In the second year of the David Rockefeller International Experience Grants Program, more than 400 Harvard College students accepted funding for international internships, volunteer projects, study abroad programs, and research opportunities in 53 countries across the world. With the generosity of David Rockefeller ’36, LL.D. ’69, this grant program was developed to give students the opportunity to gain a broader understanding of the world and to learn about other countries and peoples by spending at least eight weeks immersed in a culture other than their own.

This year’s recipients will conduct independent research on diverse topics, such as the experience of aging and dementia in France, the Tomb Shrines of Sayyidah Zaynab in Egypt, and forest succession in tropical forests in Panama. Recipients participating in internships and service activities will support both corporate and nonprofit organizations, such as Gucci Worldwide in Italy, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Switzerland, the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, and the New Hope Orphanage in Uganda. Students will participate in 23 Harvard Summer School study abroad programs, as well as summer study programs supported by 40 other academic institutions.

The David Rockefeller International Experience Grants Program is administered through the Office of Career Services. For more information about the program.

The Center for European Studies (CES) recently announced its 2010-11 student grant winners, continuing its long tradition of promoting and funding student research on political, historical, economic, social, cultural, and intellectual trends in modern or contemporary Europe. Thirty-four undergraduates will pursue thesis research and internships in Europe this summer, while 18 graduate students have been awarded support for their dissertations over the coming year.

CES undergraduate senior thesis travel grants fund summer research in Europe for juniors in the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences preparing senior theses. Graduate summer travel grants and graduate dissertation research fellowships fund students who plan to spend either a summer or up to a year in Europe conducting dissertation research, while graduate dissertation writing fellowships are intended to support doctoral candidates as they complete their dissertations. These grants and fellowships are funded by the Krupp Foundation and by the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies.

Marie-Ange Bunga, a graduating M.P.A./M.C. student at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), has started the Congo Initiative at Harvard, a student organization aiming to increase awareness about the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“The scramble for minerals in eastern Congo is the crux of this tragedy,” she says. “These minerals, used to produce cell phones and computers in the U.S. and elsewhere, is fueling the conflict.”

Bunga and advocates are pressing for passage of the bipartisan Congo Conflict Minerals Act and the Congo Relief, Security and Democracy Promotion Act of 2006. They’re also urging the appointment of a U.S. special envoy for Congo.

“We urgently need help from people with interest in the Congo, its politics and economy, and the issues related to its mineral resources,” says Bunga, who collaborated with the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard Defense Against Genocide, and the Human Rights Center at HKS, and sought connections with other universities.

Though graduating, Bunga is hopeful her legacy will live on in the capable hands of more concerned students. To express your interest or learn more about issues in the Congo, contact [email protected].

Fernando M. Reimers, Ford Foundation Professor of International Education and director of the International Education Policy Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has been appointed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to serve on the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

The commission is a federal advisory committee to the Department of State that supports worldwide humanitarian development and values by coordinating efforts and delivering expert advice from federal, state, and local governments, as well as non-governmental organizations on issues of education, science, communications, and culture.

The following faculty members have been named full professors with tenure in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences:

David Charbonneau, professor of astronomy, is an international leader in the search for planets orbiting stars other than our sun. He has been a member of the Harvard faculty since 2004.

Matthew Nock, professor of psychology, is a clinical psychologist renowned for his research on self-injury and suicidal behavior in adolescents and adults. He has been on the Harvard faculty since 2003.

James M. Snyder Jr., professor of government, has examined how well Congress represents the economic, political, and social values of the American electorate. He was previously the Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science and Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he has been a member of the faculty since 1992.

Malika Zeghal, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Professor in Contemporary Islamic Thought and Life, has examined the changing relationship between Islam and governments across the Middle East. She was previously associate professor of the anthropology and sociology of religion at the University of Chicago’s Divinity School, where she has been a member of the faculty since 2005.

For complete announcements.

John D. Black Professor Forest L. Reinhardt and Assistant Professor Michael W. Toffel, both of Harvard Business School, have won the 2009 D. Alfred N. and Lynn Manos Page Prize for sustainability issues in business curricula.

Reinhardt and Toffel were recognized for their second-year M.B.A. elective “Business and the Environment,” which focuses on identifying and following through on opportunities to create business value from environmental and sustainability issues.

Diana L. Eck, Fredric Wertham Professor of Law and Psychiatry in Society and professor of comparative religion and Indian studies in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), was the speaker for Berea College’s 138th Commencement on May 23, and will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

Eck, who has taught at Harvard for more than 30 years, is also a Harvard Divinity School faculty member and an award-winning author and researcher on religious pluralism in America.

The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) has named Michael Hooper, Rahul Mehrotra, and Joyce Klein Rosenthal to the GSD faculty, effective July 2010.

Hooper, who has been appointed assistant professor of urban planning, will receive his Ph.D. from the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources at Stanford University this month (May). His research interests focus on the politics of land use and urbanization, participatory planning and governance, and civil society mobilization.

Mehrotra, a practicing architect, urban designer, and professor of architectural design at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Architecture and Urban Planning, has been named professor of urban design and planning and chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Design. He has written and lectured extensively on architecture, conservation, and urban planning in Mumbai.

Rosenthal, a lecturer at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health, has been named assistant professor of urban planning at the GSD. Rosenthal’s research interests are in environmental planning, sustainable development, and the public health impacts of urbanization, with a particular present focus on spatial and social determinants of heat islands and heat-related health outcomes.

