In Short

The University partnered with the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) on an exhibit that features photographs by the late Romus Broadway of everyday life in Princeton’s WITHERSPOON-JACKSON NEIGHBORHOOD, home to much of the town’s African American community, from the late 1950s to the early 2000s. Beginning in August, 20 banners were displayed around the neighborhood and will remain up through May 2023.

In 2020, after Broadway’s death, the University Library purchased the collection — which includes 30,000 photographs — and is currently digitizing it (see bit.ly/rbroadway). ACP artistic director Maria Evans, who was a friend of Broadway, said that “he had such a passion for visual storytelling” and called the collection “truly astounding.” 

Chemical and biological engineering professor Clifford Brangwynne was one of five researchers selected to receive the 2023 BREAKTHROUGH PRIZE IN LIFE SCIENCES. He will share the $3 million prize with Anthony A. Hyman of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics. According to a Breakthrough Prize Foundation release, Brangwynne and Hyman “discovered an entirely new physical principle that concentrates cellular interactions between proteins and other biomolecules, in the absence of membranes.” These “membraneless liquid condensates” have advanced the field’s understanding of cellular organization and could lead to clinical applications in the treatment of diseases, according to the release. 

The Breakthrough Prize Foundation also honored associate professor of electrical and computer engineering Jeff Thompson with its $100,000 New Horizons Prize for early-career contributions in physics and mathematics.

Three Princeton faculty members were selected to receive NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH funding through its High-Risk, High-Reward research award program. Chemical and biological engineering professor Celeste Nelson is one of eight recipients of the Director’s Pioneer Award, which she’ll use to study “mechanical clocks” in fetal development. Assistant professors Michelle Chan (molecular biology and genomics) and A.J. te Velthuis (molecular biology) are among 72 winners of the Director’s New Innovators Award.

Assistant professor of computer science Felix Heide is one of 20 recipients of the 2022 PACKARD FELLOWSHIP for early-career scientists and engineers. Heide’s work focuses on imaging and computer vision. Each Packard Fellow receives $875,000 in unrestricted funds that they can use over a period of five years.