Learning from Harvard’s “Art Whisperer”
Objects of art—19th-century European paintings, 17th-century Native American bows, and vases from Greek antiquity—speak to cultural historian Ivan Gaskell, and he wants students to hear what they have to say.
Mather’s Masters: Sandra Naddaff and Leigh Hafrey
Sixteen years ago, it took just three minutes for Sandra Naddaff and Leigh Hafrey to decide to become House masters. Naddaff became master in 1992, with Hafrey as her co-master.
The Conleys of Kirkland House
Ring the bell at Kirkland’s Masters’ Residence and be greeted by Brandi and Jesse, the Conleys’ big, fluffy Bernese Mountain dogs. Right away, they—the Conleys and their pets—make Kirkland feel like home, one that provides Kirkland residents with guidance and community to sustain them throughout their undergraduate years.
Professorships Celebrate Jeremy R. Knowles
Harvard has named Thomas P. Maniatis the first Jeremy R. Knowles Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, thanks to a professorship established by Thomas H. Lee ’65. David K. ’61 and Carol Richards have established the Jeremy and Jane Knowles Professorship of History and Economics. Emma Rothschild, one of the leading historians of the Enlightenment, was recently appointed to this chair.
Read »Gary King creates statistical and analytical tools to probe public opinion
Gary King wonders how many calories you burn daily. The David Florence Professor of Government would also like to know how much you spent last year on consumer goods and how many people you interacted with yesterday as indicated by data collected on your cell phone.
Nicholas Christakis examines the impact of social networks on individuals’ health
“What does it mean both for individual health and the health of populations that people are embedded in sociologically and mathematically complex social networks?” My research group explores the idea that because people are interconnected, their health is also interconnected.”
Mahzarin Banaji uncovers contradictions between our conscious thoughts and unconscious beliefs
“I am interested in the human mind as it operates in a social world. My motivation is like that of all scientists—a desire to understand important aspects of reality, the thrill of discovery, the possibility that new knowledge can be applied to improving the condition of living beings.”
Niall Ferguson illuminates historic upheavals by analyzing financial markets
“My research is motivated by the feeling that historians have tended to underestimate the importance of financial markets in modern history, and that the great upheavals of our times can be illuminated by looking at the prices of securities, exchange rates, and other market data.”