Three accomplished leaders have been named recipients of 2010 Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) alumni awards. The awards were presented during ceremonies at the School on May 14-15.

Mehmet Daimaguler, M.P.A. ’05, was named winner of the 2010 Rising Star Award, which recognizes HKS alumni who, within six years of beginning their careers, have “hit the ground running” as leaders, catalysts for change, or people who are making a meaningful difference to individuals, organizations, or governments.

Susan Ople, M.P.A. ’99, is recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award, designed to recognize HKS alumni who, after more than six years in their careers, have made a significant contribution to improving the human condition on a local, state/provincial, national, or international stage, in any sector.

Robert Min Xie, M.P.A./M.C. ’94, was named winner of the Julius E. Babbitt Memorial Alumni Volunteer Award, named in honor of Julius Babbitt, M.P.A. ’01, and given each year to a graduate of the Kennedy School who has demonstrated uncommon commitment to his or her fellow alumni to advance the spirit of volunteerism and service to the School and the alumni community. To read more about the winners.

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences has recently awarded the Thomas T. Hoopes Prize to 89 Harvard College seniors, in recognition of outstanding research or scholarly work. The prize is funded by the estate of Thomas T. Hoopes ’19. To view the list of recipients, including their research and advisers.

The American Philosophical Society, the oldest learned society in the United States, recently elected eight new members from Harvard into this year’s class of scholars.

The society, founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin for the purpose of “promoting useful knowledge,” honors and engages distinguished scientists, humanists, social scientists, and leaders in civic and cultural affairs through elected membership and opportunities for interdisciplinary, intellectual fellowship, particularly in the semiannual meetings in Philadelphia. Since 1900, more than 240 members have received the Nobel Prize.

This year’s elected members from Harvard follow:

Mathematical and Physical Sciences (Class 1): Lisa Randall, Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science in the Department of Physics, and Shlomo Zvi Sternberg, George Putnam Professor of Pure and Applied Mathematics in the Mathematics Department.

Biological Sciences (Class 2): Gregory A. Petsko, lecturer on neurology at Harvard Medical School.

Social Sciences (Class 3): Cass R. Sunstein, administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs; Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law (on leave) at Harvard Law School, and Laurence H. Tribe, Carl M. Loeb University Professor, Harvard Law School.

Humanities (Class 4): Janet Browne, Aramont Professor of the History of Science in the Department of the History of Science; and Jeffrey F. Hamburger, Kuno Francke Professor of German Art and Culture in the Department of History of Art and Architecture.

The Arts, Professions, and Leaders in Public & Private Affairs (Class 5): Martha Minow, dean of the Faculty of Law and Jeremiah Smith Jr. Professor of Law at Harvard Law School.

Josh Lerner, the Jacob H. Schiff Professor of Investment Banking at Harvard Business School, has been named a fellow of the European Corporate Governance Institute, an international nonprofit association that provides a forum for debate and dialogue among academics, legislators, and practitioners regarding major corporate governance issues with the intention of promoting best practice.

Fellows are named in recognition of their demonstrated excellence or other outstanding achievements in the field of corporate governance. Lerner’s most recent book, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams: Why Public Efforts to Boost Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Have Failed — and What to Do About It” (Princeton University Press, 2009), recently won the 2010 Axiom Business Book Award Gold Medal for the best book on entrepreneurship. It previously won the 2009 PROSE Award for Excellence in the business, management, and finance category.

Today (May 27) the University awarded a total of 6,777 degrees and 81 certificates. A breakdown of the degrees by schools and programs follows. Harvard College granted a total of 1,562 degrees.

Bachelor of Arts		Cum laude in field of concentration	Cum laude	Magna cum laude	Magna cum laude with highest honors	Summa cum laude in field of concentration
Men	389	221	23	90	27	35
Women	415	270	18	140	27	40
Total	804	491	41	194	54	75

Bachelor of Science		Cum laude in field of concentration	Cum laude	Magna cum laude	Magna cum laude with highest honors	Summa cum laude in field of concentration
Men	4	2	0	1	3	1
Women	1	2	0	0	0	0
Total	5	4	0	1	3	1

Harvard College	1673
Bachelor of Arts	1,659
Bachelor of Science	14

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences	864
Master of Arts	319
Master of Science	59
Doctor of Philosophy	484
Graduate School of Business Administration	907
Master of Business Administration	901
Doctor of Business Administration	6
School of Dental Medicine	90
Specialty Certificates	36
Master of Medical Sciences	13
Doctor of Dental Medicine	34
Doctor of Medical Sciences	7
Graduate School of Design	209
Master in Architecture	104
Master of Architecture in Urban Design	28
Master in Design Studies	25
Master in Landscape Architecture	37
Master of Landscape Architecture in Urban Design	4
Master in Urban Planning	27
Doctor of Design	9
Divinity School	155
Master of Divinity	56
Master of Theology	8
Master of Theological Studies	86
Doctor of Theology	5
Graduate School of Education	685
Certificate of Advanced Study	6
Master of Education	625
Doctor of Education	54
Harvard Kennedy School	577
Master in Public Administration	86
Master in Public Administration (Mid-Career)	204
Master in Public Administration in International Development	68
Master in Public Policy	208
Doctor in Public Policy	6
Law School	761
Master of Laws	161
Doctor of Juridical Science	11
Doctor of Law	589
Medical School	180
Master in Medical Sciences	27
Doctor of Medicine	153
School of Public Health	385
Master of Public Health	201
Master of Science	145
Doctor of Science	36
Extension School	703
Associate in Arts	6
Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies	128
Certificate in Applied Sciences	11
Certificate in Environmental Management	7
Certificate in Management	21
Certificate in Publishing and Communications	7
Certificate in Technologies of Education	1
Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies	522

