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Photos: Outdoor studies, water droplets and a flexible robot

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Architectural view of Northeastern University's Boston campus, partially framed by dramatic shadows and angles from an overhead structure. The white building with 'NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY' signage stands behind a bright orange fence and green trees, captured on a sunny day.
The sun brightens one building and casts a shadow at another on Northeastern’s Boston campus. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

From the koi pond to Centennial Common to the Curry Student Center, many students were studying outdoors for finals this week as the sunny summer weather shone brightly on the Boston campus. Doctoral students worked on a soft-arm cleaning robot that moves like an elephant’s trunk in the robotics bay of the EXP research complex. Northeastern mechanical and industrial engineering professor Xiaoyu Tang and her team worked on water droplets research at the university’s Multiphase Transport Research Lab that could make 3D printers more precise. And Northeastern professor Yi Zheng continued his research on developing a solar-powered water desalination system before the Fulbright Scholar travels to Australia to work with other researchers.

A Northeastern student studies on a laptop while seated in a wooden chair under tall trees on a sunny day at Centennial Common during finals week.
08/11/25 – BOSTON, MA. – A student studies during finals week on Aug. 11, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
A person with a backpack walks along a sunlit path near Curry Student Center at Northeastern University, surrounded by lush summer greenery.
08/11/25 – BOSTON, MA. – A member of the Northeastern community walks past Curry Student Center on Aug. 11, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
Two people sit in bright red Adirondack chairs beside Northeastern’s koi pond, surrounded by dense green trees and summer foliage.
08/11/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Members of the Northeastern community relax near the koi pond on Aug. 11, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
A honeybee hovers mid-air next to a vibrant purple flower, gathering nectar against a soft green background.
Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

