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Vice Provost for Research Rick McCullough, who fostered strong partnerships and helped grow the University’s research output over his near decade in the role, has been named president of Florida State University (FSU). McCullough was unanimously selected by the FSU’s Board of Trustees in May and by the system’s Board of Governors on Wednesday.
“Rick is a consummate problem-solver,” said Provost Alan M. Garber. “He has used his formidable analytic and people skills to bring people together to tackle major challenges, from COVID to research computing to climate change. And his influence extends beyond Harvard to the broader Massachusetts research ecosystem and to the nation. By developing trusted partnerships and adopting a ‘let’s get this done,’ solutions-oriented approach, Rick has been consistently successful. Harvard has been truly fortunate to benefit from Rick’s leadership, and we take great pride in his appointment at FSU.”
Photograph by Kristina DeMichele/Harvard Magazine.
Harvard will launch a Ph.D. program in quantum science and engineering, one of the first in the world, the University announced today. The program has been designed to train the next generation of leaders and innovators in a domain of physics already having transformative effects on electrical engineering and computer science, biology and chemistry and poised to transform other fields, too, as researchers demonstrate increasing capability to harness and control quantum effects that defy explanations based on the principles of classical physics alone. Simultaneously, the University revealed that it plans a major renovation of 60 Oxford Street in order to house key portions of its ambitious quantum program. The transformation of that 94,000 gross-square-foot building, constructed in 2007, into a quantum-science and engineering hub is made possible by what the University described in a statement as “generous support from Stacey L.
Julie Heng ’24 is a Crimson Editorial editor. Her column runs on alternate Tuesdays.
Last year, scientists developed mRNA Covid-19 vaccines at historic speed. That wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for scientists like Katalin Kariko, who has laid the groundwork for mRNA vaccine development since the 1990s.
Kariko’s own career, however, nearly ended in 1995, and her story shows how science funding mechanisms in the U.S. have failed us.
After arriving in the U.S. from Hungary, Kariko sought to develop therapies using mRNA, pieces of genetic code that tell cells what proteins to make. Theoretically, you could artificially create mRNA that encoded instructions for enzymes or antibodies. Practically, however, it was a challenge to send synthetic mRNA into the body’s cells in the first place, and most scientists abandoned the field.