Global Resilience Institute

A Raman spectroscopy scanner to enable enhanced skin cancer surgery on display during the mechanical engineering capstone showcase at the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

You won’t want to miss these events

Hear about the future of the GOP from a former Republican congressman. Learn how to turn an idea into a product. Experience culture from across Africa. These are just a few of the events being held around Northeastern’s global network in February.

by Kaitlyn Budion and Irvin Zhang February 12, 2020

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico before dawn on Tuesday, killing one man, injuring others and collapsing buildings in the southern part of the island. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

Puerto Rico has weathered 500 earthquakes in two weeks. How does it rebuild?

The island is still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017, which killed close to 3,000 people and knocked out power for months. Northeastern faculty have been working with humanitarian organizations to develop a project to facilitate that recovery.

by Laura Castañón January 9, 2020

Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

The cyberattack on New Orleans shows how vulnerable our cities are

New Orleans acted appropriately in quickly containing a cyberattack on city government computers, but more needs to be done to curb the spread of such attacks on U.S. municipalities, says Stephen Flynn, the founding director of the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern.

by Khalida Sarwari December 18, 2019

Northern California residents relied on individual generators during the previous planned power outages orchestrated by Pacific Gas and Electric. But as they prepare for another shutoff, experts are considering alternative systems, including shared community resources. AP Photo/Noah Berger

What can we do when power grids fail us?

As winds pick up and the ground stays dry, Pacific Gas and Electric has announced another power shutoff in Northern California to prevent wires from sparking fires. But to put a stop to further damage, the key may be grids that don’t need shutting off: community networks of resources and democratic energy.

by Aria Bracci November 19, 2019

Joanna Weiss, standing, left, editor-in-chief of Experience magazine, and Aliza Lakhani, regional chief executive officer and dean of Northeastern’s Toronto campus, led the Experience Solution Sprint, a two-hour search for novel ideas to seemingly intractable issues that was hosted by Experience magazine. Photo by David Chau for Northeastern University

To solve the world’s problems, start small

TORONTO—A group of experts and civically engaged Canadians tackled issues such as the refugee crisis, climate change, and fake news at the Experience Solution Sprint on Northeastern’s Toronto campus.

by Molly Callahan November 15, 2019

Town employees of Emerald Isle work to clear the road after a tornado hit the beach town in North Carolina as Hurricane Dorian moved up the East coast on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019. AP Photo/Tom Copeland

How to prepare for the next Hurricane Dorian

Scientists, engineers, and city planners need to work together in order to prepare communities to withstand and recover from natural disasters of this magnitude, says Stephen Flynn, who directs the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa September 17, 2019

Special Police, Army, and other units move toward the scene in Paris suburb Saint-Denis on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015. Heavily armed police surrounded a suburban Paris apartment in a raid targeting the suspected mastermind of the Paris attacks. Credit: KAMIL ZIHNIOGLOU/Sipa via AP Images

When corporations respond to terror attacks with acts of kindness—and when they don’t

When governments or communities are targeted by terrorism, businesses tend to respond with charitable support. But the story changes when companies themselves are at risk, Northeastern researchers have found.

by Ian Thomsen August 19, 2019

Northeastern student Elina Mariutsa was selected for the Institute for Economics and Peace ambassador program. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

She bought a one-way ticket out of Moscow and never looked back

Over the past six years, Northeastern student Elina Mariutsa has found a home in many different cities around the world. But while the people of every one of those places were welcoming to her, she has found that the governments have been generally hostile toward each other. This discord is what ultimately propelled her passion for diplomacy.

by Khalida Sarwari July 5, 2019

In this Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019 file photo, U.S. Coast Guardsmen Gustavo Rosas, who missed his first paycheck a day earlier during the partial government shutdown, monitors marine vessel traffic at Sector Puget Sound base in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Trump agreed to reopen the government. What does that mean for the Coast Guard?

Stephen Flynn, who served in the Coast Guard for 20 years before retiring in 2002, says that he is relieved that President Trump agreed to temporarily lift the shutdown. But Flynn, founding director of the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern, expressed concern about the long-term impact the shutdown will have on young officers and new recruits.

by Khalida Sarwari January 25, 2019

Firefighter Jose Corona sprays water as flames consume a home in Magalia, California, on Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

How can the rest of the country prepare for wildfires like those in California?

The combined forces that brought about the blaze are growing more and more present in the Northeast, said Stephen Flynn, founding director of Northeastern’s Global Resilience Institute.

by Molly Callahan November 15, 2018