The Council on Science and Technology promotes the development of courses in science and engineering for students concentrating in humanities and the social sciences. In this video professor Bonnie Bassler, above, talks about the council's mission to give Princeton students access to the tools needed to become scientifically literate.
Featured Story
Video feature: 'Council on Science and Technology'
By Els Paine, Council on Science and Technology · Posted June 17, 2013; 12:00 p.m.
At the intersection of Princeton's roles as a research institution and a liberal arts college, the Council on Science and Technology promotes the development of courses in science and engineering for students concentrating in humanities and the social sciences. This video highlights the council's mission to help ensure that all Princeton students graduate as scientifically literate citizens able to assess the technological and scientific issues of the day.
Read Story | All Featured Stories
Other Current Stories
Is there an invisible tug-of-war behind bad hearts and power outages?
By Morgan Kelly, Office of Communications · Posted June 17, 2013; 10:30 a.m.
Researchers from Princeton University and Germany's Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization report the first purely physical experimental evidence that an invisible and chaotic tug-of-war known as a chimera state could occur naturally within any process that relies on spontaneous synchronization, including clock pendulums, power grids and heart valves.
Thirty-two faculty members transfer to emeritus status
By the Office of Communications · Posted June 12, 2013; 10:12 p.m.
Thirty-two Princeton University faculty members were transferred to emeritus status in recent action by the Board of Trustees. All are effective July 1, 2013, except where noted.
Board approves 19 faculty appointments
By Ushma Patel, Office of Communications · Posted June 14, 2013; 09:00 a.m.
The Princeton University Board of Trustees has approved the appointments of 19 faculty members, including four full professors, one associate professor, and 14 assistant professors.
Princeton researchers help protect New York from climate change
By Morgan Kelly, Office of Communications · Posted June 13, 2013; 03:44 p.m.
Four Princeton University researchers took part in the June 11 report, "A Stronger, More Resilient New York," a comprehensive analysis of New York City's climate risks and proposed steps for preparing for future climate events.
Currie highlights importance of 'Big Data' for child-health research
By Michael Hotchkiss, Office of Communications · Posted June 13, 2013; 10:15 a.m.
Princeton University professor Janet Currie describes the importance of providing researchers access to 'Big Data' while safeguarding patient privacy.
McCarter Theatre Center wins Tony Award for Best Play
By Jamie Saxon, Office of Communications · Posted June 13, 2013; 09:30 a.m.
At the 67th annual Tony Awards on June 9, in front of a packed audience at Radio City Music Hall and 7.24 million television viewers worldwide, actor Jesse Eisenberg announced the winner of the award for Best Play: "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike." The play, written by Christopher Durang and directed by Nicholas Martin, had its world premiere at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton. Emily Mann, artistic director of McCarter, accepted the award. McCarter Theatre and the University have a longstanding artistic and academic relationship that began in the 1930s, when McCarter originated as a playhouse for Princeton's Triangle Club.
Eisgruber invites Class of 2017 to join him in reading Appiah book
By Michael Hotchkiss, Office of Communications · Posted June 12, 2013; 10:00 a.m.
Provost and President-elect Christopher L. Eisgruber has given members of Princeton's Class of 2017 their first assignment. Eisgruber, who will become president of the University July 1, has asked incoming freshmen to read the book "The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen" by Princeton professor Kwame Anthony Appiah as part of an introduction to the intellectual life of the University.
Eight named to Princeton Board of Trustees
By Ushma Patel, Office of Communications · Posted June 10, 2013; 09:45 a.m.
Princeton University has named eight new members to its Board of Trustees, effective July 1. The new trustees are: Katherine Brittain Bradley, who was elected by the board to serve for eight years as charter trustee; Denny Chin, Arminio Fraga and Margarita Rosa, who were elected by the board to serve for four years as term trustees; Victoria Bjorklund, Steven Leach and Sheryl WuDunn, who were elected by alumni to serve four years as alumni trustees; and Kanwal Matharu, who was elected by the junior, senior and two youngest alumni classes to serve four years as young alumni trustee.