All figures include degrees awarded in November 2008 and March and May 2010

Last summer I met Tom, a bright-eyed and talkative 12-year-old who had an opinion about simply everything. He loved Michael Jackson and would frequently hijack my laptop to watch his music videos, singing along and enraptured with M.J.’s performance. Our communication was a mixture of simple Mandarin and flailing hand gestures and charades, since he did not speak English, and my Mandarin was limited. Throughout the summer, though, we were able to learn from one another (my Mandarin improved, and he picked up English idioms, his favorite being “bird brain”). Tom was a “regular” energetic boy. Unlike most, though, he was growing up in an orphanage.

As a freshman, I became involved with Harvard China Care, a student group that works to improve the lives of Chinese orphans one child at a time. After working toward this mission domestically for a year through fundraising, I had the opportunity to go to one of the orphanages and actually interact with the children I was trying to help.

I spent two months living and working at an orphanage in Luoyang, China. I arrived with only a year’s training in Mandarin under my belt, unsure of what to expect. I had never traveled alone before, and I did not even particularly like playing with kids. Accordingly, I was shocked at how easy it was to connect with the children, and how quickly I found myself growing attached to them.

My stay at the orphanage was a string of moments that reaffirmed my commitment to helping these children, all of whom had distinct personalities. Some were spunky, others were more reserved; some were athletic, others more intellectual; some were mischievous, others conscientious.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that most of the children were hopeful about their futures. One little boy wrote to us, “My name is Shanghua, and my greatest wish is for a kind, loving American family to adopt me.”

While most of the children looked forward to bright futures, others realized they might not be as fortunate. Many of them were abandoned because of disabilities and health problems. Jane, who was in her late teenage years and had only one arm, read me a story she wrote about a sheepdog that took a herd of sheep out to pasture. When one of them fell into a ditch, the dog left it because the dog had to take care of all the other sheep. But later when he fell into a hole and the sheep helped save him, he realized that every life is important. Jane told me she came up with this story after she saw two men abandon a baby at the orphanage.

In spite of solemn moments like this one, at the end of the day the children were still just children. Jane would ask for advice about what to say to a boy she had a crush on. Tom, always vigilant against mushy moments, would cover his eyes during love scenes of movies. Although the children are orphans, that is not all they are, and most of them did not let that label define their identities.

There is one moment I always find myself reflecting upon. During a typical hot and muggy day at the orphanage, a girl named Susan saw my laptop and asked if we could use it together. I ended up acting as a translator while she sat on my lap and video-chatted with one of my friends. Eventually, she lost interest in talking to my friend and refocused her attention on me. She turned to me and said, “Wo ai ni” (“I love you”), and kissed me on the cheek. Not a minute later, she turned back to the laptop and told my friend that he was handsome but looked like a monkey.

Moments like these, however brief, are what have stayed with me. They remind me that my actions can have an impact, however small it may ultimately prove. Having glimpsed the interplay between social policy and health, my experience at the orphanage inspired me to pursue public health policy academically upon returning to Harvard.

To learn more about Harvard China Care or to make a donation.

A survey of top Harvard faculty shows what books they’re reading and enjoying on summer’s edge.

Cherry A. Murray

Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and John A. and Elizabeth S. Armstrong Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences and professor of physics

“The Siege of Krishnapur”

“I am a huge fan of historical fiction. In ‘The Siege of Krishnapur,’ J.G. Farrell, an Irish writer who had a rather short life, crafted a stylish novel echoing (well, mocking) the British colonial novel style. It’s written from the perspective of colonists living in a remote outpost (a fictional town in India). It pokes incredible fun at the British, and it was one of the first books to send up the absurdity of colonial arrogance. Farrell goes into great detail in describing the native personalities and invites the reader to watch as a once prim Victorian outpost devolves into chaos during a siege. Incredibly funny, with good character building.”

New Crobuzon trilogy

“My daughter and I have swapped our way through China Mieville’s New Crobuzon trilogy (‘Perdido Street Station,’ ‘The Scar,’ and ‘Iron Council’) of science fiction / fantasy books (and I just finished ‘Iron Council’). The sheer inventiveness of Mieville is astounding, from all different civilizations and cultures to the mosquito-like creatures and the entire cast of ‘remades’ (mixed up mechanical and biological life forms). His writing has a definite atmosphere about it. I found the idea of an entirely movable, floating city of interconnected ships in ‘The Scar’ (called the Armada) to be very cool. While the ending of the series is incredibly frustrating, the sheer breadth, amazing wordplay, atmosphere, and energy make the ride worthwhile. And don’t worry … our bioengineers will not be doing this type of thing!”

