Harvard Alumni Association

In this faculty conversation from Your Harvard: Miami, evolutionary geneticist Hopi Hoekstra, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology and Curator of Mammals in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, and art historian Jennifer Roberts, Elizabeth Cary Agassiz Professor of the Humanities, had a discussion about the power of observation and what reconstructing the past can tell us about our future. Joining them as facilitator for this discussion was acclaimed author, television writer, and producer Susan Fales-Hill AB ’84. Recorded in Miami, Florida, on February 16, 2016

Vanished: A Brush with Science and Art

In this faculty conversation from Your Harvard: Singapore, Sunil Amrith, Mehra Family Professor of South Asian Studies and Professor of History; Tobias Walther, Professor of Genetics and Complex Diseases and Professor of Cell Biology; and facilitator Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine AB ’92, MPP ’96, examine how the collaborative nature of research at Harvard is producing pathbreaking approaches to the world’s most complex issues. Recorded in Singapore, on March 19, 2017.

Along the Road to Discovery

In this HAA Alumni Education event, Susan Morris Novick AB '85 moderates and participates in a conversation addressing  the ways in which women are working collaboratively and independently to improve lives in various fields such as the arts, the financial industry, and the tech industry.  Discussions include topics such as Broadway, Wall Street, volunteerism, empowerment, and entrepreneurship.  Panelists include Professor Diane Paulus AB '88, Vanessa Liu AB '96 JD '03, Monica Mandelli MBA '98, and Shirley Rumierk AB '99.  Recorded in New York, on March 8, 2017.

Women of Action: Agents of Change and Connection

In this HAA Alumni Education event, Dr. Madina Agénor   ScD '13 provided an overview of intersectionality and discussed how research studies, public health programs, and clinical interventions have incorporated the tenets of intersectionality to promote access to health care and health among diverse groups of LGBTQ individuals. Dr. Agénor also outlined ways that future LGBTQ health research and practice can utilize intersectionality to advance the health of sexual and gender minorities whose needs have historically been ignored.  Recorded on April 4th, 2017.

Intersectionality Matters: LGTBQ Health Care in a Changing World

In this faculty conversation from Harvard Today: A Faculty Forum, Dean Michael D. Smith moderates TED-style talks with three prominent faculty members. Vincent Brown RF '06, Charles Warren Professor of American History and Professor of African and African American Studies, discusses how new media and digital technology enhance and innovate the presentation of multimedia history and digital humanities by using a slave revolt in Jamaica as an example; Karin Öberg, Thomas D. Cabot Associate Professor of Astronomy, discusses how astronomers determine the amount of habitable planets there are in the universe in studying the chemistry of planets; and David R. Foster, Director of the Harvard Forest and Senior Lecturer on Biology, discusses how nature & society adapt and cope with global changes and the role of academia has in addressing these issues.

Harvard Today: A Faculty Forum

In this faculty conversation from Your Harvard: Twin Cities, Archon Fung, academic dean and Ford Foundation Professor of Democracy and Citizenship, Harvard Kennedy School; Sarah Lewis AB ’01, assistant professor of history of art and architecture and African American studies; and Erik Takeshita MPA ’06, community creativity portfolio director, Bush Foundation, discuss art’s relationship with social action and how it may foster democracy and strengthen communities by challenging our thinking, inspiring empathy and civic participation, and furthering intellectual exploration.

The Art of Change

In this HAA Alumni Education event, Dr. Neel Joshi and Dr. Anna Duraj-Thatte of Harvard's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences discussed the intersection between synthetic biology and materials science as an underexplored area with great potential to positively affect our daily lives, with applications ranging from manufacturing to medicine. Dr. Joshi outlined ways that his lab at the Wyss Institute is looking at reprogramming bacteria in a wide variety of purposes such as surface applications, healthcare, and even potential means of environmental cleanup. Dr. Duraj-Thatte reviewed the means that the bacteria she works with can be used for creating biofilms that can have rigid form and could be used to create synthetic biological building materials. Recorded on June 27th, 2017.

Biofilms: Reprogramming Bacteria to Improve Lives

In this HAA Alumni Education event, Dr. Amy Wagers of the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology and the Wagers Laboratory will discuss the research being done in her lab surrounding gene editing, muscle stem cells, and potential new therapies for muscle diseases.  Dr. Wagers first reviewed the process of protein production in the human body, and then began the discussion in which some diseases, like Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, can be treated by making edits to the genes so that dystropin production can resume in the cells.  Recorded on September 6th, 2017

Gene-Editing: Therapeutic Strategies for Muscle Disease

In this Question + Create: A Harvard Alumni Gathering on the Arts morning plenary, moderator Susan Fales-Hill AB ’84; Claire Chase, Professor of the Practice of Music; Daniel Byers, John R. and Barbara Robinson Family Director of the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts at Harvard University; and Cassandra Extavour, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, have a conversation about the role of the arts in a research university. Attendees took part in an interactive musical performance with Professor Chase. Opening remarks by Jack Megan, Director of the Office of the Arts at Harvard University.

Question + Create: Irreplaceable Instruments

In this Question + Create: A Harvard Alumni Gathering on the Arts event, moderator Kelley Johnson Purcell AB ’02 discussed the social impact of art with panelists April Bang MPP ’06, Robert Kraft AB ’76,  and Suzanne Nossel AB ’91, JD ’96. Hosted by Robert Kraft AB ’76.