David S. Lee named provost of Princeton University
By Daniel Day, Office of Communications · Posted June 5, 2013; 09:30 a.m.
David S. Lee, professor of economics and public affairs and the director of the Industrial Relations Section at Princeton University, will become provost effective July 1.
Princeton University holds 266th Commencement
By Michael Caddell, Office of Communications · Posted June 4, 2013; 12:10 p.m.
Princeton University awarded degrees to 1,261 undergraduates in the Class of 2013, five from other classes and 892 graduate students at its 266th Commencement Tuesday, June 4.
Advanced-degree candidates receive their hoods and degrees
By Ushma Patel, Office of Communications · Posted June 5, 2013; 11:00 a.m.
Advanced-degree recipients were awarded their degrees at Princeton University's 266th Commencement Tuesday, June 4.
Bone tumor identified in 120,000-year-old rib of Neandertal
By the Office of Communications · Posted June 5, 2013; 10:57 a.m.
Researchers have identified a benign bone tumor in the rib of a young Neandertal who lived about 120,000 years ago — by far the earliest bone tumor ever identified in the archaeological record. The identification, by a team that included two researchers affiliated with Princeton University, could offer a new clue to the relationship between Neandertals and modern humans.
Princeton awards six honorary degrees
By Karin Dienst, Office of Communications · Posted June 4, 2013; 12:00 p.m.
Princeton University awarded honorary degrees during Commencement exercises Tuesday, June 4, to six individuals for their contributions to architecture, education, literature, the humanities, human rights, medicine and science: Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health; Lorraine Daston, executive director of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin; Frank Gehry, world-renowned architect; Toni Morrison, Nobel laureate and the Robert F. Goheen Professor in the Humanities Emeritus at Princeton; Shirley M. Tilghman, president of Princeton University; and Sakena Yacoobi, executive director of the Afghan Institute of Learning.
Four faculty members recognized for outstanding teaching
By Karin Dienst, Office of Communications · Posted June 4, 2013; 12:00 p.m.
Four Princeton University faculty members received President's Awards for Distinguished Teaching at Commencement ceremonies Tuesday, June 4. They are: Yelena Baraz, assistant professor of classics; Andrew Houck, associate professor of electrical engineering; Deborah Nord, professor of English; and David Spergel, the Charles A. Young Professor of Astronomy on the Class of 1897 Foundation and professor of astrophysical sciences.
Remnick charges seniors to consider 'the nature of freedom'
By Jamie Saxon, Office of Communications · Posted June 3, 2013; 06:30 p.m.
At Princeton University's Class Day, held on Cannon Green June 3, seniors celebrated the achievements of their peers and members of the University community — with the primary goal of having fun. The keynote speaker was David Remnick, a 1981 alumnus, editor of The New Yorker and Pulitzer Prize-winning author.
Students recognized for accomplishments and service at Class Day
By Emily Aronson, Office of Communications · Posted June 3, 2013; 12:15 p.m.
Members of Princeton University's Class of 2013 gathered on Cannon Green Monday, June 3, to celebrate the conclusion of their undergraduate careers in a Class Day ceremony honoring their leadership and achievement.
Bernanke offers 'Ten Suggestions' to Princeton's Class of 2013
By Michael Hotchkiss, Office of Communications · Posted June 2, 2013; 07:00 p.m.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke offered members of Princeton's Class of 2013 a tool kit for tackling their post-college lives — suggestions and observations that ranged from the value and limitations of economics to an admonition to call their parents once in a while.
Tilghman and Eisgruber discuss recent accomplishments, future challenges with alumni
By Ushma Patel, Office of Communications · Posted June 1, 2013; 03:00 p.m.
Princeton University President Shirley M. Tilghman reflected on her 12 years leading the University and Provost and President-elect Christopher L. Eisgruber discussed his upcoming priorities and challenges on Saturday, June 1, as part of Reunions 2013.
Eisgruber details forces reshaping higher education
By Michael Hotchkiss, Office of Communications · Posted May 31, 2013; 07:30 p.m.
Higher education is being reshaped by concerns about cost and quality, intertwined with growing interest in online technology and more intrusive regulations, Princeton Provost and President-elect Christopher L. Eisgruber said Friday.