“The Logic of Failure: Recognizing and Avoiding Error in Complex Situations”

“ ‘The Logic of Failure: Recognizing and Avoiding Error in Complex Situations’ by Dietrich Dörner is a management book that has relevance to engineering design. A German psychologist with an interest in early game theory, Dörner basically asked why some leaders fail. By using a ‘paper’ version of SimCity, he concluded that what leads to failure is when a leader asks a whole lot of questions, but never makes any decisions, or when a leader has a preconceived notion of what is right and does it regardless of what anyone else says. I’ve taken Dörner’s insights to heart with my own strategic planning for SEAS. To be successful, you need to ask a few questions, pick a track, and then monitor how things are going (getting feedback as you go). You also have to be very clear about how you define success.”

Charles Ogletree

Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, and director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice

“The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama”

“Gwen Ifill’s ‘The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama’ charts the progress of the new African-American politicians, all born following the early years of the Civil Rights struggles, and how this new generation of leaders emerged.”

“The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama”

“ ‘The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama’ by David Remnick traces President Obama’s path to the White House and how he overcame a host of challenges during the campaign.”

“Known to Evil”

“Walter Mosley has written many mysteries, and I have probably read them all. In ‘Known to Evil,’ he introduces us to Leonid McGill, a new character in New York City who’s trying to track down a mysterious woman.”

Lene Hau

Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics and of Applied Physics

“The Selfish Gene”

“Richard Dawkins’ ‘The Selfish Gene’ is one of these rare gems of a book that leaves you with a different perspective of the world after you’ve read it. Dawkins presents a convincing case for his claim that all species of life seem optimized for one purpose: survival of their DNA. Many of the statements in the book at first encounter seem ludicrous, but Dawkins then goes on to present a wonderfully surprising and convincing argument for his point.”

“In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind”

“ ‘In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind’ by Eric Kandel describes the history of neuroscience and the amazing discoveries made over the past century. We learn how studies of the workings of the mind moved from psychology over biochemistry to gene manipulation and single neuron measurements. It is really by putting all these measurements and observations together that a real understanding of memory function — how memory is formed and recalled — is achieved. Such studies might lead us more broadly to some understanding of consciousness: how we think and behave.”

“When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present”

‘The development of women’s status, options, and possibilities in society over the past 50 years is chronicled in ‘When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present.’ Author Gail Collins describes the great progress that’s been achieved, but also how we are currently, in some ways, moving backward. She reminds us that achieving equal opportunity for women requires women’s actual inclusion in the workplace community rather than just an increased number of women hired. Whereas the latter is important, continuous attention must be paid to the former. Collins writes about these issues with great insight and a sense of humor that I just really enjoy.”

Alan Dershowitz

Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law

“Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle”

“ ‘Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle’ by Dan Senor and Saul Singer tells the story of how Israel changed from a second economy based on agriculture and tourism to a first-world economic superpower, based completely on high-tech innovation. It’s a story that will inspire students, faculty, and alumni.”

“36 Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction”

“Rebecca Goldstein’s new novel, ‘36 Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction,’ is poignant, funny, and brilliant. It’s about the clash between religious fundamentalism and intellectual skepticism, but is about much more as well. A great read!”

Diane Paulus

Artistic director, American Repertory Theater; professor of the practice of theater

“Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming”

“Jonathan Shay’s study of Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ is inspiring me to think about all the ways the ancient Greek texts can speak to the experiences of active-duty soldiers, veterans, military families, and civilians today.  As I plan the A.R.T.’s Greek festival for the 2010-11 season, I am programming productions, readings, and panel discussions that will give audiences many opportunities to participate in civic dialogues about the challenges our nation and world are facing.”

“Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston”

“While rehearsing ‘Johnny Baseball,’ the new musical about the Boston Red Sox, I’ve been reading ‘Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston,’ a powerful book by sports journalist Howard Bryant.  A detailed analysis of racial prejudice in major league baseball, ‘Shut Out’ examines critical moments in Red Sox history, including the decision not to sign Jackie Robinson in 1945 and the team’s signing of Pumpsie Green in 1959. A fascinating exploration of the history of a baseball team, a city, and the nation.”

Mohsen Mostafavi

Dean of the Graduate School of Design; Alexander and Victoria Wiley Professor of Design

“The Indian Bride”

“I usually have numerous writing deadlines, and so my reading tends to be very instrumental, focused on what I am going to write. But, like most people, I also read to switch off — to get away from the stress of deadlines. Detective stories seem to do the trick best. I recently read ‘The Indian Bride,’ an Inspector Sejer mystery by the Norwegian writer Karin Fossum. It takes place in an isolated village where a quiet agricultural machinery salesman decides to travel to Mumbai to bring back an Indian bride — hence the title. Fossum’s subtle description of the Norwegian landscape, the humility of the main character, and the guardedness of the members of the community against all outsiders are chillingly revealing.”

“Ill Fares the Land”

“Like many people, I’ve been riveted by the incredible short pieces in the ‘New York Review of Books’ by the British historian Tony Judt, who is paralyzed from the neck down with Lou Gehrig’s disease; he is able to speak but not write. Judt has an astonishing capacity to construct such concise sentences, actually whole articles, in his head. He has just published ‘Ill Fares the Land,’ a book based on the NYR articles. Judt’s reminiscences deal a lot with his life in England, and having spent a large part of my life there too, I am very sensitive — almost nostalgic — about many of his period pieces, such as the ghastly description of the hovercraft, which I remember taking to a cold and remote school on the Isle of Wight as a boy in the 1960s.”