Question + Create: Art + Social Impact

In this Question + Create: A Harvard Alumni Gathering on the Arts event, Craig Lambert AB ’69, PhD ’74 moderated a conversation with Claude Cormier MDS ’94, Jonathan Guyer RI ’18, and Nell Scovell AB ’82 about the use of satire in art, and satire as an art form. Hosted by Jennifer Luce MDes ’94.

Question + Create: Art + Satire

In this Question + Create: A Harvard Alumni Gathering on the Arts afternoon plenary, Arthur Cohen MBA ’88 moderated a conversation with Gish Jen AB ’77 and Franklin Leonard AB ’00 on how a life in the arts may take many turns over a person’s lifetime. Welcoming remarks by Robin Kelsey, Shirley Carter Burden Professor of Photography and Dean of Arts and Humanities at Harvard University.

Question + Create: Life and Leadership in the Arts

In this Question + Create: A Harvard Alumni Gathering on the Arts event, Ethan W. Lasser, head of the Division of European and American Art and the Theodore E. Stebbins Jr. Curator of American Art, presented on Harvard’s Philosophy Chamber, which between 1766 and 1860 played a vital role in research and teaching at Harvard while also serving as the center of artistic and intellectual life in the greater New England region. Hosted by Ellen Gordon Reeves AB ’83 EdM ’86.

Question + Create: The Philosophy Chamber

In this Question + Create: A Harvard Alumni Gathering on the Arts event, Meredith “Max” Hodges AB ’03 MBA ’10 hosted an interactive conversation with Whitney Cover EdM ’15, Lisa Wong AB ’79, Alen Agaronov, ScD Student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the audience on the link between well-being and the arts.

Question + Create: Art + Well-Being

In this Question + Create: A Harvard Alumni Gathering on the Arts event, Amy Chu MBA ’99, Henry McGee AB ’74 MBA ’79, and Andrea Zuniga EdM ’16 joined moderator Dr. Karen Jackson-Weaver of Harvard Kennedy School in a conversation on the arts and the cultural and racial inequalities that still exist within them.  Hosted by the Harvard Black Alumni Society, the Harvard Arab Alumni Association, the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance, and the Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance.

Question + Create: Adding Color to the Arts

In this faculty conversation from Your Harvard: Washington, D.C., Tomiko Nagin-Brown, Daniel P.S. Paul Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard Law School and Professor of History in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences; Roland G. Fryer, Jr. Henry Lee Professor of Economics and Faculty Director of the Education Innovation Laboratory; and James E. Ryan, Dean of the Faculty of Education and Charles William Eliot Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education; examine the challenges geographic disparity present in determining educational opportunity, and reflect on the transformative power of education for upward mobility, prosperity, and advancing equal opportunity. Moderated by Albert R. Hunt, this conversation was recorded on November 13, 2017 at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Education is the Civil Rights Issue of Our Time

In this faculty conversation from Harvard Today: A Faculty Forum, Dean Michael D. Smith moderates TED-style talks with three prominent faculty members. Ali Asani AB '77, Professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Cultures, discusses religious literacy and how the arts can foster an understanding of Islam and Muslin societies; Peter Galison AB ’77, Joseph Pellegrino University Professor, Director of Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, discusses theories of Einstein, film and relativity, and physics; and Laurel Thatcher Ulrich RAE ’16, 300th Anniversary Professor, discusses memory, historical objects, and bringing history to life. Opening remarks by Philip Lovejoy, Executive Director of the Harvard Alumni Association.

In this faculty conversation from Your Harvard: San Francisco, Michael Puett, Walter C. Klein Professor of Chinese History and Professor of Anthropology;  Susan M. Dymecki, Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School; and interlocutor Charlene Li AB '88, MBA '93 explore what it means to be human and what gives life purpose. Introductions provided by Susan M. Novick AB '85 and Eric F. Douglas AB '72. This conversation was recorded on February 14, 2018 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

The Heart of the Matter

Dean Michael D. Smith moderates TED-style talks with two prominent faculty members for an audience of reunioning alumni. Lisa McGirr RF '13, Professor of History, discusses the lasting effects the Prohibition era has had on America including the rise the FBI and the federal government's power, creating the groundwork for the eventual "War on Drugs", and the start of mass incarcerations for alcohol and drug offenses. Fiery Cushman AB '03, PhD '08, Assistant Professor of Psychology, discusses our natural aversion to doing harm to each other, habit learning, and how critical thinking taught in undergraduate education plays a role into psychological research.

As part of the Spring 2019 Reunion programming, faculty members Dr. William Pirl MD '94, MPH '08, RF '14 and Dr. Jamie Jacobs speak to an audience of reunioning alumni about their co-taught course, "Fighting Cancer with the Mind". Using 'do psychological factors influence cancer survival?' as central question in the course they teach, Dr. Pirl and Dr. Jacobs walk through their profession of psycho-oncology and the topics they cover with their students. Dr. William Pirl is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and is the Vice Chair for Psychosocial Oncology in the Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Pallative Care at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Jamie Jacobs, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a clinical psychologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center in the Center for Psychiatric Oncology and Behavioral Sciences.

Transcript: https://hrvd.me/fac

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