Graduate School admits 1,208 from competitive applicant pool
By Michael Caddell, Office of Communications · Posted May 30, 2013; 04:22 p.m.
Princeton University's Graduate School admitted 1,208 of the 11,179 students who applied for the 2013-14 academic year, with the school's international reputation and generous financial aid program attracting students from across the globe.
Three Princeton professors to receive Phi Beta Kappa teaching awards
By Emily Aronson, Office of Communications · Posted May 30, 2013; 11:24 a.m.
The Princeton University chapter of Phi Beta Kappa will give its annual awards for excellence in undergraduate teaching to John Burgess, the John N. Woodhull Professor of Philosophy; Robert Sedgewick, the William O. Baker *39 Professor in Computer Science; and Kevin Wayne, the Phillip Y. Goldman '86 Senior Lecturer in Computer Science.
Five graduate students honored for excellence in teaching
By Ushma Patel, Office of Communications · Posted May 30, 2013; 09:45 a.m.
The Princeton University Graduate School will present awards to five graduate students in recognition of their outstanding abilities as teachers. The annual Teaching Awards are sponsored by the Graduate School and selected by Dean of the Graduate School William Russel and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Cole Crittenden.
Forum examines 'epidemic' of gun violence as a public health issue
By Jamie Saxon, Office of Communications · Posted May 29, 2013; 02:40 p.m.
The "Culture of Violence Summit," a half-day policy forum held May 28 at Princeton University, took a broad, nonpartisan look at gun violence in America as a public health imperative. Speakers drawn from politics, education, medicine and public policy called the problem of gun crimes multifaceted. Panelists examined the collaborative roles science, research and public education have in the gun debate.
Alumnus Donoho receives Shaw Prize in mathematics
By Morgan Kelly, Office of Communications · Posted May 28, 2013; 02:33 p.m.
Princeton University alumnus David Donoho, the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Humanities and Sciences and a professor of statistics at Stanford University, today was named the 2013 Shaw Laureate in mathematics. A member of Princeton's Class of 1978, Donoho was recognized for his work to get a more detailed analysis out of large numerical data sets.
Princeton to honor four secondary school teachers
By Michael Hotchkiss, Office of Communications · Posted May 28, 2013; 11:30 a.m.
Princeton University will honor four exceptional New Jersey secondary school teachers at its 2013 Commencement on Tuesday, June 4.
Sagar sees Constitution at work in AP phone records seizure
By Michael Hotchkiss, Office of Communications · Posted May 24, 2013; 01:57 p.m.
The Justice Department's controversial seizure of Associated Press phone records highlights a messy but effective constitutional balancing act that ultimately benefits the country, said Rahul Sagar, an assistant professor of politics at Princeton University.
Current cicada brood likely to sing way off in the distance for Princeton
By Morgan Kelly, Office of Communications · Posted May 24, 2013; 12:20 p.m.
Despite the fervor surrounding the cicada emergence this year, Princeton should be relatively free of the onslaught because the 2013 variety typically concentrates in northern New Jersey with Princeton on its territorial outskirts.
Valedictorian Sinha finds inspiration in questions of balance
By John Sullivan, Office of Engineering Communications · Posted May 29, 2013; 12:00 p.m.
Programming a robot to perform like a plate spinner at a circus, making all the tiny adjustments needed to balance a thin stick perfectly upright, is associated with what engineers call the inverted pendulum problem. For most students, the tricky balancing act can be quite a challenge. For Princeton senior and valedictorian of the Class of 2013 Aman Sinha, it was an inspiration.
Aubert and Treuting chosen as first Fellows in the Creative and Performing Arts
By the Office of Communications · Posted May 24, 2013; 10:06 a.m.
Graphic designer Danielle Aubert and percussionist/composer Jason Treuting will come to Princeton University in the fall to begin two years of teaching and collaboration as the first Fellows in the Creative and Performing Arts.
Salutatorian finds keys to the present in classic texts
By Jamie Saxon, Office of Communications · Posted May 23, 2013; 12:00 p.m.
