Global
Northwestern has joined an international consortium of 15 research institutions that will guide the development of and early research at the Giant Magellan Telescope, which will be the world’s largest optical land-based telescope upon completion.
In December Northwestern art history assistant professor Antawan Byrd ’13 MA, ’22 PhD launched Project a Black Planet at the Art Institute of Chicago, the first major exhibit to examine Pan-Africanism, a cultural movement and ideology that promotes Black unity across Africa and the African diaspora.
The Northwestern Alumni Association Travel Program offers more than three dozen trips annually to alumni, with itineraries and travel experiences that cater to all interests. For more than 50 years, the program has led trips to all seven continents, across land and sea.
Recently elected president of the NAA Board of Directors, Kristin McDonnell is excited to lead an organization dedicated to the personal and intellectual growth of a diverse, international community of more than 260,000 alumni. A graduate of the McCormick School of Engineering, McDonnell mentors student entrepreneurs and serves on the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Advisory Board and Kellogg Tech Council.
Through Kellogg’s Levy Inspiration Grant Program, young entrepreneurs conduct firsthand research abroad to investigate potential business ideas. Students have traveled to Guyana, Switzerland, Vietnam, Japan and Australia to look into innovations in rum production, dairy farming, last-mile delivery services, mental health treatments using psilocybin, and putting insects on the menu at restaurants.
An accomplished scholar of European and global history, Deborah Cohen has led the Northwestern Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Affairs since January 2024. During this time, her team has launched a raft of programs that build on the institute’s mission of fostering interdisciplinary teaching and research about the world beyond U.S.
Our alumni will travel the world for a scoop. Meet the foreign correspondents, filmmakers and producers who are shining lights on stories from India, Colombia, Israel, Ukraine and elsewhere.
The Lucks Laboratory developed a home test that can detect common contaminants in water. The technology, called ROSALIND, harnesses the “molecular taste buds” found in bacteria and programs them to glow when they detect a contaminant.
As the world’s population rises and the effects of climate change threaten crop yields, food insecurity is an urgent matter. With the support of University Trustee Melih Keyman and Zeynep Keyman, Northwestern researchers are pursuing a novel approach to farming with the potential to make a substantial impact on the global food crisis.
Earth and planetary sciences professor Andy Jacobson leads a team of researchers at Northwestern and the Chicago Botanic Garden investigating the effects of soil additives on agricultural fields.
