Authorities are actively searching for Nina Kraus, a 72-year-old professor at Northwestern University, who went missing during a morning walk on Labor Day. Kraus was last seen leaving her home on the 1500 block of Ashland Avenue in Evanston, Illinois, around 9 a.m. on September 1. Her family reported her missing later that day.

Kraus is a well-respected communications professor and a prominent researcher in auditory neuroscience. She was last seen wearing a windbreaker, long pants, and carrying a dark-colored backpack. She is described as approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing around 140 pounds, with long silver hair.

In a statement, Northwestern University expressed hope that the community could assist in locating Kraus. "The University is hopeful that with the community’s help, we can find Professor Kraus and assure her safety," the statement read.

The Evanston Police Department has initiated a search operation, deploying drones to scan the nearby Lake Michigan waterfront, where investigators believe Kraus may have walked. As of now, there have been no significant findings, and authorities do not suspect foul play.

Kraus is known for her work as a scientist, inventor, and amateur musician. According to her faculty biography, her research focuses on the biology of auditory learning. She has stated, "My research on sound and the brain aims to understand how our life in sound, for better or worse, alters the processing of sound in the brain, makes us us, and affects the world we live in."

The National Center for Missing and Endangered, Inc. has issued a missing adult alert to raise awareness about Kraus's disappearance. The situation has prompted an outpouring of concern from the Northwestern community and beyond.

Anyone with information regarding Kraus's whereabouts is urged to contact the Evanston Police Department at 847-866-5000. Northwestern officials have indicated they will provide updates as the search continues.