“The Country Formerly Known as Great Britain”

“Maybe to get over the sense of nostalgia, or just to extend it, I am now reading ‘The Country Formerly Known as Great Britain’ by Ian Jack. Jack, who now writes for the Guardian newspaper, used to edit the literary magazine Granta. There are certain parallels between these last two books in their consideration of a time gone by, of a Britain that now exists only in memory. Jack’s writing is always such a pleasure to read.”

“The Arts of Industry in the Age of Enlightenment”

“On the work front, we have recently announced a new graduate program at the Graduate School of Design on art, design, and the public domain. In part, inspired by this topic, I have started reading Celina Fox’s impressive new book, ‘The Arts of Industry in the Age of Enlightenment.’ “

David Gergen

Public service professor at Harvard Kennedy School, and director, Center for Public Leadership

“Churchill”

“In times like these, my reading often turns to leaders of the past who have led democracies out of peril. Of late, I have been tackling a brace of new books about Churchill, and enjoying them all. Paul Johnson’s biography, ‘Churchill,’ is the best of the lot: insightful, concise, and graphic — enough so that I have sent it to friends.”

“The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine”

“Meanwhile, I’ve been struggling with a stack of books about the roots of our economic turmoil. Michael Lewis has once again weighed in with one of the most readable, ‘The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine’; Andrew Ross Sorkin’s ‘Too Big To Fail’ looks like a must — and yet is forbiddingly long. I have found refuge in thinking more about where we go from here. Even if a bit repetitive, I found some provocative answers in Richard Florida’s new work, ‘The Great Reset.’”

“Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership” and “Susan”

“But the most satisfying books of the season are by dear friends. Warren Bennis has just completed his memoir, ‘Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership.’ And when it appears in print soon, readers will find it a delightful intellectual romp through the flowering of social science … after World War II, as well as a meditation on leadership. The other is a soulful work, beautifully written and inspiring, by Susan Tifft. She waged a noble struggle against cancer, captivating legions of friends old and new with her blog entries on CaringBridge.org. At her services at Memorial Church, her husband Alex Jones gave a bound copy to each of those who filled the pews. It is titled simply, ‘Susan’ and, like her, is a treasure.”

Diane Paulus sat perched on the back of a chair in a basement rehearsal space in Harvard Square on a recent afternoon, watching the scene play out before her like an entranced cat observing a mouse.

Suddenly, she pounced.

Springing from her seat, the diminutive director stopped the action to emphasize a line, solicit feedback from her actors, tweak an entrance, and perfect the use of a small prop.

Paulus was carefully preparing the ensemble for the American Repertory Theater’s (A.R.T.) final production of the year, “Johnny Baseball.”

The new musical, making its world premiere at the A.R.T., fuses fact and fiction with the infamous “curse” that surrounded the Boston Red Sox. The plot follows the intersecting lives of three main characters over a series of decades, addressing the realities of racism, and in particular the ball club’s troubling record on integration. The Red Sox were the last team in major league baseball to hire African-American players, only after having passed on greats like Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays.

Paulus calls the show a “deeply moving and intellectually stimulating work,” one she hopes will educate audiences about the team’s past while also showcasing a story of love, heartbreak, and redemption.

“It’s important for people to know the history of this town 50 years ago, and to be able to understand how we are moving forward from that. This show is not so much about looking backward as truly looking forward.”

Looking ahead, often in untraditional ways, while always keeping a keen eye on what has gone before, is what Paulus is all about. It’s at the heart of her mission to “expand the boundaries of theater” as the new artistic director of the A.R.T.

After a successful first season, the verdict appears to be a decided mission accomplished, and then some.

Fresh from a successful revival of the musical “Hair” on Broadway, the New York native took the helm of the A.R.T. and brought her characteristic kinetic drive to the post, developing a number of bold productions around the themes of Shakespeare and the past American century. The works, many of them highly stylized and unconventional, drew new and old audiences to the stage, and sometimes literally onto it.

As part of the “Shakespeare Exploded” festival, Paulus, in collaboration with the British theater troupe Punchdrunk, converted a nearby vacant school into a haunted theater space for “Sleep No More,” a reimagining of the Bard’s tragedy “Macbeth.” Theatergoers donned white masks as they wandered through a maze of transformed corridors and classrooms to follow the chilling action, largely absent of dialogue.

Paulus set “The Donkey Show,” based on Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” in the opulent and over-the-top disco era of the 1970s. Glitter, glamour, and a pulsating soundtrack provide the backdrop at club OBERON, the A.R.T.’s theater space on Arrow Street, where the audience doubles as disco dancers on the club’s floor, amid the actors and the action.

Included in her inaugural season were Clifford Odets’ play “Paradise Lost,” about a family struggling during the Great Depression, and “Gatz,” a seven-hour theatrical reading of the entire text of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.”

“I wanted to make as bold a start to my time here as I could,” said Paulus. “We took our mission to the mat, which is to expand the boundaries of theater. What is so encouraging is that the audience met us more than halfway on this bold foray into a new way of thinking about theater.”

Her work and vision already have paid dividends, with many of her productions generating an almost frantic buzz and attracting countless repeat attendees. “The Donkey Show,” originally scheduled to end its run last fall, has been extended through this summer to accommodate the crowds. In addition, this year the A.R.T. sold more than 1,000 student passes, three times the number of previous years.

Paulus ’88 has broadened the theater’s reach in part by engaging directly with the community from which she came, working in tandem with Harvard professors to co-teach classes on campus and during the winter break developing a theater workshop for young undergraduates aspiring to careers in theater.

