On March 30, Northeastern’s English Department hosted its annual Hanson Lecture and Writing Awards, bringing together students, faculty, and guests for a day dedicated to celebrating outstanding student writing and engaging timely questions about the future of human expression.
The afternoon began with the Peter Burton Hanson Writing Awards ceremony, honoring exceptional undergraduate work across multiple categories. Named in memory of English alumnus Peter Burton Hanson (CSSH ’91), the awards recognize writing that demonstrates intellectual depth, originality, and a strong command of language.
This year’s award recipients included:
- Scholarly Writing:
- “Tragedy and Integrity: Framing Elizabeth Holmes in the Courtroom” by Keira Cooney (ENGL 3325, Dr. Elizabeth Britt)
- “The Shape of Remembering: Memory and Perspective in Literary Narratives” by Aidan Henderson (ENGL 1400, Dr. Patrick Mullen)
- Creative Writing:
- “Sacrosanct” by Benjamin Rosenfeldt (ENGL 2520, Dr. Tarushi Sonthalia)
- Honorable Mentions:
- “My Rib” by Adeline Hanson (ENGL 3678, Dr. Lori Lefkovitz)
- “Bom & Yong” by Madeline Koo (ENGL 2520, Dr. Tarushi Sonthalia)
- “Other” Category:
- “Leftover Lessons from My Beli” by Keira Cooney (ENGL 3375, Dr. Neal Lerner)
- Honorable Mention:
- “Queerness in Pre-Columbian Peru” by Silas Rutherford (LACS 1220, Dr. Nicole Guidotti-Hernandez)
Following the ceremony, award winners and their faculty mentors gathered for a celebratory lunch at the Faculty Club, offering an opportunity to reflect on the students’ achievements and the collaborative work that made them possible.
The day concluded with the Hanson Lecture at the Alumni Center, featuring guest speaker Annette Vee. In her talk, “Androids, Spirits, and Chatbots: A History of AI and Writing,” Vee explored the long history of attempts to automate writing—from 18th-century mechanical androids to today’s generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT.
By placing contemporary AI developments within a broader historical framework, Vee highlighted how writing has long been understood as a distinctly human act—one that continues to shape how we define intelligence, creativity, and humanity itself. Her talk encouraged attendees to think critically about the role of AI in writing and the evolving relationship between humans and technology.
The event concluded with a reception, where attendees had the opportunity to continue the conversation and engage directly with the speaker.
Together, the Hanson Awards and Lecture underscored the English Department’s commitment to recognizing student excellence while fostering meaningful dialogue about the past, present, and future of writing.
