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Campus & Community
Harvard Gazette’s top stories of 2018
Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer
Celebration, exploration, reflection, and insight from the University and beyond
As a new year approaches, we look back at some of the Gazette’s most-read and best-loved stories of 2018.
Campus Life
These were the stories that made us laugh, cry, and connect to each other
“Facing the future, Lewis and Faust see reason for hope”
by Alvin Powell
In a time of uncertainty, Congressman Lewis and then-President Faust urged the graduating class to rise to the challenge of a world in need of leadership.
“Harvard names Lawrence S. Bacow as 29th president”
After an extensive search supported by faculty, students, staff, and alumni, Harvard welcomed its 29th president.
Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer
“Not just a humanities cat”
by Rose Lincoln
After four years at Harvard, Remy the cat has had pretty much the full Harvard experience.
Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer
“It’s Housing Day, with snowballs”
by Aaron Goldman
First-year students battled the snow to learn where they’d live next.
Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer
“When her life is over, she’ll have lived”
by Jill Radsken
Harvard senior Elsie Tellier uses courage, strength, sadness, and compassion to respond to her lethal disease.
“Spreading the word on college admissions”
by Liz Mineo
Harvard students developed a college admissions guide to help others traverse the competitive path.
“Bringing a dying language back to life”
by Brigid O’Rourke
Through Harvard’s Project Teach program, an instructor is teaching seventh-graders the origin of the Gullah language.
Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer
“Mourning Devah Pager”
by Jill Radsken
Harvard mourned the loss of Devah Pager, an academic “force of nature,” remembered for her trailblazing scholarship and extraordinary mentorship.
From the Lab
These were the stories that explored the world around us and the mysteries within us
“When science meets mindfulness”
by Alvin Powell
The first in a series that looked at the expanding research on mindfulness and stress.
“How fast can we run?”
by Alvin Powell
The chair of the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology discussed the body’s triumphs and limits.
“Microbes by the mile”
by Deborah Blackwell
Harvard researchers shared the beauty of the microscopic world.
This timelapse shows a few days of growth in an incubator after making a handprint. Each colony that grows contains millions of individual bacteria and originated from invisible cells present on the hand.
Video by Scott Chimileski and Michael Baym/Harvard Medical School
“Five healthy habits to live by”
by Karen Feldscher
Harvard Chan researchers looked at over 25 years of data to get a better idea of which habits are the healthiest.
“Songs in the key of humanity”
by Peter Reuell
A Harvard study questioned whether music is more universal than we previously thought.
The Year in Pictures
These were the stories that were too big for just words
“The center in the crossroads”
Students and staff embraced Harvard’s new Smith Campus Center.
Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer
Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer
Photo by Liza Voll
Photo by Liza Voll
“The ending as beginning: Commencement ‘18”
There were cheers and tears at the 367th Commencement ceremony.
Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer
Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer
Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
“Beauty in the eye of the microscope”
by Rachel Traughber
New tools helped Harvard researchers display the world in unexpected and compelling ways.
“Playing The Game, both past and present”
by Jon Chase
The celebration transcended generations when Harvard beat Yale at Fenway Park.
Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer
Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer
Photo by Olivia Falcigno
“Catching up with the class of ‘48”
by Jon Chase
A wonderful look at the lives of alumni at 90 and beyond.
Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer
Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer
Deep Dives
These were the in-depth stories that our readers couldn’t put down
“‘What the hell — why don’t I just go to Harvard and turn my life upside down?’”
by Colleen Walsh
Part of the Experience series, then-President Drew Faust opened up about family, history, and the illness that urged her forward.
Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer
“Onward and upward, robots”
by Alvin Powell
First in a series on cutting-edge research at Harvard, researchers showed off the unique approaches they are taking with robotics.
Thousands of Kilobots from Radhika Nagpal’s lab work together to complete tasks.
Video by SEAS
“‘The greatest gift you can have is a good education, one that isn’t strictly professional’”
by Liz Mineo
Howard Gardner talked about his secret to a successful career and a happy life.
“A summer of service to cities”
by Christina Pazzanese
The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative is working to help city officials be more effective and train the next generation.
“‘To be horrified by inequality and early death and not have any kind of plan for responding — that would not work for me’”
by Alvin Powell
Paul Farmer talked about making impoverished lives his life work.
Photo by Rebecca E. Rollins/Partners In Health
Social Media
These were the stories that we had to share
Follow Harvard on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to see more great moments from the past year.
