Yale University

Back pain is something many of us deal with, but it isn’t always what it seems. Axial spondyloarthritis is an inflammatory condition that is often missed, delaying diagnosis and treatment. A @YaleMedicine rheumatologist has developed an online screening tool to help identify it earlier. See how earlier detection could change the course of care: bit.ly/40O8tLK

Finding your voice can start with a single debate. Through the New Haven Urban Debate League, Yale undergraduates work with local middle and high school students to teach debate skills that build confidence, critical thinking, and empathy. Check out the video and learn more: bit.ly/4cOL0kF

Yale students aren’t just designing homes. They’re building them. Each year, Yale School of Architecture students design and build affordable homes in New Haven through the Jim Vlock First Year Building Project. This year’s project, “Nest,” will complete a five-home village created for local educators. See how student-led designs are supporting local communities: bit.ly/4taJJcq

Evan Yionoulis has been named the next dean of David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. A Yale alumna, Obie Award-winning director, and former David Geffen School of Drama faculty member, Yionoulis will begin her role on July 1 as dean of the school and artistic director of Yale Repertory Theatre. She succeeds James Bundy, who has served as dean for nearly 25 years. Read more in Yale News: bit.ly/4tvYOFA

Jaehong Kim will serve as the next head of Berkeley College. The Henry P. Becton Sr. Professor of Engineering in the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science, Kim will begin a five-year term on July 1, succeeding David Evans, who has led Berkeley since 2016. As a residential college head, Kim will help guide the social, cultural, and educational life of the college. The role remains central to Yale’s undergraduate experience. Learn more about Professor Kim and his new role at Berkeley College: bit.ly/4vg9ZUB

In the latest Humanitas, Yale News’ arts and humanities column, we’re taking a closer look at: ▪ An experimental approach to literary translation ▪ Stanley Kubrick and American music on the big screen ▪ A campus conference bringing together leading scholars and documentarian Ken Burns Explore more: bit.ly/4dbuzz6

From Alaska to Connecticut, access to timely data can shape how communities respond to disease. PopHIVE, a platform developed at @YaleSPH, puts near real-time health data into the hands of public health practitioners and the public, helping communities make more informed decisions. See how data tools are supporting public health: bit.ly/3PkXsyS

Scientific progress is shaped not only by discovery, but by the values behind it. During a visit to campus as part of Yale’s Presidential Lecture Series, renowned health policy researcher Harvey Fineberg examined how countries compete and collaborate in advancing science, and how the United States can keep pace in a global “race” that ultimately benefits all of humankind. See how leadership is shaping the future of science: bit.ly/4s9x4FY

Music may play a bigger role in how we connect than we realize. A Yale study finds that listening to simple chord progressions during personal interactions increases brain activity linked to social connection, suggesting music may help us better understand and bond with one another. See what the research reveals about music and connection: bit.ly/4rCAvob

Training the next generation of journalists means building both skill and purpose. At Yale’s Investigative Reporting Lab, students work alongside experienced reporters to produce public-interest journalism and learn how to uncover complex stories. Founded and directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Yale professor in the practice Sarah Stillman, the lab supports young journalists in deep reporting for both local and national audiences. Since 2022, the program has helped students develop their reporting while contributing to meaningful, real-world stories. In a new video, Stillman reflects on the work and her approach to teaching writing at Yale. Learn more bit.ly/4bGWioN

David Vasseur will serve as the next head of Saybrook College. A professor and chair of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Vasseur will begin a five-year term on July 1, succeeding Thomas Near, who has led Saybrook since 2015. As a residential college head, Vasseur will help guide the social, cultural, and educational life of the college, a role that remains central to Yale’s undergraduate experience. In his research, Vasseur examines how variation shapes the dynamics and coexistence of species, exploring how environmental change influences ecosystems across scales. His work brings a mathematical and theoretical lens to understanding how biological systems evolve and interact. Learn more about Professor Vasseur and his new role at Saybrook College: bit.ly/4ck9BNv

