The Research Powerhouse: Your Big Ideas Belong at NYU

NYU’s New Research Frontiers

NYU has recently launched several high-tech initiatives that feel more like science fiction than a standard college curriculum. Here’s how we’re bolstering the future of science and technology:

• Computing at the Speed of Light: NYU recently unveiled Torch, the most powerful supercomputer in New York State. Whether you’re interested in biotechnology or AI, you have access to a machine that can do approximately 11 quadrillion calculations per second. Plus, it’s sustainable, thanks to its liquid cooling system.
• The Quantum Leap: Through the new Quantum Institute, researchers are unlocking the mysteries of quantum information science. This kind of tech will redefine everything from communications security to ultraprecise sensors.
• Robotics in the Real World: The new Center for Robotics and Embodied Intelligence develops machines that can sense and navigate complex environments, from disaster zones to the operating room.
• Engineering for Health: The Institute for Engineering Health is where biology and medicine meet engineering. Integrating technological innovation with medical expertise, NYU is advancing the way we discover, prevent, and treat disease.

Solving for a Better World

At NYU, research isn’t just for PhD students and professors. It’s for every student, in every school, from the first semester. And the university community doesn’t just study problems—they solve them. Here, students are driven by the common goal of making a real-world impact.

Every day, our students are creating a more accessible and sustainable future through their research. For instance, Shira Linsk, who studied biology and environmental studies, turned a love of insects into a research project on how native pollinators respond to urban habitat changes. She saw an opportunity for important research and didn’t wait for graduation to get started.

That same drive to help others extends to human health and well-being. Take Maame Adwoa Sey, a Liberal Studies student who examined how different African nations utilize foreign aid to build more resilient health systems.

Combining data, passion, and NYU’s resources, these students prove that the best research helps people (and insects!) live better lives.

Research Without Borders

Your research might start in a New York City classroom, but it could also take place across the globe. Thousands of miles away, students at NYU Abu Dhabi are sparking global change by tackling international policy and sustainability. Here, Economics majors Munira Abdul-Nasir and Sebrin Abdu and Computer Science major Lincoln Ahiadu focused their work on blockchain technology and its potential to transform rural economies in Africa.

Additionally, many students find that the best place to learn is on site. In a course focused on place-based research, students traveled to Naples, Italy, to study volcanic activity up close.

Furthermore, research at NYU doesn’t only cross geographic boundaries—it crosses disciplines. Just ask Daelah Nicholas, a premed student who blends anatomy and art to discover new ways of visualizing the human body. Majoring in Neural Science with a minor in Psychology, Daelah creates art for various medical journals while conducting research in two labs.

Engineering Success at Tandon

At the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, first-year students don’t just learn engineering, they live it. From your first semester, you are encouraged to trade the textbook for the lab.

The Introduction to Engineering course lets you start from scratch, turning ideas into working prototypes. This early exposure to research is a core part of the Tandon experience, which prioritizes practical learning from day one.

Recently, four first-year students—Weier Bao, Kevin Chen, Adria Farha, and Amanda Tao—won Tandon’s prestigious Gunter Georgi Award. Out of 100 competing teams, these students stood out for their creativity and problem-solving in designing a robotic arm.