2026 Alumnae of Northwestern University Curriculum Innovation Award Recipients Announced

pam.james 12 February, 2026 03:32 PM

Xiaowei Wang, Mancosh Pathways to the Professoriate Postdoctoral Fellow in Communication Studies

"Xiaowei Wang’s curricular innovation is an advanced-level undergraduate course called Computing and the Environment (C&E) that will explore the intersection of computing, environmental justice and climate.

2026 Alumnae of Northwestern University Curriculum Innovation Award Recipients Announced

pam.james 12 February, 2026 03:26 PM

Elizabeth Horn - Associate Professor, Theatre, School of Communication

"Elizabeth Horn’s curricular innovation is an experiential-learning course in which students will explore the application of theatre-based strategies with pediatric hospital patients.

Xiaowei Wang

Curriculum Innovation Award Recipient, 2026

Xiaowei Wang, Mancosh Pathways to the Professoriate Postdoctoral Fellow in Communication Studies

"Xiaowei Wang’s curricular innovation is an advanced-level undergraduate course called Computing and the Environment (C&E) that will explore the intersection of computing, environmental justice and climate.

The class will offer an understanding of AI’s social and environmental impacts by having students build a solar-powered server, allowing them to engage with the infrastructural history of AI, see how AI tools and models like large language models (LLMs) rely on publicly available training data and how Web 2.0’s vast, user-generated content is essential for LLMs.

In creating a solar-powered web server, students also will directly investigate questions of data sovereignty, ethical data practices, the electrical grid intensity of websites, universal internet protocols and standardization, hardware utilization and e-waste.

Xiaowei Wang is a Mancosh Postdoctoral Scholar in the School of Communication. Xiaowei’s multidisciplinary work over the past 15 years sits at the intersection of public art, technology and social and environmental justice."

From: OFFICE OF THE PROVOST, Faculty Honors, 1/10/2026

Elizabeth Horn

Curriculum Innovation Award Recipient, 2026

Elizabeth, Horn, Associate Professor, Theatre, School of Communication

"Elizabeth Horn’s curricular innovation is an experiential-learning course in which students will explore the application of theatre-based strategies with pediatric hospital patients.

Building upon introductory courses “Storytelling” and “Creative Drama” in the Theatre for Young Audiences module, this course will deepen student understanding of the challenges and opportunities in mounting theatre-based programming designed for a target demographic in non-traditional spaces.

In addition to creating a highly participatory, multisensory play that is responsive to the needs of each child, the class will include a survey of arts-based pediatric programming in the U.S. Two students will be accepted to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, to present about the course at the 2026 National Festival and Conference for Theatre for Young Audiences/USA in May.

Elizabeth Horn joined Northwestern in 2025. She specializes in theatre for young audiences and creative drama. Her interests include personal narrative and devised theatre, applied theatre, and arts and wellness."  

From:  OFFICE OF THE PROVOST, Faculty Honors, 1/10/2026

"Vital Currents -- the Music of Viet Cuong" concert

Posted on
The Bienen School of Music's upcoming Symphonic Wind Ensemble's "Vital Currents -- the Music of Viet Cuong" concert, at  7:30 p.m. (CST) Friday, November 14, 2025, at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, received funding from both the Academic Enrichment and Grants committees, earlier this year.
 
Robert Taylor, professor of conducting and director of Northwestern bands, proposed the project and also will conduct the program featuring Vietnamese-American guest composer Viet Cuong.
 

The Alumnae of NU Celebrates 50 Outstanding Alumnae including this year's Distinguished Alumnae Award Recipient, Dr. Sandra Carson

pam.james 18 September, 2025 03:12 PM

EVANSTON, Ill. --- The Alumnae of Northwestern University is celebrating its 50th year of honoring outstanding alumnae, including this year’s Distinguished Alumnae Award recipient, Dr. Sandra Carson, a pioneer in reproductive medicine, endocrinology and infertility. The award, established in 1976, is presented annually to an outstanding alumna who has made significant contributions in her field and who has attained national recognition. Educators, journalists, doctors, scientists, and artists are included among The Alumnae’s roster of awardees – women who lead, inspire and achieve success.

Files

Attachment
NR 2025 Alumnae Award Dr. Sandra Carson.pdf

Dr. Sandra Carson

Distinguished Alumnae Award Recipient, 2025

Jordan Thanh Vo

STEM Scholarship Recipient, 2025

Jordan Thanh Vo, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, is from Arlington, Texas.  A member of the class of 2027, his long-term goal is to pursue an MD-PHD in epidemiology and cancer research. Hoping to help underserved communities, he is particularly attuned to minority children of low-income families without ready access to health care.  He has mentored younger students through community outreach programs and developed a “deep commitment to learning and service.”  His experience and dedication to researching the interconnectedness of health and socioeconomic conditions has strengthened his resolve to focus on this field.

Sachleen Kaur Tuteja

STEM Scholarship Recipient, 2025

Sachleen Kaur Tuteja, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, a native of Long Grove, IL, is majoring in Statistics, Economics and Data Science. She believes that to maximize the results of innovation, especially in the health care area, it must be based on well-designed and well-executed data. She sees data not as figures, but as representing real people with real problems.

As a result of a research project on colorectal cancer she designed and executed in the laboratory of Feinberg Professor Theresa Walunas, she was invited to make a Presentation at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting, “a rare accomplishment for an undergraduate” according to Professor Walunas. Sachleen states, “I want to be part of a generation of builders who design with care, connection, and community in mind.”

Barkot Simegn

STEM Scholarship Recipient, 2025

Barkot Simegn, McCormick School of Engineering, is from Aurora, Colorado.  A member of the class of 2027, he is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. A first-generation college student and the first engineer in his family, he credits his coming to Northwestern to his teachers (from elementary school through high school) who “believed in pushing kids forward” and spent extra time after school helping him.  He is ever grateful for their support and in turn he wants to “become that support for future engineers” by teaching underprivileged kids the essential skills that will enable them to face engineering challenges and to succeed.

Subscribe to