COS News

  • Research
    AI and physics
    “The basic premise is that AI can help us do better physics, and something that is less expected is that physics can also help us understand AI better,” said Northeastern professor James Halverson.

    AI and physics have more in common than you might think.

  • News
    Mark Williams, Professor and Chair of the Department of Physics, will assume the role of Dean of the College of Science, effective July 1, 2026.

    Mark C. Williams named Dean of the College of Science

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  • Can pottery be therapy? This psychology student thinks so.

    Can pottery be therapy? This psychology student thinks so.

    The Create ceramics studio in Boston’s Roslindale neighborhood is a tapestry of gentle, sturdy neutrals. Earthenware pots, bowls and teacups awaiting paint jobs rest on light gray shelves; white drop cloths and stone potter’s wheels take up most of the wood floor, all of it bathed in low afternoon sunlight gushing through storefront windows. But...
  • Five decades after his graduation, a legendary general returns to Northeastern as an inductee into the ROTC Hall of Fame

    Five decades after his graduation, a legendary general returns to Northeastern as an inductee into the ROTC Hall of Fame

    Salvatore Cambria, a retired U.S. Army major general, had not visited Northeastern University since he graduated with a biology degree in 1976. On Friday, he made his return while receiving an unprecedented honor. Maj. Gen. Cambria was inducted into the United States Army Cadet Command Hall of Fame — the first Northeastern graduate to be...
  • Undergraduate Student, Mark Teh, is Bridging Biochemistry and Environmental Sciences

    Undergraduate Student, Mark Teh, is Bridging Biochemistry and Environmental Sciences

    Undergraduate researchers are an integral part of the Marine and Environmental Sciences department and significant contributors to our labs’ scientific advancement. We caught up with undergraduate student Mark Teh to chat about his exciting research endeavors both within the MES department and with external partners.   Q: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself,...
  • What is the ‘3 Body Problem’? Astrophysicist explains concept behind hit Netflix show

    What is the ‘3 Body Problem’? Astrophysicist explains concept behind hit Netflix show

    “3 Body Problem,” Netflix’s new big-budget adaptation of Liu Cixin’s book series helmed by the creators behind “Game of Thrones,” puts the science in science fiction. The series focuses on scientists as they attempt to solve a mystery that spans decades, continents and even galaxies. That means “3 Body Problem” throws some pretty complicated quantum...
  • Get to know Alicia Wagner, the 2024 Robert M. Scarborough Postgraduate Award Recipient

    Get to know Alicia Wagner, the 2024 Robert M. Scarborough Postgraduate Award Recipient

    The Robert M. Scarborough Award for Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry is a national award presented to two graduate students or postdoctoral researchers annually. Candidates must have “demonstrated a key role in and contribution to a research project with direct medicinal chemistry applications and relevance.” This year, Northeastern’s very own Alicia Wagner was the recipient for...
  • Parrots love playing tablet games. That’s helping researchers understand them.

    Parrots love playing tablet games. That’s helping researchers understand them.

    Touchscreens have long been integral to our everyday life — humans use them to work, play, talk with loved ones and snag Lightning Deals on Prime Day. In recent years, they’ve shown potential for the animal kingdom as well, leading to a growing body of academic researchand a proliferation of consumer products promising to leverage...
  • This co-op at a Napa Valley winery teaches students about wine ‘from grape to bottle’

    This co-op at a Napa Valley winery teaches students about wine ‘from grape to bottle’

    Grace Arents, a fourth-year environmental and sustainability sciences student, had never had a glass of wine before when she saw a posting for a co-op at a winery on NUWorks. Still, her interest was piqued and she applied to spend a semester learning enology — the process of making wine — in Napa Valley. Before...
  • What is a nova outburst? Astrophysicist explains science behind the once-in-a-lifetime event that will light up the sky this year

    What is a nova outburst? Astrophysicist explains science behind the once-in-a-lifetime event that will light up the sky this year

    The total solar eclipse isn’t the only reason to keep your eyes to the sky this year. For the first time in 80 years, a star system 3,000 light years away will be visible to the naked eye thanks to a once-in-a-lifetime nova outburst. NASA announced that the nova, which will create a “new” star...
  • Being queen is all in this termite’s head. Really.

    Being queen is all in this termite’s head. Really.

    In the world of termites studied by Northeastern professor Rebeca Rosengaus, worker termites spend their few short months on Earth cleaning and feeding their enormous long-lived queen mother and tending to her eggs and their young siblings. Since termite workers and queens both possess a network of genes called the Queen Central Module, it has...
  • What will the once-in-a-generation total solar eclipse on April 8 look like?

    What will the once-in-a-generation total solar eclipse on April 8 look like?

    The moon’s shadow will cast a path of daytime darkness as it traverses the country on a narrow path from Texas to Maine during April 8’s solar eclipse. Those located inside the 115-mile-wide corridor known as the “path of totality” will experience a total eclipse, says Northeastern professor Jonathan Blazek. If it’s not cloudy, stars will...
  • From Undergraduate Lab to Publication: George Hatzis’ Biology Project Success

    From Undergraduate Lab to Publication: George Hatzis’ Biology Project Success

    Biology Project Lab (BIOL 2309) offers an inquiry-based, intensive laboratory experience in which students can design and conduct independent research projects, applying approaches and techniques used in cell and molecular biology. In Fall 2021, George Hatzis (COS ‘23), took Biology Project Lab under Dr. Erica Homan’s instruction and recently his group’s findings were published in...
  • Efforts to limit fast-food near homes need rethinking, Northeastern researcher says

    Efforts to limit fast-food near homes need rethinking, Northeastern researcher says

    Amid an obesity epidemic in the United States, you may have heard of efforts to eliminate “food deserts,” or areas with few healthy food options, and limit fast-food chains near where people live. But research from Northeastern University suggests a new approach. “Most of the fast food in this country is consumed far away from...