There’s a WORRY around that is almost something you can touch. I feel it from faculty, staff, students at every level. I feel your worry, I understand it and let’s have a chat.
Externally, there are worries around the swirl of extraordinary actions of some government officials or un-officials, often the reversal of these actions, and the fallout. Internally, there are worries around some COS reorganizations and new platforms planned to increase university effectiveness. We will move through these carefully, step by step, together. There are worries about funding, employment, hiring, that impact your wellbeing and can make each day difficult.
Please take care of yourself. Take time to rest, do something fun. If upbeat music helps you, check out the Vitamin String Quartet (and listen to this or this). And please never forget that at Northeastern University and in the College of Science, we are continuing our crucial mission of education and research. Hold on to that, everyone. It is a most important thing. Our commitment to deliver empowering science education and brilliant science research is unwavering. Our commitment that everyone belongs in our diverse College of Science is unwavering. Your work as a staff or faculty member is unwaveringly important. Please be encouraged by the importance of the work you do, and encourage those around you, in your team or in your class. Please encourage your students that their science education and training set them up for many excellent careers, in any economic climate. Thank you for your crucial work. Thank you. I appreciate and value you.
To mitigate some of the worry, here are some pieces of great COS news:
NSF CAREER Awards Congratulations! Assistant Professor Juliet Davidow (Psychology); Assistant Professor Jonathan Blazek (Physics)
Young Investigator Award, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (selected to receive) Congratulations! Assistant Professor Paul Stevenson (Physics)
Research Funding: Grant awards and review panels are active. Submit your proposals, new and reworked. Get in line for funding. Ask us for help.
COS Master of Science: Congratulations! Our FY25 enrollments are up 169% over last years!
Awards Coming Up: College of Science Awards, submit your nominations! Student awards! And the wonderful awards of a Northeastern degree! Commencement is coming!
Our new COS website (finally!): end of March
The Good Power of Science is a unique tagline we adopted for Northeastern University and the College of Science. It’s also a truth that needs to be explained, relentlessly, to government representatives, to every leader, to every person, every voter. It’s Your Good Power of Science. While opening the Barnett Institute Karger Medal event this week, I set a challenge to the top researchers present. Complementing each investigator on their sophisticated research of huge value, I also challenged each to explain what they do simply and without jargon. To anyone they could. We took a parallel approach at our Community Meeting on Tuesday (slides here) where members shared a personal ‘science benefit’ story. The stories are true, inspirational and relevant. This is not fluff. This is how everyone understands. It’s how opinions of officials with monetary and other oversight form. Each of us needs to send the message that the Good Power of Science is About You.
