Before turning the tassel, a look back on 2016–17
June 2016 Homi K. Bhabha, Anne F. Rothenberg Professor of English and American Literature and Language and director of the Mahindra Humanities Center, wins a Humboldt Research Award for his extensive work in the humanities. Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) researchers demonstrate the first at lens that works with high efficiency within the visible spectrum of light, with exciting potential in wearable optics for virtual and augmented reality. A cross-disciplinary Harvard team creates a system that uses solar energy to split water molecules and hydrogen-eating bacteria to produce liquid fuels, converting solar energy to biomass with 10 times the efficiency of the fastest-growing plants. Astronomy Professor David Charbonneau wins a Blavatnik Award for his pioneering discoveries of exoplanets, most notably an Earth-like planet orbiting a nearby star that is considered the best target for future exploration. Courtesy of Houghton Library (above) Houghton Library celebrates Babar with an exhibit including a commis-...