She sees interacting with the undergraduate community as a central part of her mission, calling students “the future of the theater.”

“We need to get them to understand that part of the enriching liberal arts experience is the A.R.T.”

Music, atypical theater spaces, and collaborations with the University community all play important roles in next season’s recently announced program, which will include the musical “Cabaret,” starring Amanda Palmer of Dresden Dolls fame, and what Paulus calls the rock protest musical “Prometheus Bound.” Also on tap are the opera “Death in the Powers,” a work being developed by the MIT Media Lab in partnership with the A.R.T. that will feature state-of-the-art robots, and a show currently in development that she hopes will operate as a type of theatrical scavenger hunt.

“To me, the mandate for every show is that it grabs the audience, intellectually, emotionally, in certain cases physically,” said Paulus. “Next year’s season will definitely offer that exciting range.”

To view next season’s schedule.

June 2009

Martha Minow, the Jeremiah Smith Jr. Professor of Law at Harvard Law School (HLS), is announced as the next dean of the Faculty of Law, beginning July 1. A member of HLS faculty since 1981, Minow is a distinguished legal scholar with interests that range from international human rights to equality, religion, schooling, and other governmental activities.

Harvard researchers for the first time document variation in intelligence in individual monkeys within a species, a new step in understanding primate intelligence.

July 2009

Cherry A. Murray, who was named dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) in March 2009, takes the helm.

August 2009

A multidisciplinary team of computer scientists, engineers, and biologists — primarily from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences — receives a $10 million National Science Foundation Expeditions in Computing grant to fund the development of small-scale mobile robotic devices.

Erez Lieberman-Aiden, a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, invents a computerized shoe insert that predicts the wearer’s risk of falling.

Harvard launches a YouTube channel to broadcast everything from the University’s local events to its international research efforts.

September 2009

President Faust visits Capitol Hill and meets with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other congressional and administration officers to advocate for continued support of science research at U.S. universities.

The Program in General Education takes effect at Harvard College. Commonly called Gen Ed, the program outlines liberal arts courses that must be taken outside a concentration in order to graduate. The Class of 2013 is the first embraced by the new design, though other undergraduates may opt in.

A coordinated academic calendar synchronizes the schedules of Harvard’s 13 Schools. Geared toward improving student access to University-wide resources, the calendar makes it easier for students to take classes in more than one School.

According to “Beyond the Yard: Community Engagement at Harvard University,” in a single year about 7,000 Harvard students collectively performed more than 900,000 hours of community service in and around metropolitan Boston.

The Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology launches an undergraduate concentration in human development and regenerative biology.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) announces a tuition-free Doctor of Education Leadership Program (Ed.L.D.) that will be taught by faculty from HGSE, the Harvard Business School, and the Harvard Kennedy School. The program offers an unprecedented approach to preparing leaders for the future. The Ed.L.D. is the first new degree offered in 74 years by HGSE.

Michael Sandel’s popular course “Justice” is available for anyone to take, thanks to a dedicated Web site and Harvard’s YouTube and iTunes channels, which begin airing Sandel’s lectures. The Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government’s arguments become the most-watched videos, with WGBH also airing the 12-part lecture series.

President Faust appoints Katie Lapp as executive vice president to oversee the financial, administrative, human resources, and capital planning functions of the University’s central administration.

Harvard Yard is outfitted with colorful tables and chairs for meeting, relaxing, studying, or watching open-air performances. The initiative is a result of the Steering Committee on Common Spaces, charged with developing ideas to ensure that the physical environment better supports the University’s intellectual and social vitality.

Diane Paulus ’88, the American Repertory Theater’s (A.R.T.) new artistic director, opens the company’s new drama space Oberon with “The Donkey Show,” a critically acclaimed retelling of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” — set to disco.

Lakshminarayanan Mahadevan, Lola England de Valpine Professor of Applied Mathematics and of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Peter Huybers, assistant professor of Earth and planetary sciences in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard, are named MacArthur Fellows.

The Harvard Extension School celebrates its centennial with the premiere of Dean Michael Shinagel’s book “The Gates Unbarred,” which traces the School’s evolution.

Environmental scientists from Harvard and Tsinghua University demonstrate the enormous potential for wind-generated electricity in China. The researchers estimate that wind alone has the potential to meet the country’s electricity demands for 2030.

October 2009

Harvard kicks off a yearlong focus on public service with Public Service Week, a series of seminars, lectures, career forums, and service activities highlighting the richness of the service landscape at Harvard. President Faust announces that the University will undertake a yearlong commitment to provide volunteer support of the Greater Boston Food Bank.

Genetics professor Jack Szostak at Harvard Medical School and Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital wins the 2009 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for pioneering work in discovering telomerase, an enzyme that protects chromosomes from degrading.

Researchers at Harvard, the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, decipher the three-dimensional structure of human DNA, detailing complex folding beyond the molecule’s double-helix and paving the way for new insights in genomic function.

The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study turns 10 years old and celebrates by launching an interdisciplinary symposium titled “Crossing Boundaries.”

Researchers at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Massachusetts General Hospital announce a breakthrough in making replacement cardiac parts, creating a functioning strip of mouse heart muscle starting with a cardiac master stem cell.

