2020 in review: The COVID-19 pandemic altered Northeastern’s year—but so much more happened, too by News@Northeastern - Contributor December 23, 2020 Share Facebook LinkedIn Twitter We transformed the Northeastern experience Our researchers led the way in the battle against COVID-19 Our community mobilized to help We made headlines We expanded opportunities for students 2020 We joined the call for racial justice We engaged with the world despite closed borders Our students excelled inside and outside the classroom We made discoveries and fueled innovation Our experts helped make sense of the world The Huskies continued to win … and readied to play again We captured it all And, in spite of a global pandemic, we still had fun show scroll arrow A A The year 2020 will be remembered for the many ways that COVID-19 reshaped connections between people around the world. The pandemic led to myriad changes for students, faculty, and staff across Northeastern’s global network of campuses. The community masked up, socialized from a distance, learned in-person and remotely—and kept adapting and moving forward, in many inspiring ways. Let’s take one last look back at 2020—while leaning hard into 2021. We transformed the Northeastern experience The university safely reopened the Boston campus and launched a state-of-the-art testing facility that processed more than 500,000 tests during the fall semester. NUFlex, a hybrid learning model that utilized new technology and flexible schedules, enabled students and faculty to learn and teach from anywhere at all hours. Northeastern’s Life Sciences Testing Center secures certifications to process the university’s coronavirus tests Northeastern introduces Hybrid NUflex, a safe, flexible way for students to learn anywhere Faced with isolation in the COVID-19 pandemic, Northeastern University community creates new ways to connect New outdoor dining takes picnicking to a new level Here’s how Northeastern’s Snell Library reinvented itself during the COVID-19 pandemic When theater moves online, actors get creative Meet the small army of cleaners who are keeping Northeastern safe Northeastern’s Husky Health Leaders are here with 5,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to battle COVID-19 Students sit down with President Aoun and discuss why they came back to campus Northeastern’s Life Sciences Testing Center secures certifications to process the university’s coronavirus tests Northeastern introduces Hybrid NUflex, a safe, flexible way for students to learn anywhere Faced with isolation in the COVID-19 pandemic, Northeastern University community creates new ways to connect New outdoor dining takes picnicking to a new level Here’s how Northeastern’s Snell Library reinvented itself during the COVID-19 pandemic When theater moves online, actors get creative Meet the small army of cleaners who are keeping Northeastern safe Northeastern’s Husky Health Leaders are here with 5,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to battle COVID-19 Students sit down with President Aoun and discuss why they came back to campus Our researchers led the way in the battle against COVID-19 Northeastern researchers created analytical models to advise the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and other national and international organizations about the spread of COVID-19; identified dozens of potential drugs to fight the virus; and studied the pandemic’s toll on mental health and public attitudes to vaccination. Northeastern models are helping shape US COVID-19 policy Network scientists identify 40 new drugs to test against COVID-19 Here’s how nanoparticles could help us get closer to a treatment for COVID-19 These new sensors can detect coronavirus particles on your breath, instantly Are there COVID-19 cases in your community? The answer may be in your sewer. What will the world be like after the COVID-19 pandemic? These researchers are using game design to find out. Bans on large gatherings? Stay-at-home orders? Which ‘social distancing’ policies are actually working? The coronavirus might have weak spots. Machine learning could help find them. Pandemic takes a toll on mental health of US residents, new national survey shows Think everyone will be clamoring to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Think again, a new national study says. Northeastern models are helping shape US COVID-19 policy Network scientists identify 40 new drugs to test against COVID-19 These new sensors can detect coronavirus particles on your breath, instantly These new sensors can detect coronavirus particles on your breath, instantly Are there COVID-19 cases in your community? The answer may be in your sewer. What will the world be like after the COVID-19 pandemic? These researchers are using game design to find out. Bans on large gatherings? Stay-at-home orders? Which ‘social distancing’ policies are actually working? The coronavirus might have weak spots. Machine learning could help find them. Pandemic takes a toll on mental health of US residents, new national survey shows Think everyone will be clamoring to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Think again, a new national study says. Our community mobilized to help From the earliest days of the public health emergency, Northeastern stepped up to help. In Boston, the university opened a residence hall to provide safe housing for frontline responders and dispatched students to work as hospital nurses and contact tracers. Students and alumni answered the call for personal protective equipment and other assistance. One graduate helped develop an interactive