The best photos of 2019 from across Northeastern’s global network by Matthew Modoono December 20, 2019 by Ruby Wallau by Adam Glanzman Share Facebook LinkedIn Twitter At Northeastern’s 117th Commencement, President Joseph E. Aoun called upon members of the graduating class to use their most human qualities in order to succeed in a world that is continuously being reshaped by rapidly advancing technology. Photos by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University We documented cutting-edge research underway in Northeastern labs, showcased the compelling works of public art popping up across the Boston campus, and captured the experiences of researchers, graduates and students working across Northeastern’s global network. Professor Dagmar Sternad studies human movement with Boston ballet dancers in her lab. Photos by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University A painting that swirls and dives along a formerly gray entrance to Ruggles Station on Northeastern’s Boston campus is designed to remind commuters to pause for a moment and enjoy life, says artist Silvia López Chavez. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Northeastern graduate Reema Juffali, the first Saudi woman from her country to race cars competitively, prepares for a Formula 4 competition in Snetterton, U.K. Photo by Suzanne Plunkett for Northeastern University Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern University, receives the 38th Golden Door Award from the International Institute of New England at Matthews Arena on Nov. 21, 2019. The award celebrates U.S. citizens of foreign birth who have made outstanding contributions to American society. Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Northeastern's Baja SAE team has been designing and building race cars in Richards Hall on the Boston campus since 1985. Baja's two test cars were muddied by a recent series of test drives on an off-road trail in New Hampshire. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Student Mary Potts attended an international climate negotiations summit in Poland in December. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University For this school of koi fish in the pond behind the Curry Student Center, class is always in session. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University A robot prototype from Alireza Ramezani’s lab in the Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Complex. Ramezani is working on a project to create unmanned aerial robots that can hang from structures. Photos by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University When Bouchra Benghomari’s mother was a young girl in Algeria, representatives from UNICEF delivered life-saving vaccinations to her home. Now, Benghomari, a rising third-year student at Northeastern, has dedicated her life to returning the favor. Photos by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University A ray of sunlight shines down on students as they walk through Snell Quad. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University The Khoury College of Computer Sciences Naming Ceremony took place in the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex on April 9, 2019. Inspired by Northeastern's leadership in digital innovation, Northeastern alumnus and trustee Amin Khoury endowed the college with $50 million to support all aspects of the college's future focus. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Professor Jeffrey Ruberti and student Patrick Bradley work on a regenerative patch. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University Rays of sun reflecting on autumn leaves create a shimmering backdrop of gold for a student reading on West Village Quad. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University Rebecca Shansky, an associate professor of psychology at Northeastern, is using female rats to understand how an estrogen hormone may be helping women with PTSD. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Northeastern graduate and documentary filmmaker Olivia Huang has received a grant that will support a feature-length documentary exploring the street art on Modica Way in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Scenes from a Northeastern University Equestrian Team morning practice in Rowley, Massachusetts. Photos by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University Northeastern graduate Kelly Cooke became one of the first women to referee an NHL preseason event. Will she be working in the NHL someday? Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Northeastern students from the College of Science, the College of Engineering, and the Khoury College of Computer Sciences have been designing and building a rover that could work with astronauts on Mars. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University Journalism student Zipporah Osei was recognized for her “rich, balanced sourcing” and “expressive language and eye for detail.” Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University As the trophy was raised on the ice after the 2019 Beanpot championship, Northeastern’s fans upstairs were carrying on with their familiar chant. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University A flock of Erlenmeyer flasks. Photo Illustration by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Smart machines present both a challenge and an opportunity for college and universities. President Joseph E. Aoun explains how these institutions can prepare their graduates for the artificial intelligence age through experiential lifelong learning. Photo by Leigh Vogel for Northeastern University James Monaghan, an associate professor of biology, studies the mechanisms that allow axolotls to regenerate parts of their body. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Students are reflected upside down in a puddle outside of the Mugar Life Sciences Building. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University Google, Facebook, Uber, YouTube, Amazon: Each uses algorithms that can shape people’s daily lives, but most people have no idea how these platforms work, and which data they’re using to produce their results. Christo Wilson, associate professor in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences and pictured here on Feb. 12, 2019, is trying to change that. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Women’s hockey players Alina Mueller and Chloe Aurard pose for a portrait at Matthews Arena. Mueller and Aurard are the leading scorers of the women’s hockey team. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University Students walk through West Village H on Feb. 11, 2019. This stirring effect was created by shooting the reflection of the students on a graphic red and white wall in the building. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Researcher Reuben Shipway, right, is the shipworm whisperer, says Dan Distel, left. Together, they discovered a new genus of shipworm, announced in November of 2018, which marked the first time a new genus had been described since 1933. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Students take a stroll between a swath of black-eyed Susans and the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex, which was recognized as “the single most beautiful building in Boston” in 2018 by the Boston Society of Architects. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University Thomas Starr, who is a professor of graphic and information design, created a series of public art installations to create awareness of the impact of climate change. The installations are scattered throughout Essex, Massachusetts. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern University, recognizes volunteers during the Network for Life event in the East Village. Photos by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University Floris Wu, who studies journalism, collected data about the negativity and positivity of tweets from 2018 election candidates, finding that Democrats who won their elections tended to use more negative language on Twitter. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University A student walks up the stairs in the Knowles Center at the School of Law. The library on the third floor includes reserve and reference collections. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University Postdoctoral student Dali Wang designed a polymer that can carry RNA-based drugs around the body, keeping them from being absorbed by the liver. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University (Left) The Northeastern women's hockey team defeated Boston College 3-2 to take the Hockey East tournament for the second time in two years. Photo by Jim Pierce/Northeastern Athletics (Right) The Northeastern University Huskies defeated the Boston College Eagles to take 2019 Hockey East Championship. Photo by Billie Weiss/Northeastern University Northeastern student Chase Bivona smooths out the rough edges of a stringer—the foundation component of a staircase—as part of his structural engineering co-op in Braeside, Australia. Photos by Ying Ang for Northeastern University Debra Auguste, a professor of chemical engineering in the College of Engineering, designed a new way to target triple-negative breast cancer that simultaneously delivers a cancer-killing drug and interferes with the cancer's ability to grow and spread. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Sidi Bencherif, an assistant professor of chemical engineering, recently received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation to develop biomaterials that generate oxygen. These materials could help researchers understand how low oxygen environments affect the immune system and could potentially be used to supply oxygen to help train immune cells to fight cancer. Photos by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University A study published by an international collaboration of researchers, including Northeastern professor H. William Detrich, revealed how a steady supply of oxygen helped vertebrates evolve better vision. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Students donated money to throw jello in their friends' faces in the Jello-A-Chi O philanthropy event, which benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, put on by Chi Omega. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Students walk past a blooming star magnolia outside the Curry Student Center. Street artist Daniel Anguilu created the visually striking mural on the pedestrian bridge and retaining wall facing the Curry Student Center. Anguilu said the work was inspired by the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, by the renowned Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Northeastern senior Julianne Mayville, who studies business administration in the D'Amore-McKim School of Business, has been competing as a bodybuilder for two years. Photos by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University Esports members, Alec Chan, Kurt Dean, and Lucas Pickering practice in the club sports game room in SquashBusters. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Doctoral student Tarik Kelestemur works on a soft gripper attachment in the RIVeR Lab in the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University A mural on the wall of Meserve Hall created by artist Miles 'El Mac' MacGregor overlooks students as they lounge on Centennial Common. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University (Left to right) Matthew Miller, a professor of health science and epidemiology, Jack Reynolds, professor and dean of the School of Pharmacy and postdoctoral student Eileen Kirk. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Yixin Huang holds her dog, Lambs, as Juntao Wu fits the pooch with a mortarboard for Commencement. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University Graduates attend the Khoury College of Computer Sciences commencement ceremony in Matthews Arena. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University At Northeastern's 117th Commencement, Northeastern's president, Joseph E. Aoun, called upon members of the graduating class to use their most human qualities in order to succeed in a world that is continuously being reshaped by rapidly advancing technology. Photos by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University Isaac Kresse, a chemistry and computer engineering student at Northeastern, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, which he will use to study the role of chaperone proteins in age-related diseases such as Huntington's, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University The visual saga of Will Johnson, a Northeastern student and boat-builder. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University David Medina, a doctoral student at Northeastern, is using bacteria to produce nanoparticles that are particularly effective at killing whatever type of cell was used to create them, including strains of bacteria that are resistant to traditional antibiotics. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University A person relaxes in a chair located on the first floor of the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University A student walking through the Boston campus cools off in the rain after a wave of stifling heat and humidity. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Physics professor Gregory Fiete published a paper outlining a new theoretical way to change the quantum properties of different materials by shooting lasers at them. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Rebecca Leeper, who is graduating in computer engineering, looks forward to giving the student speech at Northeastern's 2019 Commencement. After graduation, when Leeper launches her career as a software engineer and tech consultant at Data Ductus-Boston, an international consultancy firm with which she served a co-op, she hopes to pursue an agenda of technology that helps people. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University Northeastern's president, Joseph E. Aoun, high-fives Yuxin Liu, a student co-op in the Green Offices division of the campus Facilities Department. Liu and Carol Rosskam, center, Northeastern's sustainability program manager, helped plan a cookout for members of the campus community that had nearly zero waste. Compostable cups, plates, and utensils took the place of plastic. After all, everything tastes better with a side of sustainability. