Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

A signing ceremony with John A. Paulson, M.B.A. '80, and President Drew Faust marked the celebration of Harvard's largest gift. The $400 million will support research, teaching, financial aid, and faculty development for Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, which has been renamed in honor of Paulson.

Big boost for SEAS

John A. Paulson’s $400 million gift will fuel School’s rapid growth in technology, engineering fields

Campus|

DateJune 3, 2015

Francis J. Doyle III, a chemical engineering scholar at the University of California, Santa Barbara, will become dean of the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences on Aug. 1.

A new dean for SEAS

Francis J. Doyle III, chemical engineering scholar at UC Santa Barbara, takes post in August

News|

DateMay 14, 2015May 17, 2019

Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences held its Design & Project Fair on May 6 (photo 1). Students from ES51: "Computer-Aided Machine Design" put their remote-controlled ATVs to the test during a claw-to-shovel competition for points on a challenging obstacle course (photo 2), while Ignacio Bayardo ’17 (from left, photo 3), Thayer Wade ’17, and Starr Wen ’17 held onto their trophies after the robot they built won first place in a competition.

Finding problems, designing solutions

At year-end SEAS fair, students show what they built

Science|

DateMay 10, 2015May 31, 2019

Emi Nietfeld '15 (from left, photo 1), Ana-Maria Constantin '16, Amna Hashmi '16, Ramya Rangan '16, and J.N. Fang '16 are members of Harvard Women in Computer Science, which promotes women in the male-dominated field. “They’re getting to the heart of some of the challenges,” said Margo I. Seltzer (photo 2), Herchel Smith Professor of Computer Science at SEAS, who, along with Radhika Nagpal (far right, photo 3), the Fred Kavli Professor of Computer Science, advises the group.

A quantum leap for women

Step by step, student group helps to sculpt computer science 2.0

Science|

DateMarch 26, 2015

Could global warming be overcome by releasing light-reflecting chemicals into the atmosphere? With safety and efficacy at the forefront of debate, David Keith discusses the moral and political quandaries surrounding the science of geoengineering.

Climate engineering: In from the cold

Keith says new reports will likely boost deeper look at geoengineering concepts

Science|

DateFebruary 20, 2015July 3, 2019

Students taking part in jDesign, a four-day, hands-on workshop, posted possible solutions to the undergrad dining halls' missing dinnerware (photo 1). “One key component to jDesign is having a real client and not just a textbook problem,” said SEAS senior preceptor Daniela Faas (right, photo 2). Harvard University Dining Services' Crista Martin (photo 3) provided feedback to Toni Divic '17, whose team advocated a solution that focused on awareness and student accountability.

The case of the disappearing dishes

Students serve up crafty solutions in Wintersession's jDesign workshop

Campus|

DateFebruary 4, 2015April 18, 2019

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences hosted an event celebrating women in computer science and a commemoration of the Grace Hopper’s birthday with a panel of female students including JN Fang '16, Ruth Fong '15, and Zehra Naz '15 (from left, photo 1), who discussed their earliest interest in and exposure to computer science with SEAS Professor Margo Seltzer ’83 (photo 2). Aspen Institute CEO and Harvard Overseer Walter Isaacson '74 (photo 3) was also on hand to discuss Hopper’s legacy.

She made her mark

Women in computer science discuss building on trailblazing career of Grace Hopper

Science|

DateDecember 8, 2014

In 1944, Lt. Grace Hopper was ordered to report to Harvard University to work on the Mark I, the behemoth digital computer that had been conceived by Harvard's Howard Aiken in 1937.

Grace Hopper, computing pioneer

While at Harvard, she deftly programmed Mark I, proving its versatility, author Walter Isaacson recounts

Science|

DateDecember 3, 2014March 8, 2023

Lewis named interim dean of SEAS

Former College dean, current director of undergrad studies in computer science, to step up Jan. 1

News|

DateDecember 2, 2014

Harvard Treasurer Paul Finnegan and Executive Vice President Katie Lapp discussed Harvard’s financial landscape and the ongoing financial pressure facing the University.

Harvard continues to face ‘foundational financial pressures’

Lapp and Finnegan discuss financial report and ongoing challenges

Campus|

DateNovember 7, 2014April 16, 2019

Volunteers from the Harvard chapter of Engineers Without Borders, William Jameson ’16 and Christopher Lombardo of SEAS, work to repair a water pipe leak (photo 1) at the Dominican Republic site. A drill rig is sits at the location of the new water well (photo 2). Water from three local sources was tested in January: samples from the river, small wells called tinitas, and a spring near the top of a hill. The samples showed bacterial growth (left, photo 3). Water from the newly installed well, which was tested in August 2014, was free of bacteria (right).