November 2009

President Faust visits Africa. During her trip, she meets with Harvard-trained researchers in a state-of-the-art laboratory built and operated by the Botswana-Harvard Partnership for HIV Research and Education, a novel collaboration between the Harvard School of Public Health’s AIDS Initiative and the government of Botswana. Later, Faust visits the University of Johannesburg at Soweto, where she announces that Harvard and the host university are developing an initiative to train school principals in some of South Africa’s most-challenged school districts.

Harvard becomes the largest institutional buyer of wind power in New England, with an agreement to purchase more than 10 percent of the electricity needed to power the Cambridge and Allston campuses from a wind farm in Maine.

Harvard Business School Dean Jay Light announces his retirement after 40 years of teaching and leadership as a member of Harvard’s faculty and five years as dean.

The Task Force on University Libraries releases a report saying Harvard must restructure its fragmented library system and establish shared administrative services to respond to the rapidly changing technological and intellectual landscape of the 21st century.

Harvard biologists and bioengineers report that a cancer vaccine carried into the body on a fingernail-sized implant is the first to successfully eliminate tumors in mammals.

Harvard scientists create a quantum gas microscope used to observe the behavior of single atoms at temperatures so low they follow the rules of quantum mechanics.

December 2009

In a letter to the Harvard community, President Faust outlines Harvard’s path forward in Allston in three phases: property stewardship and community engagement, campus planning and greening, and campus development. A new work team with expertise in design, urban planning, business strategy, and public policy is charged to work with University leaders to understand the priorities of the University over the next decade, fully integrating them with a vision for Allston as a community.

Archaeologists and archaeology students working near Matthews Hall uncover what they believe to be the bottom of an architectural trench dug for the Indian College that stood on the site from 1655 to 1698, built to house Native American students as part of the University’s original mandate to educate the youth of both European settlers and Native people.

James R. Houghton ’58, M.B.A. ’62, announces he will step down from the Harvard Corporation after 15 years of service, at the end of the academic year. He is succeeded as senior fellow by Robert D. Reischauer ’63.

A study from Harvard and the University of Michigan shows that increasing obesity in the country threatens to eclipse health gains from the decline in cigarette smoking.

President Faust announces formation of the Harvard University Committee on the Arts. The committee is charged with working to enhance the presence of the arts on campus.

Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) celebrates its 150th anniversary. Digitization is also under way, with museum staffers loading almost 700,000 digital records onto the Web.

A Harvard and Princeton study shows that even moderate gains in global temperatures could melt ice stored at the poles, leading to dramatic sea level rise.

January 2010

Harvard-affiliated doctors spearhead Haiti earthquake medical relief efforts, working at a field hospital erected by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative.

After the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, Merrick Lex Berman, a research manager at Harvard’s Center for Geographic Analysis, designs the Haiti Earthquake Data Portal. The portal seeks to improve information flow for responders on the ground. When the Chile quake struck on Feb. 27, Berman created a portal for that country in just a few hours.

Work begins on the Harvard Art Museum renovation project at 32 Quincy St. to allow students, faculty, scholars, and the public significantly greater access to collections, not only through larger exhibition galleries, but through new, expanded study centers.

Harvard opens to the community the Harvard Allston Skating Rink in a refitted garage on Western Avenue. On opening night, hundreds of skaters show up for raffle prizes, hot chocolate, and some good old-fashioned falling.

President Faust leads a delegation of University deans to the 2010 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.

Researchers at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and the Joslin Diabetes Center make old mouse stem cells act young again by exposing them to factors in the blood of young mice, an advance that may provide a key to aging.

Harvard Business School enhances its M.B.A. curriculum by offering intensive seminars, independent study opportunities, and an expanded Immersion Experience Program during winter break.

February 2010

Evelynn Hammonds, dean of Harvard College and Barbara Gutmann Rosenkrantz Professor of the History of Science and of African and African American Studies, is appointed by President Barack Obama to the Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

An international team led by Harvard researchers creates a genome-scale map of 26 cancers, revealing more than 100 sites where tumor DNA is missing or abnormally duplicated compared with normal tissue.

Harvard Law School announces the creation of the Public Service Venture Fund to help graduating students pursue careers in public service. The first program of its kind at a law school, the fund will offer seed money for start-up nonprofit ventures and salary support to students who hope to pursue postgraduate work at nonprofits or government agencies.

The Harvard Kennedy School receives a $5 million gift from Glenn Dubin to launch the Dubin Graduate Fellowships for Emerging Leaders, which will support and develop new programs for emerging leaders.

March 2010

President Faust travels to Japan, where she meets with alumni at the Harvard Club of Japan and visits with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

President Faust leads a delegation to China to mark the Harvard Shanghai Center’s official opening. During the festivities, Faust says, “Increasingly, we are in a world of universities without borders. This new center is a case in point.”

Harvard launches its iTunes channel. iTunes U is a dedicated area within iTunes allowing students, faculty, alumni, and visitors to tap into the University’s wealth of public lectures and educational materials.

President Faust announces the appointment of Lisa Coleman as chief diversity officer and special assistant to the president. Faust says, “It is crucial that we ask ourselves if we are doing enough today to foster an environment in which diversity is not simply valued, but cultivated in a systematic way.”

Harvard Law School announces that Grainne de Burca, a leading authority on European Union law and European human rights law, will join the HLS faculty as a tenured professor of law on July 1.

