From Smoke to Science: What History Teaches Us About Air Pollution
In “From smoke to Science,” Prof. David Shumway Jones explores how history, science, and public health together reveal new ways to understand and combat air pollution today
Category : Announcements
Climate Extremes and Maternal Well-Being: Lessons from Tamil Nadu, South India
As heatwaves intensify and rainfall patterns shift, the effects of climate change in South Asia are no longer confined to the environment; they’re reshaping lives in deeply personal ways. A new India Development Review article, “In Tamil Nadu, Climate Extremes Are Reshaping Maternal Well-being,” by Mittal Institute Associate Dr. Saravanan Thangarajan explores how these environmental stresses are affecting maternal mental health across India. The research, supported by the Mittal Institute and building upon collaborations from Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, offers powerful insights into the intersection of climate, health, and gender. Dr. Thangarajan, a Visiting Scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Ariadne Labs, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, gave us an introduction to his article and shared some images from his fieldwork in Tamil Nadu.
Designing for Heat Resilience: Ultra-Low Cost Solutions for Overheating and Sleep Disruption in South Asian Homes
Rising temperatures are pushing Indian cities to the limits of human comfort, with residents in rooftop rooms particularly affected by extreme heat trapped under concrete roofs. To address these challenges, the project “Ultra-Low Cost Solutions for Overheating and Sleep
Disruption in South Asian Homes” was initiated with support from a Mittal Institute Faculty Research grant.
When Work Ends, the Heat Doesn’t
Researchers supported by a Mittal Institute grant and affiliated with the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability argue that protecting workers across the Global South from hazardous heat must not stop when they leave the job, as many low-wage workers return to homes that stay dangerously hot overnight. Their work was published in the BMJ and featured in an article by the Salata Institute.
Brewing Belonging: International Tea Brings Students Together at Harvard
International students make up more than a quarter of Harvard’s community, and many arrive searching for a sense of belonging. To help create that connection, Thomas Elliott, Programs and Administrative Coordinator at the Mittal Institute, is launching “International Tea”—a new gathering designed to bring students together and foster community. The first tea will be held on October 22nd and is open to invited Graduate Students and Fellows from regional centers. We spoke with Thomas about how this initiative came to life and what he hopes it will offer.
Mittal Institute Fellow Rose Sebastian on Science Museums and Nation-Building in Post-Independence India
The Mittal Institute is delighted to welcome Rose Sebastian—a researcher with longtime interests in cultural studies, critical museum studies, and modern India—as the Mittal Institute’s Jamnalal Kaniram Bajaj Fellow. She is also a fellow with the Harvard Kennedy School’s Program on Science, Technology, and Society. Rose spoke with the Mittal Institute about her postdoctoral research project, where she is exploring science museums in post-independence India.
Dr. Eugene Richardson on Climate Vulnerability in Nepal
Nepal is acutely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, grappling with rising temperatures and an increasing frequency of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and landslides. These environmental stresses pose significant threats not only to infrastructure and livelihoods, but also to cultural heritage, biodiversity, and long-term habitability. To better understand the human dimensions of this crisis, Professor Eugene Richardson, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is leading a research project that examines how local communities in Nepal perceive climate risks. His project, “Climate Change, Loss and Damage, and Habitability in Nepal,” is one of the inaugural recipients of the Mittal Institute’s new Faculty Climate Grant program.
Prof. Jinah Kim Collaborates on New MFA Exhibit focused on Red, Yellow and Gold in South Asian Paintings
Jinah Kim, the George P. Bickford Professor of Indian and South Asian Art, Department of History of Art and Architecture, and Professor of South Asian Studies in the Department of South Asian Studies at Harvard, runs the Mapping Color in History (MCH) Project, a digital research platform that brings together the scientific data drawn from existing and ongoing material analyses of pigments, especially in Asian painting, to enable historical research. She has been working with the MFA from the beginning of the project and shared more in this Q&A about the collaboration and the exhibit now on display.
Hitesh Vaidya, Visiting Artist Fellow, on Collective Memory in the Everyday
Hitesh Vaidya, the Mittal Institute’s newest Visiting Artist Fellow, is a visual artist and cultural practitioner based in Bhaktapur, Nepal. Vaidya’s practice explores how everyday objects, spaces, and rituals quietly shape collective memory, bridging traditional culture with contemporary life. Drawing on the lived histories of Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, and Patan, Vaidya interprets the city through its domestic rhythms, communal architectures, and interpersonal relationships. We spoke with him about his work and what he hopes to explore during his fellowship.
Harnessing AI for Climate Solutions: Meet Mittal Family Climate Fellow Sachin Kumar
Sachin Kumar, the Mittal Family Climate Fellow, studies Artificial Intelligence, particularly the intersection of AI technology and societal impact. His research focuses on leveraging AI/ML to solve urban and societal challenges, specifically urban governance, climate change and sustainability. Currently serving as an Assistant Professor at the Cluster Innovation Centre, University of Delhi, he is also the Executive Officer of the University of Delhi Foundation. We spoke with Dr. Kumar about his research and what he hopes from his Mittal Institute fellowship.
Alumni Spotlight: Aparajita Rana on Data Privacy, AI, and Cybersecurity
For our Alumni Spotlight we spoke with Aprajita Rana, a tri-qualified lawyer, with an experience of over 15 years in advising clients in diverse areas of law, including corporate, commercial, technology, media and telecommunication, data protection and privacy and e-commerce, with a core focus on employment law.
From Classroom to Culture: John Weaver ’26 Explores Sanskrit in Pune
John Weaver ‘26, a triple concentrator in History of Art and Architecture, South Asian Studies, and English, spent his summer in Pune, India, at the American Institute of Indian Studies Summer Sanskrit Language Program. This 8-week program consisted of Sanskrit courses and occasional cultural immersion outings. John shared more about his summer with us in the interview below.