A tray of cultures held by a gloved hand in a lab

Explore the leading research, publications, honors, and awards from Northeastern University

Since 2006, Northeastern University has dramatically expanded its research enterprise, with particular emphasis on three global imperatives: health, security and sustainability. Working intentionally across disciplines, Northeastern faculty members are focused on solving real problems in the world. NGN Research tells the stories of these important accomplishments.

Trending Topics

Machine Learning

Featured

A hand in a latex glove holds a glass dish into which is poured particles of recycled tire rubber. — 12/18/25 – BOSTON, MA. – Madison McMinn, PhD and former student works on recycled rubber in artificial turf research in the EXP building on Dec. 18, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

The rubber in artificial turf decays into a potentially dangerous chemical cocktail, new research shows

Science & Technology

January 23, 2025

New research examines the complex and potentially dangerous miasma of chemicals released by crumb rubber, a fill material used in many artificial turf fields.

A spoonful of finely ground coal tailings, dark brown. — 12/22/25 – BOSTON, MA – Lawrence Ajayi, a chemical engineering PhD student in the REPRODUCE lab, measures a sample of coal in the Egan Research Center lab on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University

Rare earth element extraction can be doubled with this new technique

Science & Technology

January 21, 2025

New Northeastern research has identified a method of extracting rare earth elements from the mining waste product that is two to three times more efficient than previous approaches.

12/04/25 – BOSTON MA – Ravinder Dahiya, professor of engineering, conducts transient electronics research in the Egan Research Center on Dec. 4, 2025. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

How string theory helped solve a mystery of the brain’s architecture

Science & Technology

January 16, 2025

Using the same math employed by string theorists, network scientists have solved a standing mystery about the brain’s architecture.

Honors & Awards

Grants, fellowships, awards and other honors that recognize and support innovative research and world-class teaching.

Publications

Groundbreaking, inspiring research and scholarly work, including journal articles and books, published across disciplines.

Research Papers

Conferences & Events

Academic conferences convened by Northeastern faculty, and academic conferences where Northeastern faculty play key roles.

Press

Does String Theory Explain the Wiring of the Brain?

Senior author Albert-László Barabási, a distinguished professor and network scientist at Northeastern University, emphasizes that the paper isn’t claiming any profound, direct relationship between string theory and neuroscience.

There’s no mass shooting epidemic, but fear epidemic is real | Opinion

As someone who has studied mass killings for more than 40 years and manages the Associated Press/USA TODAY/Northeastern University Mass Killing Database, I’ve kept a close eye on the social factors and public policies that have contributed to upward and downward swings in mass killings.

Octopuses can become invisible. And now scientists are discovering their secrets.

How cephalopods achieve this instant camouflage is a mystery that has fascinated humans since at least 350 B.C., when Aristotle made observations on the subject, says Leila Deravi, an associate professor at Northeastern University whose BioMaterials Design Group specializes in biomimicry.

Local Study asks what it will take to get more Boston commuters to take the bus

Northeastern University PhD candidate Nail Bashan believes public transit is the best thing we can have in our cities. Bashan’s research focuses on urban mobility and the urban experience.

The Flu Really Is That Bad

Flu seasons, as a rule, differ drastically from one another, and “we don’t have a great understanding of why one ends up being more severe than another,” Samuel Scarpino, an infectious-disease-modeling researcher at Northeastern University, told me.

Trump declared fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction. What does it mean?

Leo Beletsky, a professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University, discusses the latest Fentanyl crisis.

Video games may be a surprisingly good way to get a cognitive boost

Aaron Seitz, a professor of psychology and the director of the Brain Game Center for Mental Fitness and Well–being at Northeastern University, discusses how video games nehances complex cognitive skills.

Soundtracks of our lives

This is Rebecca Kleinberger. She is a professor of humanics and voice technology at Northeastern University, and much of her research focuses on the relationship we have to our own voice, what it sounds like to us and how we think it comes across to others.

Colorado River Water Contamination Is Impacting Certain Groups More: Report

Phil Brown, a professor of sociology and health sciences and director of the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute at Northeastern University, told Newsweek: “The research points out that Native American, Hispanic and Black populations, have lower access to resources for mitigation and recovery, and less power in organizational and institution policies that provide water and monitor […]

Latest

College of Science

Books

Research

variations of blue and white squares are illuminated against a black background

Artificial Intelligence

Conferences & events

Honors & Awards