The wait is almost over. 🎓 Members of the Yale College Class of 2026, along with their families and guests, gathered in Commons on Saturday for a reception hosted by President Maurie McInnis and Dean Pericles Lewis. Visit commencement.yale.edu for the schedule of all Commencement events. #Yale2026

Two decades ago, Jamison Dorsey ’26 M.S.N. appeared on the cover of “Yale Nursing Matters” alongside her mother, Coretta Jenerette, then a post-doctoral fellow at Yale School of Nursing. Dorsey is now preparing to graduate from the same nursing school herself on May 18. 🎓

Ceremony, celebration, and Commencement Weekend at Yale. 🎓 Visit Yale News’ “Celebrating Yale 2026” page for student stories, preview coverage, photos, videos, and links to official university resources throughout the university’s 325th Commencement festivities.

Modern life may be reshaping the gut microbiome, the ecosystem of microbes inside the digestive system. Yale researchers say factors tied to industrialized living, including feeding infants formula, are influencing how the body processes estrogen. Are these changes helpful or harmful?

#Yale2026: Meet the graduates! Ahead of Commencement, Yale News spotlights a few of the exceptional members of the Yale College Class of 2026, a group whose accomplishments and contributions have strengthened the Yale campus and the world beyond. 🎓

New discoveries are changing how scientists understand autism. After identifying hundreds of genes linked to autism, Yale researchers are now studying how shared pathways in the brain may help explain why similar traits and behaviors emerge across many different genetic profiles.

Sleep apnea treatment is changing. For years, CPAP machines have been the standard treatment for sleep apnea. In a Q&A, Yale sleep medicine specialist Klar Yaggi discusses new and emerging approaches that may expand options for patients.

Old Campus is nearly ready to welcome the Class of 2026. 🎓 The chairs are in place, the stage is set, and Handsome Dan is patiently waiting for Commencement Weekend to get underway. To check out the full schedule and everything to know for Yale’s 325th Commencement, visit commencement.yale.edu.

The relationship between people and the environment is complex. In a Yale seminar, students explore Black literature to rethink environmental ideas, engaging texts that show how nature, history, and human experience are deeply connected.

Yale’s first Chess Cup checked all the boxes. Dozens of students gathered in Beinecke Plaza for the tournament, transforming the space into an outdoor hub for strategy, spectatorship, and spirited play. “This is how chess is meant to be played,” one spectator said. Read more: bit.ly/4uxhRju

Yale political scientist Daniel Martinez HoSang is among 24 U.S. and Canadian scholars recently awarded the annual Carnegie Corporation grant, which will support his research on political polarization and potential solutions.

A newly approved breast cancer drug — developed by New Haven-based biotech firm Arvinas and based on the pioneering research of founder and Yale chemist Craig Crews — will soon be available as a once-daily oral therapy.

Understanding the past can start in unexpected places. In a Yale Latin course, students step beyond the classroom with a hands-on lesson in baking with ancient grains, bringing historical practices into the present.

Yale researchers have built a superconducting circuit that recreates proton tunneling, a quantum phenomenon found in systems ranging from photosynthesis to human DNA. The discovery could help advance research in solar fuels, pharmaceuticals, and materials science.

Can eating less help us age better? Research has long shown that cutting calories can improve lifespan in some species, but it’s not always practical or healthy for people. Now, a study from immunobiologist Vishwa Deep Dixit is exploring how we might get those same benefits without the risks.

Spending more time outside? Here’s what to know about ticks. As tick populations grow, Yale epidemiologist Peter Krause breaks down which diseases are spreading, which are rare but dangerous, and how to protect yourself and your family.

A different way to look at animals in art. In a Yale History of Art course, students examine depictions of animals in French visual culture, considering them “not only symbolically,” said instructor Ivana Dizdar, “but also as historical agents.”

Finding support shouldn’t be so hard. Inspired by his own experience with chronic illness, Blake Robertson ’24 M.P.H. is using AI to help people better navigate the social safety net and access the care they need.

Climate solutions might be right beneath our feet. In a new study, Yale soil biologist Eric Slessarev shows that planting deep-rooted grasses can increase carbon storage, highlighting the role soil can play in addressing climate change.

Scientists at the Yale Peabody Museum studied two croc-like fossils preserved side by side and discovered they represent two distinct species, offering new insight into the diversity of ancient crocodile relatives during the “Age of Reptiles.”

How life began remains one of science’s biggest questions. Inspired by a Yale course on complex systems, researchers have developed a new mathematical approach to explore how life may have first emerged on Earth.

For many Yale physicians, caring for veterans is part of the work and the mission. Through partnerships with the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, they are helping improve care while developing new approaches to treatment.

Yale students aren’t just designing homes. They’re building them. Each year, Yale School of Architecture students design and build affordable homes in New Haven through the Jim Vlock First Year Building Project. This year’s project will complete a five-home village created for local educators.

For 45 years, the humanities have brought us together at Yale. At the Whitney Humanities Center, scholars come together to exchange ideas across disciplines. This anniversary reflects both that legacy and the evolving role the humanities continue to play today.

As we age, our bodies change in ways we don’t always see, including how the liver functions. Yale hepatologist Joseph Lim shares insights on how the liver evolves over time and the everyday habits that can help keep it functioning well.

