Catalyst

As I step into my role as Interim Dean, I am energized by the extraordinary momentum of our college and the transformative power of scientific discovery that defines our community.

This past year, we celebrated over 2,300 graduates across our bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programs—each one equipped not just with knowledge, but with the problem solving skills and innovative spirit that make them leaders in addressing humanity’s greatest challenges.

From breakthrough research in biotechnology and sustainable energy to advances in data science and neuroscience, our faculty and students continue to demonstrate that Northeastern’s College of Science is where curiosity meets impact. The Good Power of Science that flows through our halls doesn’t just advance knowledge—it creates solutions that improve lives, drive economic growth, and shape a better future for all.

Your continued support makes this excellence possible. Whether you’re an alumnus pioneering new frontiers in your career, a parent investing in your student’s scientific education, a graduate student pushing the boundaries of knowledge through your research, or a faculty member mentoring the next generation of researchers, you are part of a community that understands science is not just about discovery—it’s about responsibility.

Thank you for strengthening our research initiatives, expanding opportunities for undergraduate research experiences, and ensuring that every student finds their unique pathway to making meaningful contributions to our world.

Bridge to Science, an expansion of the successful Bridge to Calculus program, is a six-week bootcamp that helps underserved Boston Public School students strengthen their calculus and STEM skills through courses in physics, biology, chemistry, and more.

How do axolotls regenerate limbs and organs?

James Monaghan, biology chair and professor, has begun to uncover the secret behind the axolotl’s superpower and how it could be used to advance human regenerative medicine.

Scientists make major breakthrough that rewrites the understanding of plant evolution

Jing-Ke Weng, professor of chemistry and chemical biology and bioengineering, uncovered how the Canadian moonseed performs a chemical reaction once thought impossible for plants: adding a chlorine atom to a molecule. This could open the door to developing new and more efficient lifesaving drugs.

The Antarctic Ocean of the last ice age has stories to tell about a warming planet

New research from Chengfei He, assistant professor of marine and environmental sciences, describes how a critical process of carbon dioxide storage in the Southern Ocean slowed during the last deglaciation, and how it could be happening again.

Global collaboration aims to decode how genetics controls immune cell fate timers

In a groundbreaking research collaboration between the Snow Centre for Immune Health and Northeastern University, researchers will work to uncover how complex immune disease are passed down through generations. Ken Duffy, chair and professor of mathematics and electrical and computer engineering and the Snow Centre’s Professor Phil Hodgkin will work to scale an innovative mathematical model to population level for the first time.

Northeastern discovery in quantum materials could make electronics 1,000 times faster

Physics researchers Alberto de la Torre and Gregory Fiete have discovered how to change the electronic state of matter on demand using controlled heating and cooling. This breakthrough could revolutionize electronics by enabling instant control over whether materials conduct or insulate electricity.

Precise maps of the brain’s deepest corners are made possible through tools developed by NeuroPRISM lab

Led by assistant psychology professor Stephanie Noble, the lab is pioneering “precision neuroscience,” developing data-driven tools that make fMRI signals clearer and research easier to reproduce — all to help neuroscientists produce more rigorous, reliable science.