Contributing writer
Jessica A. Barzilay
Latest Content
Flashes of Crimson
The Harvard College Class of 2016’s first and second marshals, Reylon Yount and Jessica Barzilay, pen a letter to the graduating seniors.
Physics Professor Philip Kim Studies Technologies on an Atomic Scale
Kim, who joined the faculty this school year after 14 years of teaching and researching at Columbia University, studies physical phenomena in nanoscale materials.
‘Breakthough Prize’ Grants $3 Million to Univ. Researchers
The awards were given to 12 recipients in in the celebrity-studded “Breakthrough Prize Ceremony” on Nov. 9.
Physics Prof Wins 24-Hour Run, Funds for Special Olympics
For Physics professor, mother of three, and ultrarunner Jenny Hoffman ’99, “time is [her] most limited resource.”
Melton Lab Cells Could Help Cure Type 1 Diabetes
A team of Harvard researchers developed a scalable technique for creating human insulin-producing beta cells in vitro, a huge stride towards an effective treatment for type 1 diabetes.
Molecular and Cellular Bio Updates Receive Good Reviews
Administrators behind the revamping of Molecular and Cellular Biology did not have to wait long to gauge the popularity of their new programs, courses, and requirement changes, said Alexander F. Schier, department chair of MCB
Wyss Institute Robotic Suit Wins $2.9 Million Contract
The robotic suit is designed to help soldiers travel farther, conserve energy, and shoulder heavy loads with less strain.
Pershing Square Foundation Gives $17 Million To Fund Human Behavior Initiative
The gift will fund three new professorships and give grants to Harvard faculty and graduate students.
MCB To Revamp Requirements, Programming, and Concentration Name
The Molecular and Cellular Biology concentration will revamp its requirements and extracurricular programming to allow concentrators greater flexibility and incorporate recent “astonishing changes in biomedical research,” MCB head tutors Susan Mango and Rachelle Gaudet announced in an email to concentrators on Monday.
OEB Concentration Renamed Integrative Biology
The Organismic and Evolutionary Biology concentration will be renamed Integrative Biology, according to an email announcement sent to concentrators Thursday.
TERMES Project Models Robots Based on Collective Intelligence of Termites
Though typically associated with the destruction of structures, termite colonies may have just inspired the next big innovation in construction. A team of engineers and computer scientists at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering built a “colony” of autonomous, interchangeable robots—coined the TERMES project—based on the construction strategies of termites and other insect species, according to a report published in Science earlier this month.
Study Links Fetal Gender to Milk Production in Cows
The report—which draws on both Bradford’s specialty in dairy nutrition and Hinde’s expertise in evolutionary biology—focused on dairy farms, one of America’s longest running industries.
Professors Mull NIH Proposal To Change Grant Awards Structure
Harvard professors said proposed changes to the National Institute of Health’s grant giving policy would increase the flexibility given to Harvard’s senior faculty while posing new challenges for younger researchers and associate professors just starting their labs.
Review of Life Sciences Concentrations Presented to Faculty
Student interest and satisfaction have both increased since the restructuring of concentrations and advising within the life sciences. In 2012, the life sciences concentrations graduated 52 percent more students than in 2006. Concentration satisfaction—a major concern before the restructuring—has also risen significantly, according to the report.
Pre-Med Students Readjust Concentration Choices
Like many pre-medical students not in a science concentration, Haley P. Brown ’15 has struggled to balance her science courseload with classes for her Classics concentration and Spanish citation. As a result of the burden on students like Brown, the number of non-science-concentrating pre-meds has fallen by two-thirds over the past decade, according to the Office of Career Services.
