Scientists from Northeastern University are among the thousands of collaborators awarded the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for their research into the fundamental nature of matter at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider.
Officials from the Breakthrough Prizes, known as “the Oscars of Science,” said the winning collaborations at CERN are being recognized for testing the modern theory of particle physics, including precisely measuring the properties of the Higgs boson.
Particle physics is the study of the smallest things in the universe, including quarks, leptons and bosons.
The Breakthrough Prize recognizes the complexity of the work involved in studying the particles at the massive Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, Switzerland, says Northeastern physics professor Louise Skinnari.
“It is a fundamentally collaborative effort. The type of science we do is really trying to understand how nature and the universe work on the smallest scales at the subatomic scale,” says Skinnari.
She was named in the award along with Northeastern physics professors Toyoko Orimoto, Johan Bonilla Castro, Emanuela Barberisand Darien Wood. Also recognized were emeritus faculty George Alverson and numerous current and former post-doctoral researchers and Ph.D students from Northeastern.
Read more from Northeastern Global News.
The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images
Northeastern University astrophysicist Jonathan Blazek attributes his interest in the universe to his father, a native of rural Montana who loved that Big Sky country allowed him to simply look up at night and observe the stars, planets and galaxy.
Blazek “didn’t have quite the same night sky.”
“I grew up in Chicago,” Blazek says, wryly.
Is it any wonder then that Blazek’s work involves studying 95% of the universe that we cannot see?
“All the stars, all the gas, all the dust, all the galaxies are made up of this 5% that we can see, and we have to use that to infer the rest,” says Blazek, assistant professor of physics at Northeastern. “My research is focused on making this connection. How do we take the galaxies that we see and the properties of the galaxies that we see and use that to study the universe as a whole?”
Most recently, Blazek has focused on two main research questions: Where do galaxies form? And what are their shapes?
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Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
We’re extraordinarily proud to recognize the following College of Science faculty and staff for their outstanding contributions and commitment to leadership, mentorship, research, teaching, innovation, and EDIJ initiatives within the College and Northeastern University.
COS Excellence in Teaching Award
Leila Deravi, Associate Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Benjamin Dittbrenner, Associate Teaching Professor, Marine and Environmental Sciences
Andreia Ionescu, Assistant Professor, Biology
COS Excellence in Research Award
Iva Halacheva, Assistant Professor, Mathematics
Paul Whitford, Professor, Physics
Aron Stubbins, Professor, Marine and Environmental Science and Chemistry and Chemical Biology
COS Excellence in Mentorship Award
Roman Manetsch, Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Juliet Davidow, Assistant Professor, Psychology
COS Excellence in EDIJ Award
Johan Bonilla Castro, Assistant Professor, Physics
Marya Mahmood, Associate Director, Belonging and Engagement
COS Staff Award for Excellence and Leadership
Stephanie Frazitta, Director, Undergraduate Advising
COS Staff Award for Excellence in Mentorship
Linda Ayrapetov, Director, Student Programs
COS Rising Star Staff Award
Nicki Hosey, Academic Advisor, Undergraduate Advising
COS Innovation Award
Missy McElligott, Teaching Professor, Biology
Hari Kumarakuru, Assistant Teaching Professor, Physics
Tracy Tan, Assistant Dean, Professional Programs
Nicole Viquez and Vincent Capone, Senior Academic Advisors, Undergraduate Advising
Congratulations to the newest recipients of the Advancing Women in Science scholarship! These students will take part in a year-long cohort program focused on enhancing their professional development and mentoring abilities, while also building a strong support network to foster their continued growth and success in science. This year, thanks to generous donors, the scholarship was extended to PhD students. Read more about these exceptional scientists below!
