A&S News asked some Faculty leaders what’s ahead in their fields in 2016 and beyond. Here’s what’s ahead in Arts & Science for:
Astronomy & Astrophysics, Physics and Chemistry
A&S scientists are engaged in a range of pressing challenges from combating climate change to managing disease. Some projects take place on a massive scale, involving hundreds and sometimes thousands of scientists around the world as in the case of the search for new exoplanets and gravitational waves in the afterglow of the Big Bang. Others occur at the nano-scale, but with huge impact, as in the case of new quantum technologies and materials or the promise of personalized medicine rooted in molecular chemistry.
Cell & Systems Biology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Technological advances — rapid sequencing of genomes, genetic engineering, remote sensing, advanced computational platforms — now allow researchers to answer questions previously beyond our scope, develop entirely new areas of research, and provide important insight into diverse and significant challenges facing the world.
Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistical Sciences
There’s big buzz around big data — a key area of focus for a number of Arts & Science disciplines. Mining the vast quantity of information now available holds unimaginable promise: predicting and preventing crime, optimizing business, tackling diseases, even the discovery of new planets. Yet our ability to generate data exceeds our ability to analyze it, a key challenge for scientists in many A&S fields.
Earth Sciences and School of the Environment
Climate change is one of the world’s biggest challenges and researchers are bringing a wide range of disciplinary perspectives to bear on the problem, including those in the Department of Earth Sciences and the School of the Environment.
English
The Department of English has seen entirely new areas of study — world literature in English, children’s literature, Native North American literature and the digital text — added to the curriculum in past decades. Even courses with the most traditional titles – think Shakespeare or the Victorian novel — are regularly assessed and improved. Alan Bewell looks ahead to how English will change — and stay the same — over the coming years.
History, Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations and Archaeology
More and more of our researchers are using modern digital technologies to better understand the past. Interactive websites bring ancient civilizations to life, while online museums enable us to view collections of historical artifacts and discover customs from anywhere in the world.