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Northeastern professors Ron Sandler and John Basl formed a partnership with Accenture, a professional services company, to produce a report on the need to build committees that oversee artificial intelligence and data ethics. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Photos by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University Eric Chen, who plays the viola, was one of two Northeastern students who performed in Brazil for the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra this summer. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University A new study by David Choffnes, an associate professor of computer and information science at Northeastern, found that almost all wireless carriers pervasively slow down internet speed for video streaming, even when networks are not overloaded. Stock photo of ethernet cables by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Want to brighten your day? Go check out the freshly painted stairs leading to Ell Hall. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University Dennis Giese, who will be a doctoral student in cybersecurity this fall, was part of a Northeastern team that successfully designed a prototype gaming console that stopped every attempted attack by hackers to take first place overall in MITRE's Embedded Capture the Flag competition. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University A new study co-authored by Yakov Bart, an associate professor of marketing at Northeastern, finds that first-time investors are failing to diversify their assets, and thus putting themselves at greater financial risk. These investors may be better off, he says, picking stocks at random instead. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University President Joseph E. Aoun and other university leaders welcomed incoming freshmen, Northeastern's 122nd class, to campus at the President's Convocation, held in Matthews Arena. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Northeastern University prepares to battle Hofstra during the CAA Tournament Final in Charleston South Carolina. The Huskies took the match and won the tournament to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Students from Boston Public Schools and charter schools cheer on the Northeastern women’s basketball team as they host the University of South Dakota. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Northeastern University prepares to battle Boston University in the Beanpot semifinal held at the TD Garden. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern, and Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh helped celebrate the opening of LightView apartments, a 20-story, 825-bed residence hall on Northeastern's Boston campus. The building represents a unique partnership between the university, the city of Boston, and the private sector. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Patricia Williams, University Distinguished Professor of Law and Humanities at Northeastern, is a lawyer who has authored several books on critical race theory and gender theory. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Katy Ann Gilmore, who is an artist based in Los Angeles, works on her mural in Snell Engineering Center. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University Sagar Kamarthi, a professor of mechanical engineering at Northeastern, is working to improve manufacturing operations in the healthcare and aerospace industries. Kamarthi, who has applied machine learning techniques to prevent early symptoms of failure in machines such as jet engines, says data science can enable manufacturing machines to diagnose, correct, and ultimately protect themselves to avoid catastrophic breakdowns. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Northeastern's president, Joseph E. Aoun, and Sylvie Retailleau, president of the University of Paris-Saclay, sign a global partnership agreement at the French Consulate Residence in Cambridge. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University Northeastern University launches Institute for Experiential Artificial Intelligence. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Kate Coronges, executive director of the Network Science Institute at Northeastern, and Alessandro Vespignani, director of the Network Science Institute and Sternberg Family Distinguished University Professor of Physics, Computer Sciences, and Health Sciences. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University A student walks through the flowers on the steps outside of the Behrakis Health Sciences Center. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University A Northeastern student walks past foliage outside of Snell Library. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University A Northeastern student plants a flag on Krentzman Quad to honor the victims of 9/11 on the 18th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University President Joseph E. Aoun attends Northeastern University’s Annual Family & Friends Fall Festival. Photos by Billie Weiss for Northeastern University Northeastern students in the Three Seas Program enter the water to conduct kelp research at the Marine Science Center in Nahant, Massachusetts. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Shielded from the rain, a student strolls through an early November shower on the Boston campus. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Northeastern doctoral student Urbashee Paul is no stranger to the challenges that stem from economic inequality. Raised in a lower middle class family in Dhaka, Bangladesh, she experienced first-hand the crippling effects of poverty and inequality. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern, speaks during “Artificial Intelligence and the Public: Prospects, Perceptions, and Implications,” which was hosted by Northeastern University at Chatham House in London. Photo by Suzanne Plunkett for Northeastern University Shelley Lin, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northeastern, and Kaidi Xu, a doctoral student in her lab, designed a pattern on a shirt that prevents specific deep neural networks from being able to recognize that the wearer is a person. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Tomislav Topić and Robert Westphal, part of the Berlin-based street art duo known as Quintessenz, hand-painted dozens of polyvinyl chloride mesh banners with 76 unique colors for a new public art piece installed on Northeastern’s Boston campus. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University Kathleen Breen Combes retired from the Boston Ballet on June 9, 2019, capping off a 16-year career with the company. In August, she’ll step into a new role as the executive director of Festival Ballet Providence in Rhode Island, where she’ll use the skills she learned at Northeastern to bridge the gap between the community and professional dancers. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Northeastern student Sidney Gish is fresh off a tour with the critically-acclaimed musician Mitski and recently notched a win at the Boston Music Awards. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University A student is framed by the windows of Kariotis Hall while walking past the last vestiges of fall foliage. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University