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences votes unanimously to approve a new, dedicated undergraduate concentration in biomedical engineering, to be managed by the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Researchers discover that amyloid–beta protein, the primary constituent in the plaques found in Alzheimer’s disease, may be part of the body’s immune system, according to a study by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research find that the risk of multiple sclerosis increases many times after one is infected by the Epstein-Barr virus.

A collaboration with internationally acclaimed chef Ferran Adrià of El Bulli fame and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences leads to the creation of a new undergraduate course on science and cooking.

April 2010

For the first time in Harvard’s history, more than 30,000 students apply to the College, leading to an admission rate of 6.9 percent for the Class of 2014. Notifications of admission are mailed to 2,110 of the 30,489 applicants. More than 60 percent of the admitted students will receive need-based scholarships averaging $40,000.

The Harvard Alumni Association launches “Public Service on the Map,” an interactive Web site where alumni, students, faculty, and staff can register service projects around the globe. Within its first month, nearly 1,000 people register; one-third are alumni.

William F. Lee ’72, a Boston-based intellectual property expert and former Harvard overseer, is selected as the newest member of the Harvard Corporation.

Harvard recognizes 160 faculty, students, and staff who have made significant contributions to green house gas reduction and sustainability at the first annual Green Carpet Awards.

Earthwatch Institute, a leading international nonprofit environmental organization, settles into its new world headquarters in Harvard-owned property in Allston, bringing about 50 staff to the former headquarters of WGBH media on Western Avenue.

Harvard President Faust and Yo-Yo Ma ’76, founder and artistic director of the Silk Road Project, announce the relocation of the Silk Road Project from Rhode Island to Harvard-owned property at 175 North Harvard St. in Allston this July, enabling new artistic and cultural opportunities at the University and in surrounding communities.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates visits Harvard as part of a three-day tour of universities around the United States designed to inspire students and scholars to focus on the biggest problems facing humanity.

May 2010

President Faust announces that Nitin Nohria, the Richard P. Chapman Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, will become the School’s 10th dean. A scholar of leadership and organizational change, Nohria previously served as the School’s senior associate dean for faculty development and chair of its organizational behavior unit. Nohria will take up his new role on July 1.

U.S. President Barack Obama nominates U.S. Solicitor General and former Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan to replace Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court. If appointed, Kagan would join HLS alumni and fellow Justices John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, and Stephen Breyer.

Harvard opens its new Center for Biological Imaging (CBI). The facility is unique in that its cutting-edge instruments will be replaced every 24 to 36 months. President Faust says the most important part of the CBI is not its instruments, but rather that “it makes the instruments the instruments of collaboration, as well as the instruments of science.”

Officials announce that historian Annette Gordon-Reed, J.D. ’84, will join the faculty in July as a professor of law at Harvard Law School and a professor of history in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Gordon-Reed will also be the Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.

Michael Van Valkenburgh, Charles Eliot Professor in Practice of Landscape Architecture at the Graduate School of Design, is honored with the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ 2010 Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize in Architecture.

Dean Michael D. Smith of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences announces that five FAS professors have been awarded Harvard College Professorships in recognition of their outstanding contributions to undergraduate teaching, advising, and mentoring: Michael Brenner, Glover Professor of Applied Mathematics and Applied Physics; Julie Buckler, professor of Slavic languages and literatures; Emma Dench, professor of the classics and of history; Peter Gordon, professor of history; and Daniel Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology.

— Compiled by Sarah Sweeney

Each Commencement, the Harvard Extension School recognizes the notable accomplishments of its top graduates and outstanding faculty with numerous awards and prizes. Recipients may demonstrate outstanding initiative, character, and academic achievement; show dedication to the arts or public service; or in regard to faculty, be lauded by their students for excellence in teaching.

One honor, the Dean’s Prize for Outstanding Master of Liberal Arts Thesis, is awarded to a student whose graduate thesis embodies the highest level of imaginative scholarship. Through the years, A.L.M. thesis advisers from across the University (all of whom must have Harvard teaching appointments) have been singularly impressed with the work produced by their Extension School advisees: “tremendous body of work — better than many doctoral theses I’ve seen”; and “an important contribution … it should be published”; and on one biotechnology student, “the most impressive master’s student I have encountered … at Harvard.”

In addition to the Dean’s Prize for Outstanding Thesis, there are four major academic prizes — the Phelps, Crite, Langlois, and Small prizes — as well as the Bok, Aurelio, Yang, and Wood prizes. Faculty are awarded the Bonanno, Conway, Fussa, and Shattuck awards.

To see a list of 2009-10 Harvard Extension School prize and award recipients, visit the Extension School Web site.

Ten professors in Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) have been named Walter Channing Cabot Fellows. The annual awards recognize tenured faculty members for distinguished accomplishments in the fields of literature, history, or art, broadly conceived.

The 2010 honorees are Janet Beizer, professor of Romance languages and literatures; Mark Elliott, Mark Schwartz Professor of Chinese and Inner Asian History; Francesco Erspamer, professor of Romance languages and literatures; Wilt Idema, professor of Chinese literature; Chris Killip, professor of visual and environmental studies; Alex Rehding, Fanny Peabody Professor of Music; Nancy Rosenblum, Senator Joseph S. Clark Professor of Ethics in Politics and Government; Amartya Sen, Thomas W. Lamont University Professor; William Julius Wilson, Lewis F. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor; and Richard W. Wrangham, Ruth Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology.