Alumni & People

curation of alumni people, faculty and student profiles

Conan O’Brien in a dark suit and light shirt, smiling and posing with hands clasped.

Conan O’Brien Named Harvard’s 2026 Commencement Speaker

The comedian, host, and 1985 graduate will deliver remarks at the May 28 ceremony. 

by Schuyler Velasco

photograph of new HAA president Vanessa Liu

An Inclusive “One Harvard”

HAA president Vanessa Liu on harnessing power “for the greater good.”

by Nell Porter-Brown

How will Harvard change post-coronavirus?

Opportunities in admissions, online degrees, research, and more

Photographic portrait of James Agee

Origin Stories

Bow and Arrow’s mechanic, James Agee’s creative turbulence

by Primus VI

Illustration of a man commuting to work

Commuting’s Impact on Creativity

Long commutes harm productivity and innovation.

by Erin O’Donnell

Views of orchards and iconic red bar at Lookout farm

Betting on Lookout Farm

A pandemic-era restaurant-plus-farm thrives in Natick, Massachusetts

by Nell Porter-Brown

Illustration of ice melting and spilling out of a bowl

Raising the Estimate of Sea Level Rise

The effect of post-glacial rebound was overlooked in the West Antarctic

by Nancy Walecki

Busy urban street scene with pedestrians, shops, and a stroller under a sunny sky.

Harvard Square’s Best

What’s new—and unchanged—in the historic heart of Cambridge

by Nell Porter-Brown

Illustration of a man plugging his ears on the roof of his house as floodwaters engulf the building

Why Some Citizens Reject Science

Bridging the gulf to science deniers

by Daniel Oberhaus

Photograph of Faculty of Arts and Sciences dean Claudine Gay

The Art of the Dean

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences leader’s plans before and beyond the pandemic

by John S. Rosenberg

portrait photograph of Nicholas Stephanopoulos in a casual shirt and jeans

Nicholas Stephanopoulos

An election-law scholar and litigator zeroes in on political gerrymandering.

by Lydialyle Gibson