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

Photo of the entrance to the Peabody Museum

Peabody Museum Discovers Possible Slave Remains in Its Collections

“We must begin to confront the reality of a past in which academic curiosity and opportunity overwhelmed humanity,” Harvard president Lawrence Bacow wrote. 

by Marina N. Bolotnikova

Headshots of Marc Lipsitch, William Hanage, Barry Bloom

Fast-spreading coronavirus variants raise concerns

Despite vaccines, Harvard scientists warn, more-transmissible variants make COVID-19 harder to control.

by Jonathan Shaw

Portrait of Rachel Gable, author of new book on first-generation students at elite colleges

Timely guidance for colleges enrolling first-generation and low-income students

Rachel Gable’s research on helping first-generation and low-income students succeed at elite colleges

by John S. Rosenberg

Drawing of a distant solitary figure walking alone toward the horizon along a narrowing path of light edged on both sides by darkness

The Loneliness Pandemic

As the country isolates, are we all alone?

by Jacob Sweet

An illustration by James Steinberg shows a heavenly hand extending down to the U.S. Capitol and attempting to influence members of Congress

Benjamin Friedman on faith and American socioeconomic policy

How faith shapes economic and social policy

Photograph of Harvard president Lawrence S. Bacow

President Bacow on innovation in Allston

As SEAS moves to Allston, President Bacow highlights the University’s newest innovation hub.

by Lawrence S. Bacow

Image shows a dendritic cell (shown in yellow) attached to a man-made polymer lattice inside a pill-sized implantable device.

Inducing immunity to cancer

An implantable cancer vaccine shows promise in training the immune system to attack tumors.

by Erin O’Donnell

Cracks appear in a balloon decorated like a $100 bill as Uncle Sam fills it with a bicycle pump

Asset bubbles and credit growth precede financial crises.

Contrary to expert belief, some financial crises can be predicted—and perhaps averted.

by Jonathan Shaw

A patient undergoes acupuncture of the belly

Fine-tuning acupuncture to heal, not harm

“Fine-tuning” acupuncture, an ancient practice to heal, not harm

A photograph of art historian Cassandra Albinson next to a photograph of a portrait of the Marquise de Pompadour applying pink rouge to her cheeks

Harvard Portrait: Cassandra Albinson

A curator takes a fresh look at portraits of aristocratic European women.

by Jonathan Shaw