Watch a Lecture

Harvard's Faculty is large, diverse, and, by any measure, an accomplished group of women and men. Each faculty member is both a noted teacher and a scholar, for first-rate scholarship is an essential ingredient of great teaching. Harvard students learn in classrooms and labs from professors who are leading authorities in their fields. In this academic community, all members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, including the most prominent scholars, teach undergraduates as well as graduate students.

Lectures by Harvard College Professors:

• Curtis McMullen: The Geometry of 3-Manifolds
  For 100 years the specter of a “fake 3-sphere” has haunted low-dimensional topology. Have the internet postings of a Russian mathematician vanquished the ghost? Professor McMullen’s talk gives a glimpse of the mathematics behind the news.
• Justice: A Journey in Moral Reasoning
  Hundreds of students pack Harvard's Sanders Theater for Professor Michael Sandel's "Justice" course — an introduction to moral and political philosophy. In a project to extend the reach of this legendary course, Harvard has created a film that takes you inside the classroom. Come join the lively exchange of ideas as Sandel and his students grapple with hard questions of ethics and civic life.
• String Theory, Black Holes, and the Fundamental Laws of Nature
  Professor Andrew Strominger presented a lecture on the connection between string theory and black holes as part of the Science Center Research Lecture Series. For centuries, we have been trying to understand the basic laws that govern the universe. The most promising candidate for our next step forward is string theory.
• Socks Before Shoes: Unraveling Cell Division
  Professor of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard, Andrew Murray, describes the mysterious process that lines up chromosomes prior to cell division and offers clues to understanding chromosomal abnormalities.
• Bach Manuscripts: Recovery of the Hidden Archive
  In an hour of video and supporting material, Professor Wolff recounts what began as a dissertation and culminated in his life's work: the recovery of over a half-million pages of manuscripts which had disappeared after WWII.
• Manifestations of Shiva
  In this 50-minute program, Professor Diana Eck introduces us to the mythology, imagery, and pilgrimage sites of the Hindu god Shiva. Explore a glossary of terms, vivid slides, and a map of India.
• WB Yeats: Among School Children
  Join Professor Helen Vendler in her course lecture on the Yeats poem "Among School Children." View her insightful and passionate analysis along with a condensed reading and student comments on the course.
• Solving Cubic Equations
  This 45-minute lecture by Professor Benedict H. Gross and Professor William A. Stein takes a modern approach to the ancient mathematical problem of solving cubic equations. This program explores various mathematical theorems dating back to a Babylonian tablet in 1800 B.C., to Isaac Newton's work on the law of universal gravitation, and to present-day solutions, including Professor Gross' work on the Gross-Zagier Theorem.
• Oliver Cromwell: Commoner to Lord Protector
  Explore the events surrounding Cromwell's rise to power as a military and political leader of 17th century England. Through an energetic lecture, battle maps and timeline, Professor Mark Kishlansky investigates why Cromwell still captures the imagination.
• Hyper-Encryption by Virtual Satellite
  Michael Rabin, the T.J. Watson, Sr. Professor of Computer Science at Harvard, confronts the failure of computer systems to provide network security and, as a solution, presents the theory of hyper-encryption.
• Interpreting the Past
  Using primary sources, Professor Ulrich connects everyday life with larger historical themes of Revolutionary America. Explore the layers of historical understanding via interviews, course lectures and interactive modules.

Recent Panels, Forums and other Special Events held at Harvard:

• Understanding the Crisis in the Markets: A Panel of Harvard Experts
  This exclusive panel discussion with some of the nation's leading scholars will help you understand and interpret recent developments in the U.S. and world markets.
• Women & War in the Twentieth Century
  Exploring the lives of women during wartime can provide a fuller understanding of war itself. Scholars examine the history of gender and war, focusing on the array of military roles women have played from keepers of the home front to terrorists.
• 50 Years in Media: Changes in Journalism
  The last fifty years have seen a major transformation in the media landscape, brought about by technological innovation, changes in society and conglomeration in the media industry. Eight distinguished journalists from the Class of '55 discuss about what those changes are and how they have affected news.
• International Relations: New Approaches in a Complex World
  International Relations Week is an annual event produced by the student-run International Relations Council. Top scholars from around the country dissect some of the most important issues facing us today as a way to explore new approaches to solving these issues in an increasingly complex world.
• An Evening with Yo Yo Ma
  Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma '76 stars in this ARTS FIRST program, featuring a conversation between John Lithgow and Mr. Ma, a breathtaking performance of Bach's First Suite for Solo Cello by Mr. Ma, a student quintet, and the Harvard Arts Medal presentation.

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