Amelia Bensch-Schaus' deep dedication to the study of classics at Princeton as well as her exceptional scholarship — she received the Shapiro Prize for Academic Excellence in 2010 — led to her being named salutatorian for the Class of 2013.
PPPL recognized as first in NJ environmental stewardship
By Jeanne Jackson DeVoe, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory · Posted May 23, 2013; 09:00 a.m.
The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has been recognized as the top facility in the state for environmental stewardship by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Student Fulbright winners to study and teach abroad
By Karin Dienst, Office of Communications · Posted May 22, 2013; 09:00 a.m.
Fourteen members of Princeton's graduating Class of 2013, eight graduate students and three recent alumni were awarded Fulbright grants in the spring to study or teach abroad for the 2013-14 academic year.
Studying the unseen activity in bacteria chatter and a nation's bereavement
By Morgan Kelly, Office of Communications · Posted May 20, 2013; 12:00 p.m.
Princeton University senior Sofia Quinodoz took on two theses that pertain to an unseen and not fully understood action that is nonetheless felt by those it afflicts, be it in the form of an infection or the void of a loved one suddenly erased.
FACULTY HONOR: Ostriker named White House Champion of Change
By Staff · Posted June 19, 2013; 12:30 p.m.
Jeremiah Ostriker, Princeton University's Charles A. Young Professor of Astronomy on the Class of 1897 Foundation, Emeritus, is among 13 people to be honored at the White House June 20 as a Champion of Change, which recognizes those who use open scientific data to promote scientific and social progress. Ostriker will be recognized for his research and influence in theoretical astronomy, particularly the aspects of interstellar medium, galaxies, quasars and cosmology that can be approached best by large-scale numerical calculations. Ostriker was among the first to show the prevalence of dark matter in the universe and to explain it's role in the universe's expansion. He also helped initiate the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, which openly provided an enormous and diverse amount of astronomical data to the scientific community. The honoring ceremony can be viewed live on the White House website at 1 p.m. June 20.
FACULTY HONOR: Bassler elected associate member of European Molecular Biology Organization
By Staff · Posted June 18, 2013; 04:30 p.m.
Bonnie Bassler, Princeton University's Squibb Professor in Molecular Biology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, was among 52 life-sciences researchers elected to the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). Bassler and nine other researchers from outside Europe were named associate members of EMBO, which works to encourage promising researchers and foster a supportive, cooperative research environment in Europe. EMBO members provide suggestions and feedback on the organization's activities and help mentor young scientists.
FACULTY AWARD: Princeton's Witten named 2013 Pew Scholar
By Staff · Posted June 13, 2013; 04:16 p.m.
Ilana Witten, a Princeton University assistant professor of psychology and the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, was named a 2013 Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences for her ongoing work to identify the neural mechanisms behind working memory.
FACULTY AWARD: Homes receives Women's Fiction Prize
By Staff · Posted June 7, 2013; 02:50 p.m.
A.M. Homes, a lecturer in creative writing and the Lewis Center for the Arts, has been awarded the Women's Fiction Prize for her novel "May We Be Forgiven." The prize, previously known as the Orange Prize for Fiction, is given annually to the best novel of the year written in English by a woman. The award, which is accompanied by a £30,000 prize [around $46,600], was presented to Homes in London on June 5.
2013 President's Commencement Address
By the Office of Communications · Posted June 4, 2013; 12:00 p.m.
2013 Commencement Address delivered by President Shirley M. Tilghman
2013 Latin Salutatory Oration, English translation
By the Office of Communications · Posted June 4, 2013; 11:30 a.m.
English translation of 2013 Latin Salutatory Oration delivered by Amelia Bensch-Schaus
2013 Latin Salutatory Oration
By the Office of Communications · Posted June 4, 2013; 11:30 a.m.
2013 Latin Salutatory Oration delivered by Amelia Bensch-Schaus
2013 Valedictory Oration
By the Office of Communications · Posted June 4, 2013; 11:30 a.m.
2013 Valedictory Oration delivered by Aman Sinha
Princeton University's 2013 Class Day remarks
By Staff · Posted June 3, 2013; 01:59 p.m.
2013 Class Day remarks by David Remnick