Faculty & Community

Insights into groundbreaking faculty research, innovative projects, and academic thought leadership across Harvard’s schools and institutes.

Space shuttle view outside the Earth

This Astronomer is Sounding a Warning on 'Space Junk'

As debris accumulates in low Earth orbit, the danger of destructive collisions continues to rise.

by Olivia Farrar

Amos Doolittle cheekily depicted the passions over ratification in this 1787 engraving with watercolor, with “Federals” (business interests), left, and agrarian “Antifederals,” right, differing over currency and Connecticut’s debts: a mired wagon being pulled in opposite directions.

Jack Rakove reviews Pauline's Maier's "Ratification," on the U.S. Constitution

The great experiment in constitution-making

by Jack Rakove

A screen shot from the therapeutic video game RAGE Control (Regulate and Gain Emotional Control)

A video game for anger management and emotional control

At Children's Hospital Boston, a video game offers emotionally explosive youths methods of self-control.

by Erin O’Donnell

Hyman professor of chemistry Charles Lieber has created a transistor so small it can be used to penetrate cell membranes and probe their interiors, without disrupting function. The transistor (yellow) sits near the bend in a hairpin-shaped, lipid-coated silicon nanowire. Its scale is similar to that of intra-cellular structures such as organelles (pink and blue orbs) and actin filaments (pink strand).

Charles Lieber's nanoscale transistors can enter cells without harming them

Chemist Charles Lieber and his colleagues have developed a nanoscale transistor so small it can enter, probe, and communicate with cells without harming them.

by Jonathan Shaw

When poverty is defined as living on $1.25 or less a day, about 40 percent of both Ethiopians and Uzbekistanis are considered poor. But by multidimensional measures that capture living standards, almost 90 percent of Ethiopians live in poverty, while only a small percentage of Uzbekistanis do.

Amartya Sen proposes a measure of poverty that looks beyond income

A multidimensional poverty index, based on the ideas of Amartya Sen, reveals a different map of the world's poor.

Peter Marsden named dean for social sciences

The sociologist oversees a large Arts and Sciences division.

The Radcliffe Institute’s “Why Books?” conference

The Radcliffe Institute’s “Why Books?” conference touches on a timely theme.

by Spencer Lee Lenfield

Warren Brown: Stars escaping the Milky Way help map matter in our galaxy

Stars escaping the Milky Way help Warren Brown and other astronomers map the distribution of matter in our galaxy.

Charts of economist Raj Chetty's findings about kindergarten teachers' influence

View charts of economist Raj Chetty's findings about kindergarten teachers' influence.

Amy Cuddy at Harvard Business School’s Baker Library

Profile of social psychologist Amy Cuddy of Harvard Business School

Amy Cuddy probes snap judgments, warm feelings, and how to become an “alpha dog.”

by Craig Lambert

Our sense of touch influences our actions

Tactile sensations change perceptions, says psychologist Christopher Nocera.

by Elizabeth Gudrais