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Northwestern Office of the Provost

Faculty Newsletter | May 2026

Dear colleagues,

 

On July 1, Provost Kathleen Hagerty will pass the baton of Northwestern’s academic leadership. True to form, she would prefer that this moment arrive quietly and pass without fanfare. Were it not summer — and were it not for her well-earned year of leave — we might simply see her the next day in a classroom, a meeting or the library: a scholar among scholars, exactly as she would wish.

 

Still, I could not let this moment pass without sharing a few reflections from my vantage point as one of Kathleen’s associates over the past five years.

 

Start with the truth.

 

This is Kathleen’s counsel whenever we face a difficult situation. The truth is that, as provost, Kathleen has guided Northwestern through some of the most turbulent waters in its history. Her unwavering commitment to the University’s academic mission and interdisciplinary strength — paired with a leadership style that is thoughtful, pragmatic and solutions-oriented — has moved the institution forward in meaningful and lasting ways.

 

Care for the people.

 

Whether supporting faculty and staff through the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic or championing investments that will serve our academic community for decades, Kathleen has remained steadfast in placing people and scholarship at the center of every decision. An unassuming yet resolute leader, she has made each of us better stewards of Northwestern through her example and through her extraordinary generosity as a mentor.

 

If you see Kathleen in the coming weeks, I hope you will take a moment to offer a smile, a warm word or a simple thank you for her service. She will likely steer the conversation elsewhere — to derivatives, orchids, her grandson or anything but herself — but she will appreciate it.

 

On behalf of the faculty: Thank you, Kathleen.

 

Sincerely,

 

Sumit Dhar
Interim Vice President for Research
Associate Provost for Faculty

News and Notes

 

2026 University Teaching Awards

The 2026 University Teaching Awards ceremony was held on May 19 in Guild Lounge. Seven faculty members were honored for creating meaningful and effective learning experiences, and for their profound impacts on their students' lives. The awardees (shown above from left to right, wearing medals) were Connor Bain, Sarah Rodriguez, David O’Neill, Scott Sowerby, Sadie Wignall, Elisa Baena and Aravindan Vijayaraghavan, with Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education Karen Smilowitz, Provost Kathleen Hagerty and (second from right) benefactor Nancy McCormick. Read more about the winners here. Congratulations!

 

Opportunity for students from the Office of Fellowships

Federal funding for graduate students in STEM fields has become more competitive than ever, but it has not disappeared. The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program is open to eligible undergraduate seniors and first-year graduate students, and there are additional external funding opportunities for second-year graduate students. To help students navigate a complex new landscape, LaTanya Williams, Associate Director for STEM in the Office of Fellowships, will host application-writing workshops July 21, 23 and 28. All sessions will be held on Zoom and are open to undergraduate seniors and first- and second-year graduate students. Please encourage your students to reach out to latanya.williams@northwestern.edu with questions and for registration information.

 

Programming and events through the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching

  • The Searle Center Community Celebration will take place June 3 from 1-3 p.m. Searle will honor the care, creativity and collaboration that goes into learning and teaching. RSVP.
  • "Embedding Meaningful Course Touchpoints with Vigil: An Instructor Reading Circle" will take place July 16 from 3-4 p.m. in-person at the Searle Center and on Zoom. Explore the Litowitz Center for Enlightened Disagreement's 2026 campus read and exchange ideas for integrating the text into courses. Register.
  • "Teaching Without AI When AI is Everywhere," a 90-minute in-person conversation, will take place Aug. 24 from 9:30-11 a.m. in the Louis Room at Norris. The event will focus on practical, sustainable approaches to assessment. A goal for the session is to produce a set of concrete ideas that faculty can adapt for use in their own classrooms and can be shared after the session. In advance, faculty are encouraged to provide two forms of input: examples of assignments adjusted to clearly communicate when and why students are expected to complete work without AI; and questions and suggestions to help shape a useful and focused conversation. Register.
  • Registration is open for the three-day immersive Course Design Institute, which will take place Aug. 25-27, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Norris the first two days, with a remote session on the final day. Participants will leave with a Canvas-ready syllabus and practical strategies to support student learning and well-being. Reserve your seat. 

     

Buffett Institute call for programming proposals

The Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Affairs is launching a Distinguished Visiting Practitioners program to bring high-profile visitors to campus for short-term or quarter-length residencies. Propose a Distinguished Visiting Practitioner. In addition, the institute is seeking faculty members’ ideas for its quarterly Buffett Symposia, which convene leading experts across different regions and sectors for daylong discussions investigating an urgent global issue. Propose a symposium topic.

  

Energy Innovation Lab Workshop on Energy, AI and Space
The Northwestern University Energy Innovation Lab is co-hosting the inaugural "Columbia–Northwestern–Vanderbilt Summer Virtual Faculty Workshop on Energy, AI and Space" on July 21 from 9 a.m. to noon with the Columbia Law School Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and the Vanderbilt Law School Energy, Environment and Land Use Program. Topics will include data centers that power emerging technologies; new developments in geospatial data and space-based energy and data centers; and evolving geopolitics, markets and investment. Register and submit an abstract. Works-in-progress from all disciplines are welcome. The deadline for abstract submission is June 12 and you may also serve as a discussant. Save the date for future virtual workshops: Aug. 20, Sept. 9, Oct. 21, Nov. 18 and Dec. 15, all scheduled from 11 a.m. to noon.
 
Conference and workshop funding opportunity
The Office of the Vice President for International Relations is offering a  $10,000 grant for tenure-line faculty to host a workshop or conference at Northwestern with colleagues from one or more partner institutions. Competitive proposals will include plans for expanding and strengthening Northwestern’s existing partnerships; faculty collaboration (co-training of graduate students, co-authoring publications, etc.); and raising Northwestern's visibility in academic communities outside the U.S. Applications are due July 31 for workshops proposed to take place between Sept. 1 and Aug. 31, 2027. See preferred partner institutions and learn more.

 

Deadline to switch Eduroam sign-in authentication method 

Beginning June 24, users will no longer connect to the University’s primary Wi-Fi network using username and password credentials. Northwestern IT has already applied updates to most Northwestern-owned and managed devices to enable the new certificate-based authentication process and are on track to complete the change for the remaining managed devices across schools and units well before the change deadline. Learn more. 


Update from Human Resources

HR has created a new Updates and Announcements webpage as a go-to source for announcements and updates related to Northwestern benefits programs. If you have questions about your benefits, email askhr@northwestern.edu or call (847) 491-4700. 

 

In case you missed it

  • Mung Chiang, the next president of Northwestern toured the Evanston and Chicago campuses to meet students, faculty and staff.
  • The Litowitz Center for Enlightened Disagreement announced the inaugural selection for the new Campus Reading Program.
  • Five top scholars received the 2026 Nemmers Prize, which recognizes leaders from outside Northwestern for their outstanding contributions to new knowledge.
  • Vice President for Research Eric Perreault stepped down from his role at the end of April, returning to his full-time role as a faculty member. Associate Provost for Faculty and Hugh Knowles Professor of Hearing Science Sumit Dhar began serving as interim Vice President for Research on May 1.
  • The Northwestern Network for Collaborative Intelligence announced its strategic leaders, who will focus on three pillars of AI and data science: Research, Education and Infrastructure.
  • View more news from around the University.

Mark Your Calendar

Featured events

Key dates and deadlines

  • June 8: Faculty Assembly
  • June 12-15: Graduation Weekend
  • June 18-22: Evanston campus utility plant shutdown
  • June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day; University closed
  • June 23: Final day before NUIT changes Eduroam sign-in authentication method 

      

More resources



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