Research
AAAS Curriculum Incorporates Research Through Social Engagement Initiative
In a recent assignment for her sophomore tutorial, African and African American Studies concentrator Yasmin Rawlins ’15 trekked to Merengue, a Dominican restaurant in Roxbury, to interview the owners.
Report Outlines HMS Researcher Misconduct
An internal investigation by Harvard Medical School into scientific misconduct by one of its former stem cell researchers used information from the researcher’s colleagues and computer hard drive searches to confirm a breach of academic integrity, according to the investigation’s official report.
Duck Penises, Perfect Chins, and Cornell's Inferiority Complex
The quick and dirty about what's been going on around the Ancient Eight (and other schools too). While Harvard traverses the murky and scandalous waters of cheating and lying, Yale's biggest scandal of late concerns duck penises. Apparently people aren't too happy that the National Science Foundation has dropped a cool $384,949 so that Yale scientists can investigate "Sexual Conflict, Social Behaviour and the Evolution of Waterfowl Genitalia". What exactly are they going to do with all that money, you may be asking? Hopefully answer that pressing question of just how much duck penises shorten or lengthen depending on the time of year, the age of the duck, and its "social environment" (we'll leave it up to you to figure out what that means). Fascinating.
Study Finds Testing Helps Students Retain Information Taught Online
A new study conducted by psychology researchers at Harvard suggests that early and frequent testing improves students’ retention of educational material taught through a virtual platform.
Arctic Evolution
Prof. Francis A. McDonald discussed his research in understanding the geological evolution of the Arctic at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
Researchers Examine Effect of Timing on Mutations
Timing may play a more important role in the survival of evolutionarily beneficial mutations in bacteria than previously thought, a discovery which might have implications on cancer research, according to a study by Harvard researchers released last month.
14 Undergraduates Chosen for Ethics Fellowship Program
Fourteen Harvard College students have been selected as the first group of Edmond J. Safra Undergraduate Fellows. The fellowship seeks to provide a community of undergraduates and faculty members who are interested in conducing interdisciplinary research with an “ethical dimension.”
Wyss Puts Cells on Chips
Thanks to a new partnership between the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard and Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation, scientists will soon be able to simulate human organs outside of the body using live cells—a technique that could revolutionize drug testing.
Exposure to Stimuli May Slow Alzheimer's Disease
Prolonged exposure to a stimulating environment may help in delaying one of the factors associated with the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Government Professors Caution Against Political Science Spending Cuts
A Congressional budgetary amendment severely limiting National Science Foundation funding for political science research poses a significant threat to that field’s most promising academic work, Harvard government professors warned Monday.
Life Sciences Cluster Releases Student Handbook for Undergraduate Research
The opportunities for research available to students of the life sciences at Harvard make the first hurdle to involvement not “if” but “how” to begin.
Research Program in Arts and Humanities To Launch This Summer
The new Harvard College Summer Humanities and Arts Research Program, or SHARP, will launch this summer with the goal of filling a gap in research opportunities for students of the arts and humanities.
Potential Anti-Aging Drug Promises Longer Life Spans
A drug capable of elongating life spans to over 100 years might not be as unrealistic as it sounds, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard Medical School.
Harvard Partnership Fights HIV/AIDS in Botswana
HIV/AIDS remains a dramatic problem in Botswana. But, thanks in part to the Harvard’s collaboration with the government, conditions on the ground have improved in the past decade as the Botswana-Harvard Partnership employs methods that combine vaccination, prevention efforts, and treatment.
Study: Extraterrestrial Life May Be Detectable Near White Dwarfs
If extraterrestrial life exists near dying stars, there may be a way to detect it within the next decade, according to a new theoretical study co-authored by Harvard astronomy professor Abraham “Avi” Loeb.
HMS Researchers Find Genetic Links to Psychiatric Disorders
In a finding that that could improve the effectiveness of treatments, Harvard Medical School researchers have found that certain genes are associated with five psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and autism.
Study: Wind Farm Generative Capacity May Be Limited
Wind power and wind farms may not be capable of producing as much energy as previously believed, according to a paper co-authored by Harvard scientist David W. Keith.
As Washington Passes Sequestration, Harvard Braces for Impact
Following months of budget battles on Capitol Hill, President Barack Obama signed off on legislation Friday night to automatically reduce government spending, unleashing an unprecedented wave of cuts to funding sources that have long supported Harvard’s researchers and scientists.
As DPLA Launch Date Approaches, Faculty Calls for Open Access
As the Digital Public Library of America—a new online repository for text and media sources—prepares to launch next month, faculty and administrators at the University said they hope its creation will mark the beginning of a nationwide push for open access.
On the Brink of Sequester, Faust Meets with Lawmakers
During a trip to Washington this week, University President Drew G. Faust met with prominent lawmakers, including Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III of Massachusetts, and Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, to argue against cuts to federal research funding that will take effect if Congress does not pass a budget deal sometime on Friday.
Kennedy School Professor Suggests Cutting Fossil Fuel Subsidies
As Congressional lawmakers attempt to hammer out a compromise on federal spending before automatic budget cuts kick in on Friday, Harvard Kennedy School professor Joseph E. Aldy is proposing his own way of reducing the federal budget deficit—eliminating subsidies to the fossil fuel industry.
Faust Travels to Capitol To Warn Against Sequestration
University President Drew G. Faust will travel to Capitol Hill this week to sound the alarm about across-the-board budget cuts that would likely slash millions of dollars in funding for Harvard researchers.
Professor Calls for Action on Climate Change
Environmental science professor Michael B. McElroy suggests that climate change is a threat to national security in a recent report.
Anticipating Federal Cuts, Schools Streamline, Diversify Sponsored Funding
Regardless of what happens on Capitol Hill this week, Harvard will have to contend with decreased revenue from federal agencies by reevaluating its reliance on different sources of income.