The covid-19 pandemic suddenly directed awareness to potential health impacts of the built environment of everyday living – schools, dwellings, offices, public buildings, and other spaces. This issue explores the “microbiome” of the built environment in the postpandemic reality in terms of ventilation performance, filtration, understanding and quantification of transmission risk, protection of “benign” microbes, and the important role of equity, among others.

• A Word from the NAE Chair: Engineering Leadership
• Editor's Note: Thoughts on the Future of the Building Microbiome
• Issue Editors' Note: Microbial Challenges in the Built Environment

The articles in this issue describe the latest technologies for detection of breast and other cancers, approaches to reduce the incidence of premature births, and remote monitoring for pregnancy, a development of particular interest as the pandemic discouraged many people from going to a doctor’s office or hospital.

• Editor's Note A Bridge to Public Engagement
• A Word from the NAE Chair: Implementing the NAE Strategic Plan
• Guest Editor's Note Enhancing Engineering Approaches to Understand and Treat Women's Health

Close collaboration between engineering and science has enabled marvels of space exploration over decades. Eight exemplary missions are described in this issue, conveying the excitement, challenges, and breakthroughs involved in efforts to better understand the wonders and mysteries of this solar system.

• A Word from the NAE Chair: Science and Engineering
• Guest Editor's Note Synergies in Engineering and Science for Space Exploration
• Perspective: Space Science-Past to Future