Stories

Inspired by a dog’s nose, researchers at Harvard have developed an affordable air quality sensor called Project Air that can detect and discern indoor pollutants with nearly 100 percent accuracy.

After experiencing Hurricane Katrina firsthand, Radcliffe Fellow Rob Verchick JD ’89 is examining the human-fueled disasters facing our oceans and how scientists, politicians, and the public can help.

As part of the Harvard-China Project, Emily Xing ’27 was one of three engineering students who traveled to Beijing to learn how the country is developing and deploying renewable energy.

At Harvard Forest, ecologist Neil Pederson and Ramapough Lenape tribe member Keshia De Freece Lawrence blend research with Indigenous knowledge to protect vulnerable habitats.

According to a study from Harvard, in collaboration with the University of Birmingham, the University of Leicester, and University College London, air pollution from burning fossil fuels was responsible for about one in five deaths worldwide in 2018—significantly higher than previous research suggested.

New faculty appointed to Harvard Chan School’s Department of Environmental Health are studying how a variety of environmental factors—including an individual’s total environmental exposures to toxins over the course of their life, the microbes in engineered water systems, and climate-related extreme weather events—can impact health.

Harvard has hired eight new climate faculty—with more to come—across the University and across disciplines.

Through research originating at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and Harvard Medical School, an international team has discovered a novel strain of cyanobacteria—nicknamed “Chonkus”—that could help sequester carbon from oceans and factories. 

Three Wyss Institute projects aim to reduce global pollution by developing a cheaper, more reliable test to detect toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); creating a non-toxic alternative to PFAS inspired by the surface of lotus leaves; and using an enzyme found in soil to break down PET plastic and turn it into a biodegradable material that can be used to make new, eco-friendly plastics.

The Climate and Sustainability Translational Fund—launched by Harvard’s Office of Technology Development and the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability—will fund four research projects focused on solutions to climate challenges.

During the inaugural Harvard Amazon Rainforest Immersion, a 10-day teaching and research intensive organized by the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies Brazil Office and the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability, students and academics from Harvard and local institutions explored the region’s intricate ecosystems and threats to its environment, economic security, and public health.

The Consortium for Climate Solutions will leverage its members’ collective purchasing power to advance cost-effective renewable energy projects.

Melissa Mai didn’t expect to work with plants when she came to Harvard. However, she was drawn to the Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences by the ability to rotate through different labs before choosing a final research topic. And once she started learning about the physical problems faced by plants and their relationship to the environment, she knew she had found her place at the intersection between biophysics and plant physiology.

Sambuddha Chattopadhyay ’21 believes small conversations build and grow into a culture of intellectual vitality. 

Alan M. Garber AB '77, PhD '82, who was named Harvard's president in August after serving as interim leader since January, was officially installed in a celebration at the Harvard Art Museums.

Shriya Srinivasan merges art and technology to create a smartphone app that translates dancers' movements into tactile experiences, making performances accessible for visually and hearing-impaired audiences.

Decades of scientific work at Harvard turned the tide on a fatal disease and yielded insights into immunity, vaccines, and more.

Harvard Corporation Senior Fellow Penny Pritzker AB '81 discusses efforts to boost community engagement and to prepare for the 2026 presidential search. 

The American Repertory Theater's new Lavine Learning Lab provides public high school students with unique theater experiences that promote inquiry, empathy, and lifelong appreciation of the arts.

Pacto Medical, a startup cofounded by Ian Speers MPH ’23 and incubated at the Harvard Innovation Labs, has developed a compact prefilled syringe that lowers costs while also reducing environmental impacts.