dashboard that enabled Indian authorities to grasp the real-time spread of COVID-19 and forecast infection rates. Northeastern opens Boston residence hall to first responders on front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic From the classroom to the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 has shut down many blood drives. Northeastern came to rescue this one. Public health authorities need help responding to COVID-19. Students are answering the call—by picking up the phone. Nursing students are helping to save lives in the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are their stories. The COVID-19 pandemic has left hospitals short of masks. This family is rallying to help. Back on the Boston campus, a Northeastern student plans to make face shields in his dorm and donate them He predicted the rise of COVID-19 cases. Now he’s helping contain the outbreak. A family business shifts gears to protect people on the front lines of COVID-19 Homeless populations have been hit hard by COVID-19. She’s stepping in to help. Northeastern opens Boston residence hall to first responders on front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic From the classroom to the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 has shut down many blood drives. Northeastern came to rescue this one. Public health authorities need help responding to COVID-19. Students are answering the call—by picking up the phone. Nursing students are helping to save lives in the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are their stories. The COVID-19 pandemic has left hospitals short of masks. This family is rallying to help. Back on the Boston campus, a Northeastern student plans to make face shields in his dorm and donate them He predicted the rise of COVID-19 cases. Now he’s helping contain the outbreak. A family business shifts gears to protect people on the front lines of COVID-19 Homeless populations have been hit hard by COVID-19. She’s stepping in to help. Northeastern made headlines The university’s research, discoveries, and innovations continue to make headlines in many of the world’s leading media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vice, the Financial Times, and The Wall Street Journal. A $100 Million Bet That Vacationland Can Be a Tech Hub, Too – The New York Times A Forest Submerged 60,000 Years Ago Could Save Your Life One Day – The New York Times The virus isn’t going away. That’s why campuses need to reopen. – The Washington Post A Computer-Science Program Takes a Dramatic Approach to Getting Students to Open Up – The Chronicle of Higher Education Social Distancing Plummeted In Lead-Up To Fall Surge, Survey Finds – NPR Mapping the Social Network of Coronavirus – The New York Times We’re Not Prepared to Track Disease Outbreaks in America’s Poorest ZIP Codes – Bloomberg Hidden Outbreaks Spread Through U.S. Cities Far Earlier Than Americans Knew, Estimates Say – The New York Times Adding A Nylon Stocking Layer Could Boost Protection From Cloth Masks, Study Finds – NPR Coronavirus Hit the U.S. Long Before We Knew – The Wall Street Journal Is ‘social distancing’ the wrong term? Expert prefers ‘physical distancing,’ and the WHO agrees. – The Washington Post Could Breathalyzers Make Covid Testing Quicker and Easier? – WIRED Massachusetts Virus Outbreak Looks Like Italy’s Just Two Weeks Ago – Bloomberg Meet the International Team Mapping the Real-Time Spread of the Coronavirus – VICE Smart speakers ‘accidentally’ record you up to 19 times per day – The Telegraph Coronavirus and the contagion of fear – CBS News Better disposable coffee cups – The Economist A $100 Million Bet That Vacationland Can Be a Tech Hub, Too – The New York Times A Forest Submerged 60,000 Years Ago Could Save Your Life One Day – The New York Times The virus isn’t going away. That’s why campuses need to reopen. – The Washington Post A Computer-Science Program Takes a Dramatic Approach to Getting Students to Open Up – The Chronicle of Higher Education Social Distancing Plummeted In Lead-Up To Fall Surge, Survey Finds – NPR Mapping the Social Network of Coronavirus – The New York Times We’re Not Prepared to Track Disease Outbreaks in America’s Poorest ZIP Codes – Bloomberg Hidden Outbreaks Spread Through U.S. Cities Far Earlier Than Americans Knew, Estimates Say – The New York Times Adding A Nylon Stocking Layer Could Boost Protection From Cloth Masks, Study Finds – NPR Coronavirus Hit the U.S. Long Before We Knew – The Wall Street Journal Is ‘social distancing’ the wrong term? Expert prefers ‘physical distancing,’ and the WHO agrees. – The Washington Post Could Breathalyzers Make Covid Testing Quicker and Easier? – WIRED Massachusetts Virus Outbreak Looks Like Italy’s Just Two Weeks Ago – Bloomberg Meet the International Team Mapping the Real-Time Spread of the Coronavirus – VICE Smart speakers ‘accidentally’ record you up to 19 times per day – The Telegraph Coronavirus and the contagion of fear – CBS News Better disposable coffee cups – The Economist We expanded opportunities for students The university launched the Roux Institute in Portland, Maine, a graduate and research campus that works closely with business partners to educate generations of talent for the digital and life sciences sectors. An initial $100 million from entrepreneur David Roux was followed by another $100 million grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation, enabling many more students to take part. Northeastern pledged $355 million in direct financial aid to students during the 2020-21 academic year, and awarded six grants to other universities to