Pope Leo XIV presents scientific honor to astrochemist Karin Öberg
The astrochemist traveled to Vatican City to accept the award in a September 24 ceremony.
People & Perspectives
Faculty, students, researchers, staff, and alumni who comprise the FAS community
Finding their way in ‘Masquerade’
This past summer, three Harvard students helped transport Manhattan audiences to Parisian rooftops, opera house dressing rooms, and a subterranean labyrinth in “Masquerade,” an immersive adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera.”
In ‘Remake,’ Ross McElwee navigates the loss of his son
Ross McElwee has often set out to make a film about one thing, only for it to become about something else entirely.
Starving the cancer, sparing the brain
In the Kanarek Laboratory at Boston Children’s Hospital, Alan Wong, who will receive his PhD in biological and biomedical sciences this May from the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, focuses on developing new approaches to treat pediatric leukemia while reducing harm to the brain.
One mentor, one student, big impact: Harvard’s century of biochemistry tutorials
Tutorial’s enduring impact marks a century of training future scientists and physicians
Six faculty named 2026 Guggenheim Fellows
A total of six Harvard faculty were awarded Guggenheim Fellowships this week, drawing financial support for research related to everything from political theory to works of historical fiction.
New faculty director gives Zooarchaeology Lab a refresh
Shayla Monroe, assistant professor of archaeology, renovated the space with an eye to honoring its storied collection.
Mattea Conforti ’28 stars in ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ sequel on Hulu
The Pforzheimer House resident filmed through the spring and summer for the “The Testaments,” a new Margaret Atwood adaptation.
Ludwig Straub awarded 2026 Clark Medal
The 38-year-old economics professor was specifically recognized for macroeconomic modeling that predicts behavior according to income.
Senior thesis creates healthcare feedback system
Communication has always been the thread tying the story of Lani Tran ’26 together. For her senior thesis in biomedical engineering, Tran turned that concept into action by designing a collaborative feedback system that helps healthcare providers improve patient care. Originally from the small town of Alhambra, Calif., Tran arrived at Harvard with an inkling that she wanted to pursue science.
At Rowland Institute, photosynthesis inspires quest for greener future
Viktoriia Morad, a new fellow in physics and material science, wants to build upon the lab-grown semiconductors she uses to harvest light.
Nationalism, socialism, and migration
Natalie Behrends received an unusual present for her 10th birthday: a biography of Mary Harris “Mother” Jones, the turn-of-the-century American labor activist.
Tara Menon’s debut novel explores a new dimension of grief literature
As Hurricane Sandy approached New York City in 2012, Tara Menon remembers being surprised by the unconcerned attitude of many of her fellow New Yorkers.
A scholarly ode to federal data
The U.S. government publishes hundreds of thousands of datasets every year. For decades, social scientists eagerly mined them, crunching the numbers to glean insights on everything from wage inequality, health outcomes, and long-term trends in standardized test scores.