Looking back at 2021

From accomplishments and awards to viruses and vaccines, we’re reflecting on everything that happened this year.

A walk down memory lane

Get a glimpse of 2021 at Harvard, a year filled with artistic explorations, research innovations, and community celebrations.

The year at Harvard

These were some of the big moments from 2021 at Harvard.

January

Harvard alum Amanda Gorman delivered a poem at President Biden’s inauguration.

Read about the poem

February

Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Harvard alum Cameron Brate played in the Super Bowl.

March

On Match Day, Medical School students learned where they would do their residencies.

See where they matched

April

On Earth Day, members of the Harvard community shared their thoughts, fears, and hopes for the planet.

Hear their thoughts

May

We gathered online to award degrees and celebrate the achievements of our graduates.

See the Class of 2021

June

After a 15-month, COVID-forced hiatus, the Family Van, a mobile health clinic affiliated with Harvard Medical School, got back on its regular routes.

Learn about the Family Van

July

Sixteen athletes from Harvard took part in the XXXII Olympics in Tokyo.

Meet the athletes

August

Undergraduate students, some who hadn’t been on campus in more than a year due to the pandemic, arrived at Harvard.

See their arrivals

September

Nearly 200 student-athletes received their “Major H” sweaters.

Learn more about the day

October

Kennedy School fellow Maria Ressa won the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts safeguarding freedom of expression.

November

Harvard beat Yale in the 137th playing of “The Game.”

Learn more about The Game

December

The Harvard Ed Portal launched their fifth annual Allston-Brighton Winter Market, which supports local artisans.

Explore the market

The world in 2021

Harvard panel assesses the damage done by the January 6 riots

Graduate School of Design experts discuss the electricity crisis in Texas

Harvard Chan School professor examines the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

Harvard faculty member reviews a difficult summer in Haiti

Harvard faculty reflect on the 20th anniversary of 9/11

Members of the Harvard community attend COP26

A student stands in front of a sign that reads "UN Climate Change Conference UK 2021"

Another pandemic year

For another year, members of the Harvard community researched COVID-19, treated those who became ill, and helped educate the public.

Meet nurses working on the COVID-19 frontlines

Harvard epidemiologist shares his first impression of the Omicron variant

Harvard Chan School epidemiologist William Hanage says it may be months before Omicron’s transmissibility among vaccinated individuals is known.

Vaccine reduces the transmission in breakthrough cases

Research shows that those who are vaccinated shed the virus for a shorter period of time and are less likely to spread COVID.

Moderna edges out Pfizer vaccine in head-to-head comparison

A large-scale study found that the Moderna vaccine is slightly more effective in preventing COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death.

Learn about the study's findings

Pediatrician weighs in on COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5-11

While many families have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity for their children to be immunized, others are hesitant.

Hear more from the experts

Breaking down the COVID-19 booster shot

Similar to the fall flu vaccine, a COVID booster may be in our future—at least for the next few years.

Learn more about the booster shot

Long COVID sufferers face serious side effects, as well as physician skepticism

Dismissive doctors, inconclusive tests, and an array of debilitating symptoms have been the experience for many patients suffering long COVID.

Learn more about long COVID

They studied medicine, and then suddenly COVID too

Students at Harvard Medical School describe the challenges and treasures of navigating classes and the pandemic.

Read about their experiences

Is vaccine misinformation affecting our health?

Harvard Kennedy School’s Matthew Baum and a team of principal investigators share new research from the COVID States Project.