At @YaleWestCampus, mentorship is helping students see themselves in science. Mentors are working with both Yale undergraduates and local students to demystify research and open pathways that extend beyond the lab and into the New Haven community. Learn how these partnerships are expanding access to research: bit.ly/4uyJtWf

Five Yale faculty members and affiliates have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of the world’s largest scientific societies. The new fellows are Susan Baserga, Kenneth Nelson, Jacqueline Tanaka, Qin Yan, and Julie Zimmerman. They join a class of 449 scientists, engineers, and innovators recognized for their contributions across a wide range of fields. Learn more about Yale’s new @aaas fellows: bit.ly/4mhHvWz

Sometimes children seem to get “stuck” in cycles of irritability or outbursts. Yale scientists have identified patterns in brain activity that may help explain why. The findings could lead to more targeted ways to support kids and families. Explore what researchers discovered about these brain states: bit.ly/472z6Qt

What began as a student effort at @YaleSPH is now expanding access to medications across multiple states. While earning his M.P.H., Leslie Asanga ’20 began coordinating prescription deliveries during the pandemic. Today, that work has grown into a Nevada-based startup helping people receive essential medications when they need them. See how the idea grew beyond campus: bit.ly/474jpZ9

Understanding how HIV reproduces inside the body remains central to developing better treatments. A Yale research team has identified a type of RNA that strengthens the virus’s ability to replicate, reshaping how scientists understand HIV biology and pointing to new directions for treatment. Explore how researchers uncovered this hidden step in HIV replication: bit.ly/4sfgrJP

Hwansoo Kim will serve as the next head of Morse College. A professor of religious studies in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Kim will begin a five-year term on July 1, succeeding Catherine Panter-Brick, who has led Morse since 2015. As a residential college head, Kim will help guide the social, cultural, and educational life of the college. The role remains central to Yale’s undergraduate experience. Kim joined the Yale faculty in 2018 after nearly a decade at Duke University, where he served as Faculty-in-Residence in a residential quad of approximately 430 students. A scholar of Korean Buddhism and East Asian religious history, his work explores how Korean Buddhism has been shaped through connections with Japanese, Chinese, and global religious traditions. His research offers a transnational perspective on its development. Learn more about Professor Kim and his new role at Morse College: bit.ly/3NAeUz1

Min Jin Lee ’90 will return to Yale as the 2026 Class Day speaker. An internationally acclaimed novelist, essayist, and critic, Lee will join the Yale College graduating class for the annual celebration held the day before the university’s commencement exercises. This year’s Class Day ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, on Old Campus. Lee, who immigrated with her family from Seoul, South Korea, to Queens, New York, at age seven, earned her B.A. in history from Yale in 1990. “With her extraordinary novels, Min Jin Lee reminds us of the power of the written word to transport us across time and space, spark new insights into our own lives, and reaffirm our collective humanity,” said Yale College Dean Pericles Lewis. “Her writing invites us to see the world, and understand our places in it, with fresh eyes and greater compassion.” Read more about this year’s Class Day speaker in Yale News: bit.ly/3NCVwBs

The years leading up to menopause often come with changes people don’t expect. In a Q&A, Yale gynecologist Mary Jane Minkin — “Madame Ovary” to many of her patients — discusses perimenopause, common misconceptions, and ways to navigate symptoms. “The key thing is, if you’re not feeling well... we can think about some interventions that could help,” she says. Read the conversation: bit.ly/4bH6MWr

A telescope with 1,140 eyes is setting its sights on the universe’s hidden structure. Called MOTHRA, the instrument is designed to capture the first images of the “cosmic web” — the vast network of matter believed to connect galaxies across the universe. “All galaxies are connected by a giant web of unseen cosmic matter,” says Yale astronomer Pieter van Dokkum. “We want to construct a telescope to take the first picture of it.” See how the project is taking shape in Chile: bit.ly/4sao8kw