In the emerging field of resilience, Northeastern is already an international leader. At the Global Resilience Institute, researchers and policymakers help communities prepare for natural and manmade disasters—and to bounce back even stronger.

Safeguarding information networks is a priority for Northeastern. At the Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security, scientists and engineers in hardware and software work to develop and protect systems vital to national security. At the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute, experts in cryptology, networks, and algorithms fortify internet systems against hacking and privacy loss, and design techniques to safeguard and share information safely.

At the Coastal Sustainability Institute, Northeastern researchers address environmental threats to coastal ecosystems, from Massachusetts’ wetlands to Cuba’s coral reefs. Faculty explore sea-level rise and storm surge, collapsing fisheries, invasive species, pollution, loss of biodiversity, and extreme weather.

Researchers at the Network Science Institute identify and explain the patterns and mechanisms underlying complex linked phenomena, from viral pandemics to the spread of political ideas.

From super small components come big ideas for medicine, energy, manufacturing, security, construction, and the military. With nanosized wires, tubes, and particles, researchers are creating faster, stronger materials. In the works are artificial joints and organs, sustainable energy harvesting and storage, and electronics and sensors that boost cost efficiency 100-fold.

At Northeastern, researchers are reimagining drug discovery. Teams are identifying candidate antibiotics to fight drug-resistant bacterial infections. They’re developing targeted therapies for cancer, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis to minimize side effects.