Laura Castañón - News @ Northeastern

To predict our future climate, they’re digging into the mud of the past

Using molecules left in the mud of an Illinois lakebed by long-dead bacteria, Samuel Muñoz, an assistant professor of marine and environmental sciences, and his colleagues have reconstructed ancient climate conditions in the midwestern United States. Their results could help us anticipate what’s in store for our future as the planet continues to warm.

by Laura Castañón November 25, 2020

A photo of a virtual fitness advisor created by a group of researchers led by Timothy Bickmore, a professor of computer sciences at Northeastern. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

The new fitness coach might not have a body

A group of researchers led by Timothy Bickmore, a professor of computer sciences at Northeastern, has designed a digital, bilingual coach to help older Latino adults meet their fitness goals. In a year-long study, the virtual advisor, Carmen, performed just as well as her human counterparts.

by Laura Castañón October 27, 2020

Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Flu season is coming and COVID-19 is still here. Can disease forecasts tell them apart?

Both viruses attack the respiratory system and can have similar symptoms. “Something like this is completely unprecedented,” says Alessandro Vespignani, who directs Northeastern’s Network Science Institute. “Having a major pandemic and then trying to get insight on the seasonal flu—it’s a completely new game.”

by Laura Castañón October 13, 2020

Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern, addresses the faculty senate via Teams. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Northeastern is well-positioned to lead in an uncertain future, President Aoun tells faculty senate

As universities and countries alike retrench in response to the challenges of our current world, Northeastern is forging a new path forward, university president Joseph E. Aoun told the faculty senate in his annual address on Wednesday.

by Laura Castañón October 7, 2020

Commuters crowd Cadorna train station in Milan, Italy. Photo by Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via AP

Why does COVID-19 hit hard and fast in some places, but not others?

“The way populations are structured matters quite a bit in terms of the potential risk for sharp, intense epidemics, as compared to broader, slower-burning epidemics,” says Samuel Scarpino, an assistant professor in Northeastern’s Network Science Institute.

by Laura Castañón October 5, 2020

Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

What do we know about airborne transmission of the coronavirus?

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted—and then quickly removed—new guidelines indicating that the coronavirus is airborne, leaving people confused about vital public information. Samuel Scarpino, assistant professor and head of the Emergent Epidemics Lab, explains where the science stands.

by Laura Castañón September 25, 2020

Graduate students in Northeastern's Physician Assistant Program wear face shields, masks, and gloves while practicing physical exam skills in class. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

How do you learn hands-on medical skills during a pandemic?

Clad in masks, face shields, and gloves, a dozen students in Northeastern's physician assistant program begin to pore over each other’s hands, arms, neck, and scalp. Six more students begin the same process without all the protective equipment; their patients are family members, friends, and partners, and their exam spaces are living rooms, bedrooms, and home offices.

by Laura Castañón August 27, 2020

Just how much contact tracing and testing do we need?

How much testing is enough? What percentage of people who’ve been unwittingly exposed to the virus do we need to track down? How many people will need to be quarantined? In a recent study published in Nature Human Behaviour, researchers in Northeastern’s Network Science Institute sought to quantify these answers.

by Laura Castañón August 25, 2020

Sahil Bagwan, a graduate student in the school of engineering, participates in a demonstration of a NUflex Auto classroom where students attend both in person and online. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

Hybrid NUflex is ready for the fall semester. Are you?

Welcome to the Hybrid NUflex classroom: Eight cupcake-shaped microphones extend from the ceiling like futuristic stalactites. Two swiveling cameras flank the clock at the front of the room. A single camera at the back focuses its lens on the instructor, blackboard, and projection screen. Northeastern is ready for hybrid learning.

by Laura Castañón and Emily Arntsen August 19, 2020

Social insects like this termite have evolved multiple strategies over millions of years to keep pathogens from wiping out their colonies. Perhaps it’s time we learned from them. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

What can ants and termites teach us about fighting disease?

Social insects have evolved multiple strategies over millions of years to keep pathogens from wiping out their colonies. Perhaps it’s time we learned from them, says Rebecca Rosengaus, an associate professor in marine and environmental sciences.

by Laura Castañón August 18, 2020

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