help recruit and retain more women in computer science programs. Northeastern partners with entrepreneur David Roux to launch the Roux Institute at Northeastern in Portland, Maine Northeastern’s Roux Institute receives a ‘phenomenal investment’ from the Harold Alfond Foundation Northeastern will provide more than $350M in financial aid. Millions more will support COVID-19 efforts. Northeastern awards grants to 6 universities to help increase the number of women in computer sciences Roux Institute partners with WEX on a new facility in Portland Northeastern to preserve and restore existing open space on Nahant campus and create permanent ecological study area Northeastern Northeastern’s Roux Institute receives a ‘phenomenal investment’ from the Harold Alfond Foundation Northeastern partners with entrepreneur David Roux to launch the Roux Institute at Northeastern in Portland, Maine Northeastern’s Roux Institute receives a ‘phenomenal investment’ from the Harold Alfond Foundation Northeastern will provide more than $350M in financial aid. Millions more will support COVID-19 efforts. Northeastern awards grants to 6 universities to help increase the number of women in computer sciences Roux Institute partners with WEX on a new facility in Portland Northeastern to preserve and restore existing open space on Nahant campus and create permanent ecological study area Northeastern Northeastern’s Roux Institute receives a ‘phenomenal investment’ from the Harold Alfond Foundation We joined the call for racial justice In the wake of the killing of George Floyd, Northeastern took a stand with countless others to protest anti-Black violence and systemic racism. University scholars contributed to the national dialogue on racial justice and social unrest. The university outlined new initiatives to improve the experience of Black members of the Northeastern community and convened events and conversations centered on unity, equality, and justice. Northeastern announces new initiatives to confront anti-Black discrimination A day for reflection, engagement, and action How do today’s Black Lives Matter protests compare to the civil rights movement of the 1960s? The long history of Juneteenth, and why the fight is not over yet Here’s what to read, listen to, and watch to better understand racism against Black people in the US Art is shaping how people talk about the Black Lives Matter movement Northeastern’s Racial Literacy series takes on Boston’s troubled history Reparations ‘essential’ to addressing systemic racial injustice, speakers say Northeastern announces new initiatives to confront anti-Black discrimination A day for reflection, engagement, and action How do today’s Black Lives Matter protests compare to the civil rights movement of the 1960s? The long history of Juneteenth, and why the fight is not over yet Here’s what to read, listen to, and watch to better understand racism against Black people in the US Art is shaping how people talk about the Black Lives Matter movement Northeastern’s Racial Literacy series takes on Boston’s troubled history Reparations ‘essential’ to addressing systemic racial injustice, speakers say We engaged with the world despite closed borders Northeastern joined the Trinity Challenge to collaborate with industry and public sector organizations in an effort to prevent the next pandemic. The university launched new partnerships for doctoral degrees in Hong Kong and Rome. And students and graduates continued to apply their skills and experiences the world over—in India, Ethiopia, Antarctica, and beyond. Northeastern joins the Trinity Challenge as founding partner to stop the next pandemic before it starts Northeastern launches new degrees in the U.K. to help employers grow their digital talent pool–inside the company 9 campuses, 9 pandemic situations New Ph.D partnerships in Hong Kong and Italy They’re planning to build a new space station… at the bottom of the ocean Stony coral tissue loss disease is sweeping through Caribbean reefs. Can these students find the answers? Penguins are starving as Antarctica gets warmer. Drones are counting the losses. He’s mixing Indian heritage into the global fashion scene Engineering students had a bright idea: A new kind of surgical lamp for doctors in Ethiopia The hidden side of Cairo These N.U.in students landed in Europe in the middle of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic–and came away the better for it Citing COVID-19 outbreak, Northeastern University president pushes for federal protections for F-1 visa holders Northeastern University holds Global Leadership Summit in Mumbai Northeastern joins the Trinity Challenge as founding partner to stop the next pandemic before it starts Northeastern launches new degrees in the U.K. to help employers grow their digital talent pool–inside the company 9 campuses, 9 pandemic situations New Ph.D partnerships in Hong Kong and Italy They’re planning to build a new space station… at the bottom of the ocean Stony coral tissue loss disease is sweeping through Caribbean reefs. Can these students find the answers? Penguins are starving as Antarctica gets warmer. Drones are counting the losses. He’s mixing Indian heritage into the global fashion scene Engineering students had a bright idea: A new kind of surgical lamp for doctors in Ethiopia The hidden side of Cairo These N.U.in students landed in Europe in the middle of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic–and came away the better for it Citing COVID-19 outbreak, Northeastern University president pushes for federal protections for F-1 visa holders Northeastern University