A high school intern adjusts wires on a complex robot while a Northeastern Ph.D. student observes in a bright, modern robotics lab.
08/11/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Jakub Kowalewski, a phd student in mechatronics at Northeastern, and high school intern Alyssa Ugent work on the SCCRUB robot in the EXP robotics bay on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Close-up of the SCCRUB robot’s circular head covered with bright yellow bristles, held by a student during a robotics project in Northeastern’s EXP robotics bay.
08/11/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Jakub Kowalewski, a phd student in mechatronics at Northeastern, and high school intern Alyssa Ugent work on the SCCRUB robot in the EXP robotics bay on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Close-up of two students’ hands with purple nail polish adjusting intricate circular wire components on the SCCRUB robot under red lighting in Northeastern’s EXP robotics bay.
08/11/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Jakub Kowalewski, a phd student in mechatronics at Northeastern, and high school intern Alyssa Ugent work on the SCCRUB robot in the EXP robotics bay on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Jakub Kowalewski, a PhD student in mechatronics at Northeastern, adjusts components on the SCCRUB robot in the EXP robotics bay, surrounded by tools and natural light from large windows.
08/11/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Jakub Kowalewski, a phd student in mechatronics at Northeastern, and high school intern Alyssa Ugent work on the SCCRUB robot in the EXP robotics bay on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Jakub Kowalewski, a PhD student in mechatronics at Northeastern, adjusts the vertical frame of the SCCRUB robot while high school intern Alyssa Ugent kneels beside him with a laptop, analyzing data in the EXP robotics bay. The spacious lab is filled with equipment, desks, and large windows overlooking the city.
08/11/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Jakub Kowalewski, a phd student in mechatronics at Northeastern, and high school intern Alyssa Ugent work on the SCCRUB robot in the EXP robotics bay on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Photos by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
A woman with dark hair and a warm smile stands behind a glass window, wearing a black blazer over a white blouse. Natural light filters through the glass, reflecting greenery and soft shapes from the outside environment.
Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
A researcher wearing bright blue gloves carefully handles a sample beneath a light source in a lab setting, studying nanoscale materials for solar energy applications at Northeastern University’s Mugar Life Sciences Building.
08/12/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Yi Zheng, associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, studies nanoscale functional materials for energy applications – especially solar energy in Mugar Life Sciences Building on Aug. 12, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University on Aug. 12, 2025.
Yi Zheng, associate professor at Northeastern University, viewed through a circular lab aperture as he examines nanoscale materials under bright lab lights, focusing on innovations in solar energy research.
08/12/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Yi Zheng, associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, studies nanoscale functional materials for energy applications – especially solar energy in Mugar Life Sciences Building on Aug. 12, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University on Aug. 12, 2025.
A researcher wearing blue gloves carefully handles a block of insulating foam material within a structural test frame at Northeastern University, part of Yi Zheng’s lab work on solar energy innovations using nanoscale functional materials.
08/12/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Yi Zheng, associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, studies nanoscale functional materials for energy applications – especially solar energy in Mugar Life Sciences Building on Aug. 12, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University on Aug. 12, 2025.
Yi Zheng, wearing safety glasses, examines a solar energy experiment under bright, refracted light beams in a lab at Northeastern University, using high-intensity equipment to study nanoscale materials for sustainable energy solutions.
08/12/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Yi Zheng, associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, studies nanoscale functional materials for energy applications – especially solar energy in Mugar Life Sciences Building on Aug. 12, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University on Aug. 12, 2025.
Close-up of gloved hands holding two square material samples—one black and one white—used in solar energy research at Northeastern University, showcasing the contrast in nanoscale functional materials studied by Professor Yi Zheng.
08/12/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Yi Zheng, associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, studies nanoscale functional materials for energy applications – especially solar energy in Mugar Life Sciences Building on Aug. 12, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University on Aug. 12, 2025.
Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
A woman smiles warmly while standing outdoors among green leaves, wearing a cream-colored button-down shirt. Sunlight filters through the foliage, creating a soft, natural background.
Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
A student with a backpack walks past a brick building on Northeastern University’s Boston campus, silhouetted in shadow against the sunlit wall. The contrast between light and dark highlights the architectural texture and campus atmosphere.
08/13/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Students walk through Northeastern’s Boston campus on Aug. 13, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
Exterior view of Northeastern University’s Boston campus buildings framed by the jagged silhouette of an overhang. The word “NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY” is prominently displayed on the modern facade, emphasizing the urban academic setting.
08/13/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Stock photo of Northeastern’s Boston campus on Aug. 13, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
A student in white clothing walks through Northeastern University’s Boston campus, surrounded by lush green trees and red-brick buildings in the background. The scene captures a peaceful, shaded moment on campus in late summer.
08/13/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Students walk through Northeastern’s Boston campus on Aug. 13, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
Two students walk through a sunlit path on Northeastern University’s Boston campus, framed by dramatic shadows and architectural structures. The contrast between the bright walkway and the surrounding darkness emphasizes the golden hour lighting.
08/13/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Students walk through Northeastern’s Boston campus on Aug. 13, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
A woman with curly dark hair and a sleeveless royal blue top smiles softly while glancing over her shoulder in an outdoor setting filled with greenery and blurred café-style chairs.
Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
A person holds a smartphone displaying the MyHealthPal app, which lists patient profiles and health risk levels, as light beams reflect dramatically across the screen in a dark setting. The app is designed to help doctors detect surgical site infections early using AI.
08/015/25 – BEDFORD, MA. – Scenes from Predictive Healthcare in Bedford, MA on Aug. 15, 2025. The company’s product, MyHealthPal, is focused on reducing surgical site infections by helping doctors detect them earlier through AI technology. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
A silhouetted figure points to a brightly lit screen displaying colorful charts and graphs from the MyHealthPal app, showing surgical procedure statistics. The dashboard highlights bariatric, orthopedic, and vascular surgeries with a pie chart and performance timeline.
08/015/25 – BEDFORD, MA. – Scenes from Predictive Healthcare in Bedford, MA on Aug. 15, 2025. The company’s product, MyHealthPal, is focused on reducing surgical site infections by helping doctors detect them earlier through AI technology. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
Three team members at Predictive Healthcare—Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Berman, CEO Talal Ali Ahmad, and Client Relationship Associate Hailey Koppelman—collaborate on laptops in a bright office. A monitor behind them displays the Predictive Healthcare logo.
08/015/25 – BEDFORD, MA. – Jeff Berman, Chief Commercial Officer, Talal Ali Ahmad, CEO and Hailey Koppelman, Client Relationship Associate, poses for photos at Predictive Healthcare in Bedford, MA on Aug. 15, 2025. The company’s product, MyHealthPal, is focused on reducing surgical site infections by helping doctors detect them earlier through AI technology. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
Northeastern professor Xiaoyu Tang and mechanical engineering student Boqian Yan conduct research on liquid droplets using scientific instruments in a lab at the Egan Research Center. Both wear safety glasses and blue lab coats.
08/12/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Xiaoyu Tang, Northeastern professor of mechanical and industrial engineering and chemical engineering, and Boqian Yan, a fourth year mechanical engineering student, perform research on liquid droplets in the Egan Research Center lab on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Close-up of a scientific instrument analyzing liquid droplets under purple laboratory lighting, part of Xiaoyu Tang’s research at Northeastern University’s Egan Research Center.
08/12/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Xiaoyu Tang, Northeastern professor of mechanical and industrial engineering and chemical engineering, does research on liquid droplets in her Egan Research Center lab on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Langqi Xing, a Northeastern mechanical engineering student, examines a sample through a microscope in a research lab, surrounded by scientific equipment and blue lighting.
08/12/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Langqi Xing, a third year mechanical engineering student, looks through a microscope in professor Xiaoyu Tang’s lab in the Egan Research Center on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Northeastern professor Xiaoyu Tang conducts research on liquid droplets in the Egan Research Center lab, carefully adjusting a syringe mounted on experimental equipment while wearing protective goggles and a blue lab coat.
08/12/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Xiaoyu Tang, Northeastern professor of mechanical and industrial engineering and chemical engineering, does research on liquid droplets in her Egan Research Center lab on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
A surreal photo of a red water droplet.
08/12/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Xiaoyu Tang, Northeastern professor of mechanical and industrial engineering and chemical engineering, does research on liquid droplets in her Egan Research Center lab on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Photos by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
A vibrant magenta lily flower in mid-bloom emerges from the water in the Koi Pond at a Boston arboretum, dramatically lit against a dark background with a soft-focus lily pad behind it.
08/14/25 – BOSTON, MA. – A lily blooms in the Koi Pond in the arboretum in Boston on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
A silhouetted person walks alone on a brick pathway through Northeastern University's Boston campus, partially illuminated by sunlight filtering through trees, with greenery and landscaping in the background.
08/14/25 – BOSTON, MA. – A member of the Northeastern community walks through the Boston campus on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
A Northeastern University student, wearing headphones, studies intently on a laptop inside the Curry Student Center. The scene is viewed through a glass window partially obscured by greenery, giving the moment a quiet, focused ambiance.
08/14/25 – BOSTON, MA. – A member of the Northeastern community studies in the Curry Student Center on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Photos by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University

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