech policing: A federal judge ruled Oklahoma deputy use of automated license plate readers without a warrant violated the Fourth Amendment, calling it “indiscriminate mass surveillance.” Local STEM career pathways: Tulsa Public Schools expanded its partnership with Tulsa Tech to turn Central High into Oklahoma’s first polytechnic high school, adding health, automotive, tech, and infrastructure tracks. Space science tie-in: Researchers say an ancient crater under Ames, Oklahoma, is nearly 100 million years younger than thought and may connect to a major mass extinction event. Food safety: Nature’s Own Hawaiian Bread was recalled in multiple states, including Oklahoma, due to undeclared milk.

AI in Oklahoma classrooms: Oklahoma districts are setting guardrails for student use of AI, with leaders warning that tools can enable cheating and pushing schools to rethink assignments since AI-detection software is unreliable. Education research pipeline: Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation is accepting applications for 2027 summer biomedical research internships, including a Fleming Scholar track for Oklahoma high school seniors and early college students. Space & STEM outreach: Oklahoma Space Week brings NASA astronaut John B. Herrington and NASA engineer Naia Butler-Craig to northeast Oklahoma schools and a free community night at Discovery Lab. Local tech + privacy: A federal judge ruled a warrantless Flock license-plate reader search violated the Fourth Amendment, throwing out drug evidence and raising broader surveillance concerns. Oklahoma science discovery: New zircon dating suggests the Ames impact structure may be ~370 million years old, potentially near a major extinction boundary. Health & policy: OMRF internships and a national STREETS program are expanding research and addiction-care access, including a Cherokee Nation site. Weather & resilience: Oklahoma’s Mesonet reports September as the hottest on record, while the state is preparing fortified-roof grants for storm season.

Privacy & Courts: A federal judge in Oklahoma tossed a drug case after ruling a Tulsa deputy’s warrantless search of Flock Safety license-plate location history violated the Fourth Amendment, calling it “indiscriminate mass surveillance.” Space Education: Oklahoma Space Week is bringing aerospace professionals to students across 12 districts, with NASA astronaut John B. Herrington and NASA engineer Naia Butler-Craig among the featured speakers and field trips. Semiconductors & AI Memory: Micron says the memory boom still has legs, citing long-term customer agreements and AI-driven demand as it positions for multi-year growth. Tech Policy & Surveillance Backlash: The Flock ruling adds momentum to broader calls to rein in automated tracking tools, with courts scrutinizing how long location data can be collected and used. Health Tech: Elevate Holistics launched a telehealth platform for at-home, low-dose ketamine care, pairing virtual evaluations with monitoring and pharmacy fulfillment. Geology Update: New UT research dates Oklahoma’s Ames meteor impact structure to ~370 million years ago—nearly 100 million years later than previously thought.

Fourth Amendment Fight: A federal judge in Oklahoma ruled a Tulsa deputy’s warrantless Flock Safety license-plate reader search was “indiscriminate mass surveillance,” suppressing evidence in a meth case and calling the practice unconstitutional. Tribal Governance: Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal citizens voted for a three-year moratorium on data center construction on tribal lands, citing water, environmental, economic, and transparency concerns. Space & Science: UT Austin researchers dated Oklahoma’s Ames meteor impact structure to about 370 million years ago—nearly 100 million years later than previously thought—potentially tying it to a major mass extinction era. Ag Tech in Oklahoma: NASA Acres brought space-enabled agriculture tech to a milo field near Alva, connecting researchers and farmers through hands-on demonstrations. Public Health Recall: PepsiCo recalled multiple Gatorade flavors sold in 37 states after FDA flagged undeclared Yellow No. 5 and/or Yellow No. 6. Tech Policy & Power: Trump defended Ohio’s AI data center expansion, warning that blocking projects could push them to China.

Pediatric Health Access: A new national Medicaid study finds kids’ sleep apnea testing varies up to fourfold by location, with neighborhood racial makeup tied to whether children get the gold-standard overnight test. Surveillance & Privacy: A federal judge ruled a Tulsa deputy’s warrantless search using Flock automated license-plate cameras violated the Fourth Amendment, suppressing drug evidence and calling the system “indiscriminate mass surveillance.” Oklahoma Space Science: Zircon dating suggests an Oklahoma meteor crater formed nearly 100 million years later than previously thought, potentially aligning with a major ocean die-off. Autonomous Tech in OK: University of Oklahoma researchers showed autonomous vehicles research to federal partners, aiming at logistics support for rural and tribal areas. Water & Mental Health in OK: East Central University highlighted water-focused work in Ada and a ranked clinical mental health counseling degree program. Local STEM/Policy Watch: Oklahoma’s marijuana industry is leaving behind abandoned grow sites, raising concerns about environmental cleanup and groundwater risk.

Autonomous Vehicles Research: U.S. DOT’s Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology visited the University of Oklahoma to review its autonomous vehicle work on freight logistics for rural and tribal areas along I-40. Environmental Cleanup & Public Health: Oklahoma is grappling with the environmental costs of its marijuana boom, including thousands of abandoned grow sites that can leave behind trash, chemicals, and equipment that may leak into soil and groundwater. Cybersecurity for Oklahomans: Oklahoma is rolling out Cybersecurity Awareness Month resources, including a 31-day checklist from the state’s information sharing and analysis center focused on safer passwords, multifactor authentication, and scam-spotting—now with AI in mind. Surveillance Tech Under Fire: A federal judge in Oklahoma ruled a police officer’s warrantless search using Flock automated license plate readers violated Fourth Amendment rights, calling the network “indiscriminate mass surveillance.” STEM Education & Workforce: Oklahoma City’s John Rex Polytechnic High School charter (opening fall 2027) will offer engineering, entrepreneurship, and biomedical tracks, aiming to boost hands-on STEM pathways as district enrollment declines. Healthcare Access: A new internal medicine physician joined St. Bernards Clopton Clinic in Jonesboro, expanding primary care options.