Lowell House has quite the reputation on campus, boasting a recent renovation, the famous Lowell House Teas, and a welcoming community amidst the yellow walls of the dining hall.

Those largely responsible for this reputation are the faculty deans, Nina Zipser and David Laibson, who moved into Lowell in 2019.

“We were standing on the steps of the MAC one day, looking over at Lowell House, and our son suggested that we apply to be faculty deans,” Zipser said. “We were always intrigued by the position, but our son’s suggestion was the catalyst for our application. We really wanted to play a deeper role in students’ lives, to hear about the wonderful things they do and help them achieve their goals.”

Zipser came to Harvard in 1995 as a graduate student, receiving a Ph.D. in Mathematics. After shifting away from pure mathematics to work as a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group, Zipser realized her larger passions resided in the activities of research universities. When she returned to Harvard in 2003, Zipser became Harvard’s first Director of the Office of Institutional Research (OIR). Now, Zipser serves both as a lecturer of Mathematics and as the Dean for Faculty Affairs and Planning, where she oversees policies, procedures, and recruitment affecting faculty.

Laibson experienced House life firsthand having attended Harvard as an undergraduate, graduating in 1988 with a degree in Economics and a store of memories from his time in Mather House. After receiving a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Laibson returned to Harvard, where he now serves as the Robert I. Goldman Professor of Economics and leads the University’s Foundations of Human Behavior Initiative. For Laibson, the relationships he developed with his own mentors, both as an undergraduate and a graduate student, greatly influence his approach to his work in Lowell House today.

“I see my role in Lowell House as a way to, partly, pay it forward. I had such a great time here as an undergraduate and I had so many influential faculty help me on my way, and I'm really grateful now to help current students pursue their own paths,” Laibson said. “House life is such a magical thing – there is an intermingling of so many different perspectives, and students tend to teach us just as much as we teach them.”

In the House, Zipser and Laibson make a conscious effort to support students as individuals by learning about their unique backgrounds, experiences, and aspirations. Simultaneously, the faculty deans host Lowell House Teas and other events, where the over 400 residents of Lowell are able to bond not only as individuals, but also as a collective. In all of their efforts, Zipser and Laibson strive to create a House community that is open, accepting, and dynamic.

“One important goal for us is to create a sense of community for everyone, and to create a learning environment that is different from the classroom. In the House, students can learn from each other more intimately, and engage with diverse experiences and cultures. We hope to create a safe space for students to do this, a space where students can bring their true selves,” Zipser said. 

Outside of their work at the University and in Lowell House, Zipser and Laibson enjoy travelling, gardening, being in nature, and spending time with their son Max. As they prepare for students to live on-campus once again, the deans are looking forward to cultivating and rebuilding the special community that lives amidst the yellow dining hall walls of Lowell.

“In Lowell House, we see community living and breathing every day,” Laibson said. “We are so excited for the energy, diversity, and curiosity that lives in the physical space of the House, and particularly for the openness and care that students bring to Lowell.”