Undergraduate Recipients
Amalia Costa, Cell and Molecular Biology
Amalia Costa is a second year cell and molecular biology major with a minor in Ethics. Her hometown is South Kingstown, Rhode Island. On the pre-medical track with an interest in oncology, she is passionate about bridging science and patient care. She is currently on co-op working as a Patient Care Technician. She is a research assistant in the MAdS Lab under Dr. Santos. Her work centers on targeting the BAM complex in Gram-negative bacteria to disrupt their outer membrane formation, with the goal of identifying new treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections. In addition to her studies, she served as a teaching assistant for Foundations of Biology. Outside the lab and hospital, she plays the clarinet in the Northeastern University Symphony Orchestra.
Lauren Kong, Behavioral Neuroscience
Lauren Kong is driven by a personal mission to bridge science, innovation, and business strategy in ways that meaningfully transform lives. She is passionate about translating novel research into real-world solutions that are both impactful and equitable, especially for the communities that need them most. Guided by purpose, enthusiasm, and curiosity, Lauren actively seeks out opportunities to learn, grow, and lead. She currently conducts research at The Brain Impact Lab, investigating how exercise influences cognition and brain health, and has held multiple executive roles in Northeastern University’s student organizations, including Evolve and the Entrepreneurs Club. With a deep commitment to healthcare entrepreneurship, Lauren is dedicated to advancing data-driven, human-centered innovation that challenges systemic disparities and redefines what personalized and accessible healthcare can look like.
Imani Mbusu, Behavioral Neuroscience
Imani Mbusu is a second-year behavioral neuroscience student from Westampton, New Jersey. She is particularly interested in studying neurodegenerative diseases, and aspires to become a doctor in a neuroscience-related field of medicine. Currently, Imani is on co-op at Harvard Medical School in the Sinclair Lab, where she studies animal behavior in mouse models, explore chemical reprogramming, and perform various wet-lab techniques.
Doga Oge, Behavioral Neuroscience
Doga Oge is a second-year behavioral neuroscience major on the pre-med track originally from Istanbul, Turkey. She is passionate about psychiatric neuroscience and using technology to make mental health treatment more accessible. Doga will soon join the Visual Cortex Research Project at McLean Hospital, where she will work with psychiatrists from the Psychotic Disorders Division at Harvard Medical School to study visual perception disturbances, brain structure, and early biomarkers of psychosis. She is currently designing a mental health accessibility app that connects underserved communities with top psychiatrists through group therapy sessions. She dreams of becoming a psychiatrist who also codes her own clinical tools to close gaps in care and reach those who are often overlooked. In her free time, she enjoys playing violin, exploring AI, and mentoring others in STEM.
Naadia Rashid, Cell and Molecular Biology
Naadia Rashid is a second-year cell and molecular biology student with a minor in data science from Richmond, Virginia. She is a research assistant in the Apfeld Lab at Northeastern University, where she is studying the interplay between molecular genetics and environmental stressors in the context of aging. Passionate about genomic medicine, she is working on a project investigating how genetic perturbations in the metabolic pathway influence glycogen detoxification. She has also worked on exploring redox properties of small peptides relevant to amyloid-beta and Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis under Dr. Vaso Lykourinou as a Russell Women in Science Scholar. She hopes to pursue a career in medicine with a focus on clinical genetics.
Meera Shukla, Behavioral Neuroscience
Meera Shukla is a second-year behavioral neuroscience major interested in child and adolescent brain development and its impact on health. She currently works as an undergraduate research assistant at the Social Development and Wellbeing lab, as well as a patient navigator at the South End NeighborHealth Clinic with Link Health. In her free time, Meera enjoys writing, listening to podcasts, as well as cooking and creating new recipes. She hopes to one day intertwine her interest in research and patient care after graduation.
