On January 16 and 17, about 30 faculty members from NYU's New York City, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai campuses convened at NYU Abu Dhabi for the second Serendipity Research Confluence. This year’s confluence focused on strengthening collaborations already in motion and sparking new interdisciplinary research partnerships centered on AI and its emerging applications. 

On Wednesday, in collaboration with NYU Shanghai Reads, University of Cambridge Professor of East Asian History Barak Kushner gave a talk on the history of ramen and the evolution of Japanese modern cuisine. Kushner discussed how ramen, which started as an offshoot of Chinese food, ended up almost 1,000 years later as the emblem of modern Japanese cuisine, giving a window into how food and politics combined as a force within Sino-Japan relations. Earlier in the week he also gave a talk on Truth and Reconciliation in Postwar Asia in collaboration with Global Perspectives on Society.

From February 5 to 23, the IMA Gallery (N306) will host the DigiCrip Art Residency exhibition, featuring works created through a collaboration between two Chinese artists and an NYU Shanghai research team. Blending Interactive Media Arts with physical computing and embedded machine learning, the exhibition explores more inclusive approaches to human-computer interaction and creative expression.

Final artworks will be displayed alongside custom wearable prototypes designed for the artists, with a behind-the-scenes documentary and interview series highlighting the human connections behind the technology. Join the opening reception on Thursday, February 5 from 1pm to 2pm in N306. 

“The future of the Chinese economy is in the hands of families…local authorities, and…local business people, not in the hands of the central models alone.”

- Professor of Practice in Business and Finance Rodrigo Zeidan speaking on his forthcoming book on the Chinese economy

Study Away students from Abu Dhabi and New York City traveled to Beijing and Nanjing for overnight trips where they enjoyed exploring history, culture, and some amazing meals. The trip to Nanjing featured a visit to the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum at the foot of Nanjing’s Purple Mountain while those who went to Beijing joined the US-China Youth Leaders Dialogue before visiting the Great Wall and Temple of Heaven.

• NYU Shanghai Class of 2025 First Destination Report Out

Wenhui Daily, Jiefang Daily, and Pudong Fabu posted on the unprecedented achievements of the Class of 2025.

• Has the Market Underestimated the Risks?

VINS Co-Director and NYU Stern Professor Emeritus of Finance Robert Engle, sat down with Yicai.com to talk about potential risks in 2026 and offered tips for the general public on how to avoid them.