Nearly 2 billion individuals, accounting for almost a quarter of the global population, do not have regular access to clean drinking water. Each year, around 800,000 people die due to diseases linked to contaminated water. Access to drinking water is crucial for both human well-being and economic progress. In 2015, the U.N. emphasized this issue…
Raymond J. Lohier Jr., a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, has been appointed as the president of the Harvard University Board of Overseers for the 2026-2027 academic year. Sheryl WuDunn, an author and consultant with a Pulitzer Prize to her name, will serve as the vice chair of…
Technology influences employment by both replacing and creating jobs. While machines may take over roles like farming, they also pave the way for new professions such as aeronautical engineering. A study led by MIT’s David Autor investigates who benefits from these new jobs. It reveals that in the U.S. postwar era, young college graduates, especially…
Sven Dorkenwald and Whitney Henry, researchers at MIT, have been recognized as 2026 Searle Scholars. This prestigious award is granted each year to 15 standout early-career researchers in biomedical sciences and chemistry. Dorkenwald holds the position of assistant professor in brain and cognitive sciences and is also an investigator at the McGovern Institute for Brain…
Blake Lusty, a Harvard Business School graduate, has overcome significant challenges to pursue his Navy aspirations. Diagnosed with late-stage cancer at 20, Lusty remained determined to serve his country, a dream rooted in his upbringing in St. Petersburg, Florida, by a hardworking mother who encouraged him to make a difference. As a teenager, Lusty volunteered…
Harvard Athletics’ Lael Ayala has ingeniously combined her love for softball and engineering in her senior thesis project. The mechanical engineering student and outfielder developed an autonomous robot designed to locate and collect softballs in the outfield during practice drills. Professor Seymur Hasanov, who advised Ayala on the project, noted her strong motivation to solve…
Institutions of higher education are rapidly incorporating artificial intelligence into their programs. A study of 65 R1 universities revealed that 63% are actively promoting the use of generative AI, with many offering detailed guidance for its integration into teaching (McDonald et al., 2025). The expectation is that AI will enhance student thinking, customize learning, and…
Many individuals have their own perception of what distance learning entails, typically viewing it as an educational method that involves technology and a separation between instructor and student. This separation introduces unique challenges that aren’t usually present in traditional classroom settings. According to Adair and Diaz (2014, 12), “Because learner support provides a foundation for…
Stress can significantly impact gut health by tightening the stomach and slowing digestion, especially for individuals with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C). While some people quickly recover, others do not. A new study from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has identified how stress hormones disrupt gut function through a specific nerve network, suggesting potential…
As part of the Commencement 2026 series celebrating Harvard’s 375th Commencement, Ph.D. candidate Isaac Witte reflects on the “incremental advances” that led to the CRISPR breakthrough. His journey began with a fascination for DNA replication during high school in Overland Park, Kansas, captivated by the complex orchestration of proteins essential for life. Witte’s interest was…
