West Virginia Science & Technology Policy Initiative

05/06/2026

Cases of Alpha-Gal Syndrome have rapidly increased across the US in the last decade. This allergy to a sugar commonly found in mammals is spread by the Lone Star tick, which is found in the majority of West Virginia's counties. Affected individuals can have reactions to red meat, dairy products, gelatin, cooking fats, toothpaste, shampoo, and a number of medications. In this S&T Note, Dr. Madison Flory covers Alpha-Gal Syndrome and potential policy options regarding case reporting, medical education, and labeling requirements.

Alpha-Gal Syndrome in West Virginia Alpha-gal syndrome is a life-altering allergy to a sugar found in mammals. It is caused by tick bites, and is a growing issue in West Virginia and the wider region, as cases are increasing and the area that ticks can live is expanding. This Science & Technology No...

03/02/2026

Come work with us! Our application is open NOW through April 30, 2026 for the fellowship year beginning on August 1, 2026. More information and the submission form can be found at https://www.wvstep.org/fellowship

02/20/2026

West Virginia has among the highest rate of colorectal cancer diagnoses and deaths in the country due to a number of factors, including diet, lifestyle, and limited access to screening and other healthcare. This S&T Note from Dr. Madison Flory discusses rates of colorectal cancer in West Virginia, screening protocols, and details successful screening programs in other states.

Colorectal Cancer in West Virginia This Science & Technology Note provides statistics surrounding colorectal cancer in West Virginia, gives information on colorectal cancer screenings, and highlights previously successful state efforts to increase the colorectal cancer screening rate. Download PDF U...

02/19/2026

West Virginia has the highest rate of vaccination of kindergarteners in the country, with less that 0.1% going unvaccinated. This rate can be attributed to our lack of non-medical exemptions to vaccine requirements. The state approach to exemptions has been widely discussed recently following conflicting executive orders, agency policy, legislative movement, and pending court decisions. This S&T Note discusses vaccines and proposed legislation in West Virginia.

West Virginia K-12 Vaccine Requirements Vaccines are tools used to help our bodies learn how to fight diseases, and studies suggest they have helped to prevent over a million deaths nationwide. Recent legislation seeks to provide increased accessibility to exemptions from school vaccine mandates. Th...

02/10/2026

Confidence in elections has fallen in recent years, with nearly 20% of people expressing that they are not at all confident results will be accurately counted. In our latest S&T Note, we cover post election audits: how do they work, how does West Virginia conduct them, and how do our neighbors handle the process?

Post Election Audits in West Virginia Post election tabulation audits ensure that the equipment and procedures used during an election worked correctly and yielded an accurate outcome. Almost all states have a statutory requirement to conduct a post election audit, though the form and extent varies....

02/05/2026

Hot off the press: our February Newsletter is out now! Check it out and subscribe here:

We're nearly halfway through our first legislative session, and it has been BUSY!

02/01/2026

01/31/2026

Today we published an addendum to our advanced recycling S&T Note. While traditional mechanical recycling breaks plastics down into chunks like a paper shredder, advanced recycling uses chemicals, heat, and pressure to break plastics down to their molecular components. These molecular components are indistinguishable from non-recycled materials, so systems like mass balance attribution allow for effective tracking and allocation in final products. The House Energy and Public Works Committee will be discussing HB 4011 related to mass balance attribution certification next week!

Learn about advanced recycling technologies and policies in West Virginia, including environmental impacts, economic factors, and recent facility developments near Belle.

01/31/2026

Welcome to the WV STeP page! We'll share all of our new S&T Notes, newsletters, and events here. Feel free to like, comment, and share to help raise awareness, and as always, all of our work is publicly available at wvstep.org!

Providing unbiased science and technology policy research to West Virginia legislators for informed decision-making.