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The Princeton University Office of Community and Regional Affairs is pleased to share the December edition of Regional Roar, a monthly newsletter for regional thought leaders, policymakers, and community stakeholders. Regional Roar offers updates about forward-looking perspectives, innovation, and collaborative partnerships that support the growth and vitality of our region.
In 2025, Princeton University opened a new art museum, unveiled the NJ AI Hub, and launched a mission into space. Princeton's dedicated community of students, researchers, faculty, and staff continued to serve the University mission while making a beneficial impact on the region and beyond. This year, we also joined with colleges and universities from across the country to Stand Up for higher education in America.
Catch up with University news highlights from this year below.
We are always pleased to hear from you, and invite you to forward this information to others who would be interested in these updates.
Is there an event, research, or activity at Princeton University that you would like to learn more about? Please reach out to us at pucra@princeton.edu with questions or comments.
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New Princeton University Art Museum opens to all
Princeton University Art Museum reopened its doors to the public after a multi-year design and construction process on October 31. The new building roughly doubles the Museum's gallery space. It features a soaring three-story Grand Hall, new art commissioned by Princeton, creativity labs open to artists of all ages, and a rooftop restaurant.
The inaugural exhibitions includes Princeton Collects, which highlights 150 extraordinary works of art from a total of 2,000 works gifted or promised in celebration of the Museum’s new building.
More than 21,000 people attended the 24- hour opening event. The Museum is open seven days a week and is free and open to the public.
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Princeton University, Microsoft, CoreWeave, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority unveil NJ AI Hub as center for innovation
The NJ AI Hub aims to unite AI researchers, industry leaders, startups, and collaborators to grow the AI ecosystem in New Jersey by enabling world-class research and development, spurring innovation, and training an AI-boosted workforce in collaboration with New Jersey educational institutions.
This fall, Microsoft announced it will bring its new Discovery AI technology to the hub. The platform promises to help scientists and organizations accelerate research and solve complex problems more efficiently.
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Princeton-led IMAP mission launches into deep space
A rocket carrying the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) launched into space on September 24. The NASA mission is led by Princeton astrophysicists David McComas and Jamie Rankin.
IMAP, a one-ton spacecraft, will explore and map the heliosphere — the invisible cosmic shield surrounding our solar system — and answer some great unknowns about how particles accelerate in the solar wind.
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Major autism study uncovers biologically distinct subtypes, paving the way for precision diagnosis and care
Researchers at Princeton University and the Simons Foundation have identified four clinically and biologically distinct subtypes of autism, marking a transformative step in understanding the condition’s genetic underpinnings and potential for personalized care.
“These findings are powerful because the classes represent different clinical presentations and outcomes, and critically we were able to connect them to distinct underlying biology,” said Aviya Litman, a Ph.D. student at Princeton and co-lead author.
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Innovative tech workforce training preps N.J. high school graduates for high-paying theater stagehand jobs
The inaugural cohort of the Lewis Center for the Art's Princeton Production Workforce Training (PPWT) program spent four weeks on campus learning entry-level production skills. The program is open to recent local high school graduates and aims to provide participants with in-demand, transferable skills that do not require a college degree.
PPWT is one of Princeton's early career training programs. This summer, the Office of Community and Regional Affairs partnered with Hightstown-based organization Higher-Up to place a summer intern in a campus role. Recent Mercer County Community College graduate, Jacob Rodriguez, spent his summer learning the ins and outs of event operations in a role with Princeton's Venue Services.
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How Princeton summer programs help high school, public college, transfer, veteran and other students succeed in school and beyond
Princeton’s Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity helps students from all backgrounds — including those from first-generation college, lower-income, transfer, veteran and military backgrounds — thrive in their academic journeys to, through and beyond college.
Although the center offers year-round programs for high school and college students from Princeton and non-University schools, the summer provides extended time for classes, professional development, research projects and other activities focused on academic enrichment, college preparation, mentorship and community building.
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New Jersey community college educators convene at Princeton to share ideas, build partnerships for the humanities
Humanities professors and administrators from all 18 public community colleges in New Jersey spent a full day on Princeton University’s campus April 11 for a conference focused on increasing the vitality of the humanities in the college classroom and deepening partnerships with Princeton.
The event, the first in a series, was hosted by Princeton’s new Humanities Initiative and the Program for Community College Engagement (PCCE).
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University’s Meadows Neighborhood flourishing with new athletic and residential facilities
This spring, the University’s Meadows Neighborhood flourished as a hub of activity at new athletic, recreational and residential facilities, making the tree-lined, mixed-use community near Lake Carnegie a welcome addition to Princeton’s campus.
Set across 85 acres, the neighborhood was built on lands the University has owned for more than 100 years and marks the first major campus expansion in West Windsor Township.
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Unprecedented new device at PPPL will help to unravel the mysteries of the universe
In a spacious room with towering ceilings, a gleaming device resembling a metal barrel the size of an SUV lies on its side, ready to perform some science.
Known as the Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments (FLARE), the machine represents the next generation of research into fundamental plasma physics at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). At 12 feet long, 9 feet in diameter and weighing more than 10 tons, FLARE is a first-of-a-kind, world-class facility.
On June 12, the Laboratory celebrated the beginning of operations for FLARE with a private ribbon-cutting event. More than 50 people gathered for the invitation-only affair, including officials from DOE, Princeton University and PPPL.
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Princeton’s new quantum chip built for scale
In a major step toward practical quantum computers, Princeton engineers have built a superconducting qubit that lasts three times longer than today’s best versions.
“The real challenge, the thing that stops us from having useful quantum computers today, is that you build a qubit and the information just doesn’t last very long,” said Andrew Houck, leader of a federally funded national quantum research center, Princeton’s dean of engineering and co-principal investigator on the paper. “This is the next big jump forward.”
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Office of Community and Regional Affairs launches newsletter with Town Topics
The Office of Community and Regional Affairs partnered with Town Topics to publish its Community Connections newsletter in several issues of the paper. Community Connections provides neighbors with information about the many ways the University and the local community connect. The publication features articles on university programs and events that are open to the community, contributions to the local community and more.
Previously mailed to households in Princeton, the new partnership with Town Topics increases frequency of the publication and provides more members of the community information about University programs and events.
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Community Auditing Program celebrates 25th anniversary
Princeton University has welcomed community members into its classrooms through the Community Auditing Program for 25 years. The Office of Community and Regional Affairs commemorated the milestone with an event at Richardson Auditorium in January.
The celebration included brief lectures by University faculty and staff and the premiere of a new documentary-style video about the program. In the video, lifelong learners discuss their experience sitting in on University classes as community auditors.
Learn more
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Images
PUAM - Photo by Richard Barnes, Princeton University Art Museum
NJ AI Hub - Photo by Matthew Raspanti, Office of Communications
IMAP - Photo by Kim Shiflett, NASA
Autism Study - Illustration courtesy of Kouzou Sakai for Simons Foundation
Princeton Production Workforce Training Program - Photo by Jon Sweeney
Emma Bloomberg Center - Photo by Denise Applewhite, Office of Communications
Community Colleges - Photo by Matthew Raspanti, Office of Communications
Meadows - Photo by Denise Applewhite, Office of Communication
PPPL - Photo by Michael Livingston / PPPL Communications Department
Quantum Chip - Photo by Matthew Raspanti, Office of Communications
Community Connection - Photo by Office of Community and Regional Affairs
Community Auditing Program - Photo by Office of Community and Regional Affairs
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