Community Lectures & Events
Bringing the community together to spark creativity and foster learning
Past Faculty Lectures
Rob Lue Memorial Lecture with Dr. Jessica Whited
This year's Rob Lue Memorial Lecture, Axolotls: Nature's Instruction Manual for Regenerative Medicine was with Harvard Medical School researcher, Dr. Jessica Whited. Dr. Whited, a regenerative biologist, leads a lab investigating how axolotls regenerate entire limbs. She shared how her research is uncovering the special cells that drive regeneration and how these discoveries are helping scientists better understand human healing.
Meet Jessica Whited
Jessica holds a BA in Philosophy and a BS in Biological Sciences from the University of Missouri. She earned her PhD at MIT, where she studied neuronal architecture in Paul Garrity's lab. As a postdoc in Cliff Tabin's lab at Harvard Medical School, Jessica focused on developing tools to more thoroughly investigate axolotl limb regeneration, and she established a breeding colony of axolotls. These animals were the seeds of the Whited Lab's first home in Brigham and Women's Hospital. Now at Harvard University, Jessica is an Associate Professor, a Principal Faculty member of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and an Associate Member of the Broad Institute. She has received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) as well as the NIH New Innovator and NSF CAREER awards. A native of Michigan, Jessica's interest in biology started with butterflies and time in the woods. Outside of lab, Jessica's usually hanging out with her twin 16-year-old boys.
Did you know?
Axolotl salamanders are one of the few animals that can re-grow whole limbs like arms and legs. Dr. Jessica Whited will share how her research is uncovering the cellular mechanisms for limb regeneration and how these discoveries can be applied to innovations in human regenerative medicine.
Better, Stronger, Faster - How Robotics Can Improve Quality of Life and Enhance Human Performance
Harvard in the Community hosted Better, Stronger, Faster: How Robotics Can Enhance Human Performance and Quality of Life, an engaging talk with Conor Walsh, Paul A. Maeder Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
This lecture highlighted how thoughtful, human-focused design can turn advanced robotics into practical tools that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, from rehabilitation, to healthcare, and daily living. We also welcomed Carolyn Kirk, CEO of MassTech Collaborative, who highlighted programming and initiatives that are supporting and enabling innovation and technology across Massachusetts.
The Future of Work in the Age of Generative AI
With Professor Joseph Fuller
Harvard hosted an engaging talk with Professor Joseph Fuller, Harvard Business School Professor of Management Practice, as he discussed the Future of Work in the Age of Generative AI on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
How will generative AI and other technologies affect the future of work? What will its effect be on entry level jobs and career pathways? Will it help fill America’s pervasive ‘skills gap’ or exacerbate it? How will mid- and late-career workers need to adapt to this emerging force? Professor Fuller draws on data from the two major research projects he oversees at Harvard to discuss the current state of the labor market and the unfolding impact of generative AI.
Our Canine Best Friends: Unlocking the Behavioral Neuroscience of Dogs
We heard from Dr. Erin Hecht, Assistant Professor at Harvard University on the remarkable ways our dogs form emotional bonds with humans. Dr. Hecht and her team use advanced techniques like neuroimaging and behavior analysis to understand how domesticated dogs’ brains respond to love, affection, and attachment.
This talk is a unique opportunity to gain insight into the science behind why dogs are not only our best friends but also extraordinary companions.
Annual Rob Lue Memorial Lecture | Expanding Boundaries: A Journey of Creativity
We heard from Diane Paulus, Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director of the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) and Professor of the Practice of Theater at Harvard University who spoke about her artistic journey creating groundbreaking theatrical experiences on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. She shared the A.R.T.’s approach to center community in its next chapter in its future home in Allston: the David E. and Stacey L. Goel Center for Creativity & Performance. The Rob Lue Memorial Lecture Series honors Professor Lue, a visionary educator committed to lifelong learning and community engagement.
Celebrating Mass STEM Week with astrophysics and AI
The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian opened its doors for its first public lecture since the pandemic began with a nod to the future. “Astronomy Is for All of Us: Celebrating Women Astrophysicists and the History of Cosmic Discovery” on Oct. 19 recognized Mass STEM week, a statewide effort to raise high schoolers’ interest in and awareness of careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Ed Portal Xchange lecture taps gun control as case study
At a public lecture, the Harvard Ed Portal peered into the calculus of American politics and some of the social science that shows why some federal legislative efforts succeed and some fail. “Driving Forces in American Government” was based on the HarvardX course “American Government” taught by Tom Patterson, Bradlee Professor of Government and the Press.