A wellspring of hope

Harvard students help restore clean water to Dominican mountain town

World|

DateOctober 7, 2014

Cherry A. Murray, dean of the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, will receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, one of the nation’s top honors for achievement and leadership in the advancement of science and technology.

U.S. honors Cherry Murray

SEAS dean awarded medal for leadership in technology, innovation

News|

DateOctober 3, 2014

Biofilms are communities of bacteria ensconced in a matrix of slimy, but extremely tough, extracellular material composed of sugars, proteins, genetic material, and more. Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering Neel Joshi and his team wanted to give them a facelift, and developed a novel protein-engineering system called BIND to do so.

Recruiting bacteria for innovation

Harvard team lays foundation for using biofilms to create self-healing materials and other technologies

Science|

DateSeptember 17, 2014April 8, 2019

Just as single cells can assemble into complex multicellular organisms, the individual Kilobots can follow simple rules to autonomously assemble into predetermined shapes. The vast scale of this swarm is a milestone in itself. (Photo courtesy of Mike Rubenstein, Harvard SEAS.)

The 1,000-robot swarm

Through commands, autonomous devices arrange selves into vast, complex shapes

Science|

DateAugust 14, 2014

Experiments in learning

Researchers give grade-schoolers a glimpse of scientific methods

Campus|

DateJuly 3, 2014

Professor John Briscoe, who has made a career of tackling water insecurity challenges around the world, will receive the Stockholm Water Prize, known informally as the “Nobel Prize of water.”

Briscoe wins ‘Nobel Prize of water’

Recognition for 'thinking practitioner' who has influenced world water policy for three decades

News|

DateMarch 21, 2014

Hosted by the Harvard Innovation Lab, the deans’ innovation competitions, along with the President’s Challenge, give Harvard undergraduates, postdoctoral students, and clinical fellows an opportunity to create and develop solutions that have meaningful impact for people around the world.

Meeting the challenges

Deans name 18 student teams as finalists in three annual innovation challenges

News|

DateMarch 19, 2014April 17, 2019

“Harvard is doing a lot to encourage women to get into technology,” said Amy Yin '14 (center, photo 1), co-founder of Harvard Women in Computer Science, which sponsored the event. During her keynote address, ThoughtWorks chief technology officer Rebecca Parsons (photo 2) pointed out that “women bring a different perspective to solving problems,” noting the remarkable progress toward inclusiveness in her three decades in the field, but not denying there was work still to be done. Echoing the positive notes of progress, SEAS Professor David C. Parkes (center, photo 3) said that women filled 37 percent of the seats in Harvard’s introductory programming course this year — an all-time high.

Closing the gender gap in computer science

Students hear from leaders in the field at SEAS conference

Science|

DateFebruary 11, 2014May 2, 2019

Preceptor in electrical engineering Avi Uttamchandani (center) assists graduate student Alp Sipahigil (right, photo 1) with the January@GSAS challenge of building a mouse from scratch. SEAS development coordinator MaryFran Mitrano (photo 2) is ready to test hers, while Uttamchandani puts the finishing touches on his (photo 3).

A break to explore

In January, grad students have had many options for sampling the new

Campus|

DateJanuary 29, 2014

Cells in the embryonic jaw of a mouse (red) squeeze a cell-sized, spherical oil droplet (with blue border, shown with arrow). The droplet deforms like a water balloon, and the degree to which it deforms allows scientists to calculate the pressure cells exert on their neighbors.

Measuring life’s tugs and nudges

Tiny oil droplets help measure forces produced by cells; new method could improve diagnosis of cancer, hypertension

Health|

DateDecember 9, 2013

Mary Ann Bradley, associate dean for administrative operations for FAS, took the time to participate in Giving Thanks. The annual event not only let the Harvard community send notes of thanks to colleagues, but also encouraged donations to the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter.

Serving, thanks, and giving

FAS and others provide notes of thanks, support of student-led charity

Campus|

DateNovember 25, 2013

The Old Quincy House renovation has created modern study and community spaces within Stone Hall (photos 1 and 2). Common Spaces, started in 2009 with the addition of colorful chairs throughout the Yard, has expanded across campus to most recently include the renovation of the Science Center Plaza (photo 3).