How we age may depend on how our cells maintain their internal sense of order. In a Yale study of flatworms, researchers found that disruptions in the body’s cellular map could help explain why age-related decline occurs, even in organisms with remarkable regenerative abilities.

Climate change isn’t always visible, but it can be mapped. In a Yale graduate seminar in architecture, students are visualizing its impact through innovative forms, from digital collages to sound-based representations of deforestation.

Eight Yale faculty members are among 252 leaders elected as new members of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. The new members will join previously elected Academy fellows in helping to “advance the common good.”

Improving AI may depend on finding what others overlook. For Yale computer scientist Yuejie Chi, that means identifying subtle signals hidden in vast amounts of data. In a Q&A, she explains how this work can help AI systems perform more complex tasks.

Registration is open for the 2026 DeVane Lectures. Pericles Lewis, a literary scholar and dean of Yale College, will explore the “purposes” of higher education, using Plato’s The Republic as a starting point to examine what a college education can and should offer. Open to students and the public.

Understanding the biology of autism can begin in unexpected places. Yale researchers are using zebrafish to study genes associated with autism, helping us better understand how the condition develops and identify drug candidates that may reverse certain behaviors.

Four Yale scholars and artists have been named 2026 Guggenheim Fellows. Marlene Daut, Justin Driver, Matthew Leifheit, and Collier Schorr are among the 2026 cohort of Guggenheim fellows. The honor supports the pursuit of “independent work at the highest level under the freest possible conditions.”

Rare documents tell the story of patriotism over time. A new exhibition at Yale’s Beinecke Library traces 250 years of American history, featuring materials such as an original Declaration of Independence and drafts of Langston Hughes’ poetry. Read more: bit.ly/4sjE7vP

Social media affects young people in different ways. Researchers at the Yale Child Study Center are examining both the risks and benefits, with early findings that challenge simplified views of teen screen time. See how researchers are approaching social media and mental health: bit.ly/413gLPX

Service. Discipline. Dedication. Yale ROTC cadets and midshipmen paraded in full dress uniform at the annual President’s Review. President Maurie McInnis served as reviewing officer as graduates were recognized and learned their first military postings. Read more in Yale News: bit.ly/485M54w

Back pain is something many of us deal with, but it isn’t always what it seems. Axial spondyloarthritis is an inflammatory condition that is often missed, delaying diagnosis and treatment. A Yale Medicine rheumatologist has developed an online screening tool to help identify it earlier.

Global history, seen through art. At the Yale Center for British Art, “Painters, Ports, and Profits” brings together works by Indian, Chinese, and British artists shaped by the global reach of the British East India Company, revealing how trade networks influenced artistic traditions.

Digestive issues are something many of us experience, but for women, they can feel different. Yale Medicine experts explain why gastrointestinal symptoms may be more frequent or more intense, often changing with hormonal shifts during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.

Finding your voice can start with a single debate. Through the New Haven Urban Debate League, Yale undergraduates work with local middle and high school students to teach debate skills that build confidence, critical thinking, and empathy.

Allergy season has arrived, and many of us are feeling it. Yale allergist and immunologist Florence Ida Hsu shares guidance on how to reduce symptoms and manage allergies more comfortably. See tips to help you get through the season: bit.ly/41Khe9O

New Haven is Yale’s home, but our work touches lives across America. From classrooms and hospitals to research hubs, Yale partners with local communities nationwide to expand opportunity and strengthen care. See Yale at work in your backyard: bit.ly/4ceHvC9

From Alaska to Connecticut, access to timely data can shape how communities respond to disease. PopHIVE, developed at Yale School of Public Health, puts near real-time health data into the hands of public health practitioners and the public, helping communities make more informed decisions.

At Yale West Campus, mentorship is helping students see themselves in science. Mentors are working with both Yale undergraduates and local students to demystify research and open pathways that extend beyond the lab and into the New Haven community.

Care professions like teaching and nursing are still more likely to attract women than men. Surprisingly, the gender gap in these roles is often wider in countries with greater overall gender equality. A new study co-authored by Yale SOM's Adriana L. Germano explores the reasons behind the pattern.

Music may play a bigger role in how we connect than we realize. A Yale study finds that listening to simple chord progressions during personal interactions increases brain activity linked to social connection, suggesting music may help us better understand and bond with one another.

Sometimes children seem to get “stuck” in cycles of irritability or outbursts. Yale scientists have identified patterns in brain activity that may help explain why. The findings could lead to more targeted ways to support kids and families.

Training the next generation of journalists takes both skill and purpose. At Yale’s Investigative Reporting Lab, students work alongside experienced reporters to produce public-interest journalism. In a new video, Sarah Stillman reflects on the work.

Yale University has named Evan Yionoulis the next dean of David Geffen School of Drama at Yale and artistic director of Yale Repertory Theatre. She assumes the Yale role July 1, succeeding James Bundy, who has been dean for nearly 25 years. Read more in Yale News: bit.ly/4tvYOFA

Jaehong Kim will serve as the next head of Berkeley College. The Henry P. Becton Sr. Professor of Engineering in the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science, Kim will begin a five-year term on July 1, succeeding David Evans, who has led Berkeley since 2016.

What began as a student effort at Yale is now expanding access to medications across multiple states. While earning his M.P.H., Leslie Asanga ’20 began coordinating prescription deliveries during the pandemic. Today, that work has grown into a startup helping people receive essential medications.