News From Brown

The Brown University MPA/MPH student is drawing on his undergraduate background in the humanities, social sciences and community engagement to help inform and empower vulnerable Rhode Islanders. Aidan Choi, a Brown Class of 2026 graduate, is now pursuing a dual master of public health/master of public affairs degree at Brown, converging his interests to build knowledge and expertise as he works toward a career in public service. Photo by Nick Dentamaro/Brown University.

It is with great sadness that we mourn the death of celebrated Ivorian poet, novelist, and philosopher, Tanella Boni, who passed away in Toulouse, France on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. Professor of philosophy at the University Félix Houphouët-Boigny, formerly the University of Abidjan (Cocody), Tanella Boni published numerous critical and literary works in French and won many literary awards, including the 2009 Antonio Viccaro International Poetry Prize from UNESCO for her body of work.

Two community-centered hubs on College Hill and a location for administrative operations in the Jewelry District will support a community-oriented public safety model, improve accessibility and upgrade essential facilities.

The Evaristo Prize for African Poetry is an annual prize of USD $1,500 awarded to ten poems written by an African poet who has not yet published a collection of poetry. Established first as the Brunel International African Poetry Prize (BIAPP) in 2012 by British writer Bernardine Evaristo, who founded and managed the prize for ten years, the Evaristo Prize was renamed and passed on to be managed by the African Poetry Book Fund in 2022.

By pairing a retina-like sensor with a spiking neural network, a new technique with potential applications for self-driving cars, search-and-rescue drones or medical imaging can reveal objects invisible to standard cameras. A new imaging system is able to distinguish shapes through fog and other scattering media. Characters that were obscured by fog were imaged by a dynamic vision sensor (left) and reconstructed clearly (left) by a spiking neural network.

Whether organizing initiatives for the student community or responding to calls for support, Russell relishes her role as a full-time staff member who lives and works on campus and helps students thrive. 1 of 3 As a residential area coordinator, Teniesea Russell oversees residence halls — and lives in one — and supports students with everything from safety policies to community concerns. Photos by Nick Dentamaro/Brown University.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — How does a conductor balance their interpretation of a piece of music with the composer’s intent? With so many instruments in an orchestra, how do they understand each of them profoundly enough to offer feedback? How do they decide what to focus on during each rehearsal?

During Rhode Island Startup Week, faculty and student entrepreneurs pitched emerging technologies to investors, industry leaders and potential partners to move research discoveries toward real-world solutions. Before a panel of investors, Monica Martinez Wilhelmus, assistant professor of engineering at Brown, introduces her company, Nereus Systems, which builds swimming robots that can safely inspect confined underwater environments. All photos by Curtis Stoychoff/Brown University.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/SxIDbXwUaR8 Researchers found that observational activity declines proportionally to how human-like a gripper looks. The study involved several sets of research sessions to probe how the motor cortex responds to observed movements. In one series of sessions, the participants watched animations of hand-like effectors as they performed simple tasks like a pinch grip or a fist-like power grip. The effectors varied in how human-like they looked.

The African Poetry Digital Portal at Brown University is excited to invite applications for a two-year Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Digital Humanities.