Skip to main content
Monday, February 23, 2026
Due to current weather conditions, all Harvard Griffin GSAS students should refer to their respective programs, including MyCourses and/or Canvas, for updates about specific courses and sessions. 

GSAS News

Image
W. E. B. Du Bois, seated at his desk, Atlanta, Georgia, 1909
W. E. B. Du Bois, seated at his desk, Atlanta, Georgia, 1909.
/
Courtesy of UMass Archives

Recent News

Article

A More Accurate Measure of Calories Burned

New research shows that OpenMetabolics, an open-source, smartphone-based activity monitor developed by a team of Harvard researchers led by PhD student Haedo Chohave, outperforms state-of-the-art smartwatches and fitness trackers at estimating calories burned. 

Image
Study participant walking on a bike path to validate the OpenMetabolics model against other, common fitness-tracking systems.
SEAS (FOR EXTERNAL LINK ONLY)
Article

Spiritual Practices Strongly Associated with Reduced Risk of Substance Abuse

Individuals who engaged in spirituality were significantly less likely to exhibit hazardous use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and illicit drugs, according to a new meta-analysis led by Harvard T.H. Chan School Professor Tyler VanderWeele, PhD '06.

Image
Colorful illustration of person sitting in meditation. Vantage point is from the back.
Harvard TH Chan School (FOR EXTERNAL LINK ONLY)
Article

How Military Occupation Sparked the American Revolution

Are the elements that made Boston the cauldron of the American Revolution in the 1770s playing out again in the United States today? Historian, author, and former presidential adviser Ted Widmer, PhD ’93, discusses the parallels—and perils—of looking to the past to understand the present. 

Image
Illustration of The Boston Massacre
Article

A Pioneer in Centering Black History

Often called the “Father of Black History,” Carter G. Woodson, PhD '12, dedicated his career to ensuring that Black life and history were documented, studied, and understood as central to the American story. 
 

Image
Portrait of a young Carter G. Woodson
Addison N. Scurlock. Carter G. Woodson. 1910–1925 University of Minnesota Libraries, Kautz Family YMCA Archives Public Domain
Harvard Griffin GSAS Newsletter and Podcast

Get the Latest Updates

Subscribe to Colloquy Podcast

Conversations with scholars and thinkers from Harvard's PhD community
Apple Podcasts Spotify
Simplecast

Connect with us