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Northeastern University stands at the forefront of research and innovation, leveraging premier R1 facilities, world-class faculty, and a distinctive culture of interdisciplinary collaboration to drive breakthrough solutions on a global scale. As a student on our Oakland campus, you can have impact right away, immersed in transformative projects that are redefining technology, healthcare, and business.

Two women wearing yellow vests and sun hats kneel in dry, grassy field, smiling and talking while working. Backpacks and supplies are nearby. Other people work in the background under clear blue sky.

Gain research skills from year one

You don’t have to wait for graduate school to work with our faculty researchers. Our undergraduate students, including first years, can participate in meaningful research projects. Here’s a snapshot of topics that students are investigating:

  • Can AI improve support for patients with diabetes and other chronic diseases?
  • Can virtual reality tech sway political attitudes?
  • How do isolated plant species persist in the face of ecological challenges, and how can this shape policy?
  • Why are hidden plaintiffs successful in court, and how do they influence debates over national issues?   

First-class facilities, unrivaled access

Discover top-notch research facilities on our Oakland campus. Learn about the engines that power global discovery—and the exciting ways students can get involved.

  • A person sits at a lab table looking into a microscope, while several other people work and talk together in the background of a bright, modern laboratory.
    Institute for NanoSystems Innovation

    Our faculty researchers are working with students to push the boundaries of what semiconductors can do, with incredible implications for the next wave of advances in tech for health and climate tech, computing platforms, AI tools, communication, and more.

    By: Angelique Felgentreff

    On: Aug 11
  • A person wearing a VR headset interacts with another person explaining something in a tech workspace with computers, monitors, and cleaning supplies on the desks.
    XR Lab

    At our XR Lab, students and faculty are exploring the rapidly growing field of extended reality and determining how extended realities can help solve real-world challenges. The XR Lab provides access to the latest equipment for XR development and research, including a full usability testing lab.

    By: Angelique Felgentreff

    On: Aug 11
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  • Two students sit at a table with laptops, working together. One wears a white t-shirt, the other a maroon sweater. They appear focused, with a glass of water and a tablet on the table in a bright room.
    Mills Institute

    The Mills Institute conducts transformative research at the intersection of social sciences and technology. Current research areas include: age as a factor of intersectional analysis, arts and social transformation, embracing technology, global cultures, queer histories, and reproductive justice.

    By: Angelique Felgentreff

    On: Aug 11
  • A young man wearing safety goggles and red ear protection carefully works on a woodworking project in a workshop, holding a tool and examining a piece of wood. A bottle of glue sits on the table in front of him.
    Makerspaces

    Our Oakland Makerspaces enable researchers to turn theoretical concepts into tangible forms. With access to equipment ranging from 3D printers to laser cutters to a full metal shop, Northeastern faculty and students create and iterate solutions to public health, architectural, and engineering problems.

    By: Angelique Felgentreff

    On: Aug 11
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Success Stories

See how students on Northeastern’s Oakland campus are shaping change and contributing to breakthroughs in multiple fields.  

Success stories
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  • A person wearing a red bandana and patterned shirt speaks passionately at a podium with a microphone and laptop, addressing an audience in a well-lit room.
    Building transformative paths for teens on two coasts

    When faculty researchers and students in our Community to Community (C2C) impact engine found summer job programs significantly reduce violent crime and drive college enrollment, we took action. Now Summer Youth Employment programs on our Boston and Oakland campuses are changing the future for urban teens.

  • Miki Hong, wearing glasses and a light pink button-up shirt, smiles while looking slightly to the side. The background features glass doors and natural light.
    Driving community health

    With help from students, Northeastern Oakland experts in public health and urban planning are helping city officials provide safer housing in nearby Hayward. Health science majors are collecting critical data to inform no-smoking policies and planning ordinances.

  • A woman with long dark hair, wearing a white sweater, sits and smiles while using a laptop decorated with colorful stickers, including one that says "Google," in a modern, blue-accented interior.
    Fine-tuning AI to help patients with chronic diseases

    On our Oakland campus, faculty and graduate students are investigating how AI could help therapists support patients with chronic illnesses like diabetes, and how large language models could create better AI-driven training tools. For student Zadie Moon, this research enabled her to combine her two passions: technology and public health.

  • A man in a beige suit and pink shirt stands outdoors, smiling with his hands in his pockets, in front of a modern building and some green plants.
    Shaping the future of computing

    Semiconductors are the key to massively scaling quantum computers. At the Institute for NanoSystems Innovation, Assistant Professor Aravind Nagulu and Oakland graduate students are designing semiconductor-based prototypes to scale quantum computing—work supported by a National Science Foundation award.

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Learn more about a Northeastern education

Connect with our admissions team to receive information and advice, and learn more about how becoming a Northeastern student can prepare you for a lifetime of success.

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