A 21st-century campus

University builds and renovates to meet modern needs, linking Schools and community

Campus|

DateSeptember 24, 2013May 29, 2019

Jeong-Yun Sun (left) and Christoph Keplinger show off an ionically conductive material that is very stretchy and completely transparent. Eliza Grinnell/SEAS Communications

Transparent artificial muscle plays music

Gel-based audio speaker demonstrates capabilities of ionic conductors, long thought limited in application

Science|

DateAugust 29, 2013June 26, 2019

This 2-D image of a wood tick's head, taken through a microscope, reveals little information about the bug's 3-D structure (photo1). Kenneth B. Crozier, the principal investigator at SEAS, has helped to change that with a new and accessible way to create 3-D images of translucent materials, such as biological tissues (photo 3).

Seeing depth through a single lens

3-D image created using just two frames from a stationary camera or microscope

Science|

DateAugust 5, 2013April 30, 2019

Researchers create the ultraslippery coating by making a glass honeycomb-like structure with craters (left) and coating it with a Teflon-like chemical (purple) that binds to the honeycomb cells to form a stable liquid film. That film repels droplets of both water and oily liquids (right). Because it’s a liquid, it flows, which helps the coating repair itself when damaged.

New coating creates ‘superglass’

Resilient, ultraslippery glass could lead to self-cleaning, scratch-resistant windows, lenses, and solar panels

Science|

DateAugust 2, 2013

Science in service

Students create promising products, trying to help solve world problems

Science|

DateApril 25, 2013

Diana Sorensen, who it was recently announced would continue as dean of arts and humanities for three more years, moderated a Lamont Library discussion titled “Digital Humanities: Across the Spectrum,” which focused on how humanists’ training and skills are translating and being utilized in today’s digital society.

Humanities in the digital age

Panel discusses emerging ‘Digital Humanities’

Arts|

DateApril 3, 2013March 13, 2019

“Harvard today has a significant digital footprint,” said Chief Digital Officer Perry Hewitt (left). “Not only for the 375,000 alumni we have worldwide, but also the people anywhere in the world who are able to connect and engage with Harvard content online.”

Austin sees Crimson

Harvard’s digital community convenes at South by Southwest

Science|

DateMarch 12, 2013July 26, 2019

“Students and their families have many questions about the affordability of college in challenging financial times," said William R. Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid. "They are reassured when they learn how our financial aid program makes it possible for students from modest and middle-income families to come to Harvard.”

Aid fuels record applications

Driven by financial assistance, 35,000 apply to Harvard College

Campus|

DateFebruary 22, 2013July 12, 2019

David Fan and Bob Adolf (left and center, seated at laptops) were second-place finishers in the IACS Computational Challenge. For the final challenge, students were tasked with designing a program to play foosball.

Competition that computes

Mastering virtual foosball in IACS challenge

Science|

DateJanuary 31, 2013March 15, 2019

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John A. Paulson’s $400 million gift will fuel School’s rapid growth in technology, engineering fields

Francis J. Doyle III, chemical engineering scholar at UC Santa Barbara, takes post in August

At year-end SEAS fair, students show what they built

Step by step, student group helps to sculpt computer science 2.0

Keith says new reports will likely boost deeper look at geoengineering concepts

Students serve up crafty solutions in Wintersession's jDesign workshop

Women in computer science discuss building on trailblazing career of Grace Hopper

While at Harvard, she deftly programmed Mark I, proving its versatility, author Walter Isaacson recounts

Former College dean, current director of undergrad studies in computer science, to step up Jan. 1

Lapp and Finnegan discuss financial report and ongoing challenges

Harvard students help restore clean water to Dominican mountain town

SEAS dean awarded medal for leadership in technology, innovation

Harvard team lays foundation for using biofilms to create self-healing materials and other technologies

Through commands, autonomous devices arrange selves into vast, complex shapes

Researchers give grade-schoolers a glimpse of scientific methods

Recognition for 'thinking practitioner' who has influenced world water policy for three decades

Deans name 18 student teams as finalists in three annual innovation challenges

Students hear from leaders in the field at SEAS conference

In January, grad students have had many options for sampling the new

Tiny oil droplets help measure forces produced by cells; new method could improve diagnosis of cancer, hypertension

FAS and others provide notes of thanks, support of student-led charity

University builds and renovates to meet modern needs, linking Schools and community

Gel-based audio speaker demonstrates capabilities of ionic conductors, long thought limited in application

3-D image created using just two frames from a stationary camera or microscope

Resilient, ultraslippery glass could lead to self-cleaning, scratch-resistant windows, lenses, and solar panels

Students create promising products, trying to help solve world problems

Panel discusses emerging ‘Digital Humanities’

Harvard’s digital community convenes at South by Southwest

Driven by financial assistance, 35,000 apply to Harvard College

Mastering virtual foosball in IACS challenge

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