holds Global Leadership Summit in Mumbai Our students excelled inside and outside the classroom Northeastern students created technology for people with visual impairments, developed a robotic system to help astronauts explore permanently shadowed regions of the moon, and repaired essential medical equipment in low-income countries. Northeastern students were recipients of the Truman, Fulbright and Goldwater scholarships, among other honors. He adapted to life with low vision. Now he wants to make it easier for others. Black people are underrepresented in medical research. She wants to change that. This Fulbright scholar wants to find ways to prevent or slow the spread of cancer This Truman Scholar is solving global health issues on a local level NASA is going back to the moon. Northeastern University students are designing robots to explore the terrain To amplify Black voices, the Nor’easters sang a message–and celebrities are listening He adapted to life with low vision. Now he wants to make it easier for others. Black people are underrepresented in medical research. She wants to change that. This Fulbright scholar wants to find ways to prevent or slow the spread of cancer This Truman Scholar is solving global health issues on a local level NASA is going back to the moon. Northeastern University students are designing robots to explore the terrain To amplify Black voices, the Nor’easters sang a message–and celebrities are listening We made discoveries and fueled innovation The groundbreaking efforts of Northeastern researchers led to a new generation of autonomous robots, an improvement in the prevention of Lyme disease and breakthroughs in treating the effects of childhood trauma on the brain. Researchers also observed the bizarre sexual behavior of shipworms and studied the abilities of a rat that could see, hear, and smell with barely any brain. Researchers observe the bizarre sexual behavior of shipworms for the first time Childhood trauma changes your brain. But it doesn’t have to be permanent. Intestinal bacteria could give doctors an objective test for chronic Lyme disease Deep neural networks are coming to your phone. Here’s how that could change your life. He’s building the next generation of autonomous robots A rat had basically no brain. But it could still see, hear, smell, and feel. How a freeloading worm might help us live healthier, longer lives Physicists may have accidentally discovered a new state of matter. The possibilities are endless. The future of manufacturing will be data-driven. Are we up to the task? They’re using virtual reality to ensure patients get safe and effective drugs Cells in your airway talk to each other. For some, what they say can trigger an asthma attack. To predict our future climate, they’re digging into the mud of the past He’s launching his research into space Researchers observe the bizarre sexual behavior of shipworms for the first time Childhood trauma changes your brain. But it doesn’t have to be permanent. Intestinal bacteria could give doctors an objective test for chronic Lyme disease Deep neural networks are coming to your phone. Here’s how that could change your life. He’s building the next generation of autonomous robots A rat had basically no brain. But it could still see, hear, smell, and feel. How a freeloading worm might help us live healthier, longer lives Physicists may have accidentally discovered a new state of matter. The possibilities are endless. The future of manufacturing will be data-driven. Are we up to the task? They’re using virtual reality to ensure patients get safe and effective drugs Cells in your airway talk to each other. For some, what they say can trigger an asthma attack. To predict our future climate, they’re digging into the mud of the past He’s launching his research into space Our experts helped make sense of the world In media reports, Northeastern experts weighed in on the presidential election and all things COVID-19, offering crucial insight on how misinformation spreads, the psychological toll of the pandemic, and the development of the vaccine. The polls were still way off in the 2020 election—even after accounting for 2016’s errors Who gets a COVID-19 vaccine first–and how do you decide? ‘Zoom fatigue’ is real. Here’s why you’re feeling it, and what you can do about it. 30M tweets about COVID-19, and not all of them contain the truth. Who’s spreading misinformation? Police weren’t indicted for the killing of Breonna Taylor. What happened? Puerto Rico has weathered 500 earthquakes in two weeks. How does it rebuild? Pantyhose? Toilet paper? Coffee filters? Which materials make the best masks to stop the coronavirus? Did anyone really win the first presidential debate? No, the vaccine will not give you COVID-19 What would it mean to ‘defund’ the police–and what would come next? Think everyone will be clamoring to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Think again, a new national study says. Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves behind an unmatched legacy. How might her death shape the 2020 election and beyond? Was ‘stand back and stand by’ a rallying cry for the Proud Boys? Here’s how to deflate extremist fringe groups. Does the public have a right to know the state of President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis? Young people are talking politics on TikTok. Is this a good thing? The polls were still way off in the 2020 election—even after accounting for 2016’s errors Who gets a COVID-19 vaccine first–and how do you decide? ‘Zoom fatigue’ is real. Here’s why you’re feeling it, and what you can do about it. 30M tweets about COVID-19, and not all of them contain the truth. Who’s spreading misinformation? Police weren’t indicted for the killing of Breonna Taylor. What happened? Puerto Rico has weathered 500 earthquakes in two weeks. How does it rebuild? Pantyhose? Toilet paper? Coffee filters? Which materials make the best masks to stop the coronavirus? Did anyone really win the first presidential debate? No, the vaccine will not give you COVID-19 What would it mean to ‘defund’ the police–and what would come next? Think everyone will be clamoring to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Think again, a new national study says. Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves behind an unmatched legacy. How might her death shape the 2020 election and beyond? Was ‘stand back and stand by’ a rallying cry for the Proud Boys? Here’s how to deflate extremist fringe groups. Does the public have a right to know the state of President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis? Young people are talking politics on TikTok. Is this a good thing? The Huskies continued to win … and readied to play again Under strict safety guidelines, Northeastern athletes won big. Both ice hockey teams swept the Beanpot for the first time since 1988. The Huskies secured their second overall esports title. And the men’s basketball team advanced to the Colonial Athletic Association championship game for a third straight year. A Beanpot sweep is just the beginning for Northeastern hockey It’s a Beanpot three-peat for Northeastern Northeastern esports wins national championship in Hearthstone Northeastern advances in CAA tournament with 72-62 win over Towson COVID-19 forced Northeastern to suspend sports in the fall. That doesn’t mean the games are over. The next wave of varsity athletes will play Overwatch, League of Legends, Rocket League, and Hearthstone This Northeastern basketball player dreams of a career in fashion From Matthews Arena to the Stanley Cup Final How Kobe Bryant influenced the Huskies Alina Mueller dreamed of winning a national championship. Then COVID-19 arrived. ‘I will be so thankful to be on the ice’ A Beanpot sweep is just the beginning for Northeastern hockey It’s a Beanpot three-peat for Northeastern Northeastern esports wins national championship in Hearthstone Northeastern advances in CAA tournament with 72-62 win over Towson COVID-19 forced Northeastern to suspend sports in the fall. That doesn’t mean the games are over. The next wave of varsity athletes will play Overwatch, League of Legends, Rocket League, and Hearthstone This Northeastern basketball player dreams of a career in fashion From Matthews Arena to the Stanley Cup Final How Kobe Bryant influenced the Huskies Alina Mueller dreamed of winning a national championship. Then COVID-19 arrived. ‘I will be so thankful to be on the ice’ We captured it all We augmented our rich storytelling with stellar photography, award-winning videos and films, and innovative design. Best photos of 2020 Inside the lab that tests Northeastern for the coronavirus This is what it looks like when you turn Northeastern’s Matthews Arena into a polling place Your voice. Your vote. ‘The Roux Institute at Northeastern is a game-changer’ “Murder in Mobile” honored with a Regional Emmy Award for best documentary “She was Northeastern’s first ‘Woman of the Year’ Here’s a look at all the new construction on Northeastern’s campus this year Fewer people are using public transportation in the US. Here’s why that’s trouble in the long run. How many city dwellers across the US have access to parks and green space? Perfect your video-conferencing skills with these simple tips Around the world, people stopped going to restaurants—before governments told them to stay home Best photos of 2020 Inside the lab that tests Northeastern for the coronavirus This is what it looks like when you turn Northeastern’s Matthews Arena into a polling place Your voice. Your vote. ‘The Roux Institute at Northeastern is a game-changer’ “Murder in Mobile” honored with a Regional Emmy Award for best documentary She was Northeastern’s first ‘Woman of the Year’ Here’s a look at all the new construction on Northeastern’s campus this year Fewer people are using public transportation in the US. Here’s why that’s trouble in the long run. How many city dwellers across the US have access to parks and green space? Perfect your video-conferencing skills with these simple tips Around the world, people stopped going to restaurants—before governments told them to stay home And, in spite of a global pandemic, we still had fun Through it all, we still made sure to have a good time. Masks of Northeastern The COVID-19 pandemic pushed this student exercise club to the top of Northeastern’s Columbus Avenue garage What’s cooking in kitchens across the Northeastern community? Your Northeastern journey begins with these safety tips Build your own snowflake Here are the best Jack-o’-Lanterns from this year’s pumpkin carving contest You’re not hearing things, a jazz quartet is jamming live on Northeastern’s campus Get fired up with the Northeastern Dance Team Masks of Northeastern The COVID-19 pandemic pushed this student exercise club to the top of Northeastern’s Columbus Avenue garage What’s cooking in kitchens across the Northeastern community? Your Northeastern journey begins with these safety tips Build your own snowflake Here are the best Jack-o’-Lanterns from this year’s pumpkin carving contest You’re not hearing things, a jazz quartet is jamming live on Northeastern’s campus Get fired up with the Northeastern Dance Team hide scroll arrow