Dear College of Science Faculty and Staff, There is one thought in my mind this week.
On so many levels, I feel surrounded by gratitude.There are the immediate ones – gratitude for being alive, for being able to feel the chill wake up of winter air, for being able to see the lovely pale winter sky. For being part of the mystical existence of life. Gratitude for my family, so beloved. Gratitude for dear friends, and gratitude for wonderful colleagues here, and around the world. Gratitude for the opportunity to contribute. This is a troubled world indeed, with problems for people and the planet in abundance. There’s often no easy fix. But for some of these problems we have purchase – crucial research into climate change, sustainable land usage and energy, infectious disease, mental health, biophysics with health impact, new medicines, useful biomaterials, quantum information and materials, mathematical modeling, on and on. We can’t solve all the world’s problems from the College of Science, or from Northeastern University, but we can make some high impact contributions. Thank you. Gratitude for your key contributions in education. Thank you for your outstanding teaching and mentoring at all levels this semester. For stretching the minds of your students, for guiding and encouraging them, and for the finals you have graded. Your contributions to the futures of so many future science professionals are inestimably important. Gratitude for our brilliant staff members who are pivotal in every aspect of education and research. Looking after all our students, all our people, our research funding, finances, safety, space, communications, labs and all our units. Thank you everyone. Gratitude for the festivals and observances this time of year. Hannukah just ended, and Chag Sameach to our Jewish membersChristmas coming up, may your Christmas be peaceful and joyousKwanzaa after, and Habari Gani! Wishing you a blessed Kwanzaa Gratitude from me to you. I know you spend much of your life contributing to Science, putting your talent and time into building the Good Power of Science.Thank you, thank you for this commitment to our Northeastern University College of Science. It’s an honor to work with you, across our supportive, friendly, collaborative community. My warmest wishes to you, may your loved ones be safe and well.Have a wonderful holiday break! The Weekly will be back on January 5, 2024.