PhD Candidate Recipients
Marcela de Barros, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Marcela de Barros is a first-generation chemist from Brazil and a fourth year PhD candidate in chemistry. Her research in the Mattos Lab focuses on understanding disease-related mutations in Ras GTPase proteins, with implications for cancer and developmental disorders. Passionate about fostering inclusion in science, Marcela is actively involved in mentorship and advocacy through organizations such as the Alliance for Diversity in Science and Engineering (ADSE), the Northeastern Section Younger Chemists Committee (NSYCC-ACS), and she is a mentor in the Connected Science Community PhD Mentorship program. She is currently on co-op at Biogen working in the Biotherapeutics Discovery & Delivery group where she is diving into antibody research. In her free time, she enjoys ice skating, solving puzzles, handcrafting, and loves cats and sci-fi!
Angela Jones, Marine and Environmental Sciences
Angela Jones is a fourth year PhD candidate in marine and environmental sciences. She moved to Boston from Arcata, California where she earned her bachelor’s degree in zoology and master’s degrees in biology. Angela’s studies sea star morphology and performance across intertidal and subtidal sites of New England. In her spare time, Angela presses algae, make wheel thrown pottery, and go scuba diving.
Katherine Trice, Psychology
Katherine Trice is a fourth year PhD student from Corning, New York. She works in the Language Acquisition and Brain Laboratory (QLAB) under Dr. Zhenghan Qi, where she studies the neural and cognitive underpinnings of language learning, with a particular interest in atypical populations such as autistic or Deaf individuals. Katherine loves reading, writing, and learning new craft skills, and hopes to someday be a professor at a university and run her own research lab!
Northeastern University’s highest student and faculty achievers across its 13 global campuses were celebrated Wednesday at the 15th annual Academic Honors Convocation.
Excellence in scholarship, research, teaching and advancing the university’s mission earned members of the Northeastern community their place on the stage at Blackman Auditorium in Ell Hall on the Boston campus.
“When we look at all your achievements and all that you have done, we are extremely excited about the future of this university, the future of this nation and indeed the future of this world,” Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern, told the audience. “We cannot afford to be pessimistic when we see the enormous talent in this community. Our future is in your hands, and I want to thank you.”
Joining the honored undergraduate students, graduate students and professors in the lively hall were family, colleagues and friends. Music was provided from the stage by the Northeastern Wind Ensemble.
“Over the past year, you — our honorees — have achieved new heights in scholarship, research, teaching and innovation to embody Northeastern’s core values of interdisciplinary collaboration, infusing experience and entrepreneurial thinking into everything you do and developing solutions with global impact,” said David Madigan, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “From research laboratories to art studios, from classrooms to field work across our global network and around the world, you have pushed the limits of what is possible, challenging yourselves, inspiring your peers and truly elevating our university community.”
Read more from Northeastern Global News.
Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Northeastern University student Liza Sheehy recently accompanied a professor to a conference in Paris to present the Jewish Migration Project, a crowd-sourced public digital archive cataloging and mapping objects related to Jewish migration.
Sheehy, a fourth-year student who is co-leading research and design for the grant-funded project, described it as the quintessential Northeastern experience.
“It really speaks to the value of the university and its commitment to student excellence and professors’ support for students that they trust us to represent Northeastern in such a professional environment,” Sheehy said. “It shows that the university supports student research and wants them to excel, and that professors support and encourage their students’ efforts.”
On Tuesday, Sheehy was one of a select group of undergraduates who enjoyed another notable Northeastern experience: induction into the Huntington 100, which honors students whose achievements exemplify the university’s mission.
“You have been chosen because of your enormous impact on the community at large — your fellow students, your faculty and staff who took care of you and nominated you — and also for what you have done outside of Northeastern in your co-ops, in your work with the communities,” President Joseph E. Aoun told inductees during a ceremony on the Boston campus. “You lifted up the whole student body.”
The Huntington 100 honors undergraduate students across the global network who will enter their final year of study in the fall semester. Huntington 100 and Laurel and Scroll 100, for graduate students, are collectively known as Northeastern University Societies of Distinction.
Read more from Northeastern Global News.
Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Graduate student Kobe Miller came to Northeastern University from New Zealand to study sports leadership in 2023.
This 9,000-mile leap led him to a job in youth development at the Boston Celtics.
