To Our Alumni and Friends,
“It’s all about our people.”
Boston University is built on the energy and drive of its people. This year’s Annual Report is all about capturing the dynamic quality that permeates every classroom, lab, and building on campus. This year’s winners of the Metcalf Award for Excellence in Teaching, for example, and the winner of the Metcalf Cup and Prize, our top teaching award, are among its many personifications. These passionate professors, along with thousands of their dedicated colleagues, have profoundly affected countless students.
The same can be said of the exciting, game-changing research taking place in our labs and in the field. School of Medicine Professors Ann McKee and Lee Goldstein are illuminating the link between battlefield blasts and a devastating brain disease in returning soldiers. MacArthur Award-winner James Collins, a College of Engineering professor, is making critical strides in the fight against lethal bacterial infections. And Darrell Kotton, associate
professor of medicine and pathology, and his team are moving ever closer in their quest to grow stem cells into lungs.
It was never clearer to me, however, how much Boston University is powered by a relentless positive energy than when we lost four bright lights this year—three to a horrific accident and one to a senseless crime. Our campus came together in mourning our loss; our collective hearts and prayers went out to their families.The pain of their absence was a reminder of what makes this place so special.
On every page of this report, I will introduce you to the true inner workings of BU, the engines that keep us running strong. You will see faces, smiles, curious and determined eyes, passionate hearts, and boundary-pushing minds. In short, our people.
President
Andrew Duffy
From car crashes to lasers, College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) Master Lecturer in Physics Andrew Duffy proudly uses unorthodox methods to teach. “He is the god of physics,” one student raves.
Robert C. Lowe
School of Medicine (MED) faculty member Robert C. Lowe isn’t just a great doctor, he’s a great teacher. As one student wrote, “Dr. Lowe is awesome—he makes you marvel at the physiology of the GI tract!”
Marisa Milanese
CAS Writing Program Senior Lecturer Marisa Milanese manages to make a required writing course a thing of bliss.“Love love love her,” gushes one student.“I grew so much as a writer and as a student.”
President Robert A. Brown
Soon after taking the helm of Boston University in 2005, the distinguished chemical engineer started developing a strategic plan for the institution. Today, that vision is unfolding all around and will continue to grow BU in the future.