On Tuesday, Miller, a high-performance rower and athletes’ mental health advocate, was one of 100 graduate and professional students inducted into the inaugural Laurel and Scroll 100 Society of Distinction — a Northeastern graduate school equivalent of the university’s Huntington 100.
Laurel and Scroll 100 and Huntington 100 collectively are known as Northeastern University Societies of Distinction that honor outstanding students for achievements aligning with the university’s mission, ideals, values and academic plan.
“It’s a real honor to be able to leave my mark here at Northeastern,” Miller said. “It is amazing to be recognized among some really talented and hard-working people in all different fields, especially as an international student.”
President Joseph E. Aoun, a steadfast supporter of the creation of the Laurel and Scroll 100, congratulated the inductees, saying that being nominated for this fellowship meant they have made an impact on their professors, friends and colleagues.
“This is very meaningful,” Aoun said.
Read more from Northeastern Global News.
Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
When Juliet Davidow was a teenager, she noticed something curious: Even though she and her friends shared similar life experiences, their outcomes often looked very different.
“Some teens I was friends with came through their adolescence relatively unscathed, whereas others were less fortunate,” says Davidow, an assistant professor of psychology at Northeastern University.
That early observation sparked a lasting interest in how people grow and change. In college, Davidow began studying how the human brain develops over time — and how that development influences thoughts, emotions and behavior.
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Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Northeastern University professor Randall Hughes made her first big discovery researching eelgrass on the West Coast.
Hughes, professor of marine and environmental sciences, shifted the focus of her scientific investigation to salt marsh plant species when she moved to Florida.
In the Northeast, her current research focuses on increasing the effectiveness of restoration efforts by understanding how bringing plants from a different coastal system affects the evolutionary makeup of the recipient system.
Hughes has worked on both U.S. coasts during her career, allowing her to develop expertise in multiple habitats, including oyster reefs, seagrasses and salt marshes.
In recognition of her career, the American Association for the Advancement of Science named Hughes one of its 2024 lifetime fellows. She was awarded the fellowship for her contributions in biological sciences for developing a fundamental understanding of the role of genetic diversity in the conservation and restoration of species that define ecosystems.
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Photo by Matt Modoono/Northeastern University
Almost all modern technology relies on the ability of electrons to carry charge. This is essential for electricity, power transmission, electronic devices, battery storage and many other uses.
However, electrons possess another built-in property beyond charge — spin. Scientists have been trying to harness this property for years, says Paul Stevenson, an assistant professor of physics at Northeastern University, leading to the emergence of a new field called spintronics.
“People have tried to find ways to make new materials that can manipulate this spin property as well as the charge property,” he says.
Surprisingly, research over the last decade suggests that nature may have already mastered what scientists have been trying to engineer. Stevenson explains that biomolecules seem to naturally use this property of electrons.
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Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
Most people leave high school with the basic knowledge that everything in the physical world consists of atoms — made up of protons, neutrons and electrons.
Professor of physics Yizhi You says the limited mobility of fractons makes them a promising option for advancing quantum hardware and building more efficient quantum computers.
We also know about the three common states of matter we encounter daily — solid, liquid and gas.
A theoretical physicist like Yizhi You, a professor at Northeastern University, studies the tiny world of subatomic particles. She examines how these particles interact with each other in materials.
These interactions can lead to unusual states of matter and phenomena, like quasiparticles — when groups of particles work together and behave as if they were a single particle.
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Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
The process of discovering and designing new chemicals has always been arduous — Sijia Dong wants to change that.
As an assistant professor in the department of chemistry and chemical biology, with affiliations in physics and chemical engineering, Dong uses “physics-based simulations, AI and quantum computing” to accelerate chemical discovery.
When we think of chemistry, we may think of liquids in test tubes and under microscopes, but chemicals, too, are composed of subatomic particles like electrons and protons, a fact that Dong and her research team take advantage of in their study of enzymes — proteins that help one chemical transform into another.
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Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University