Update: Missing Northwestern professor found alive in Evanston

The Evanston and Wilmette police departments were flying drones Tuesday over the lakefront to aid the search for Evanston resident Nina Kraus, a professor of neurobiology at Northwestern University’s School of Communication, who was reported missing Monday.

Kraus was last seen Monday morning after leaving her home alone.

A missing person flyer circulated on social media for Nina Kraus, last seen leaving her Evanston home alone at 9 a.m. on Sept. 1, 2025. Credit: Mikey Perkins

A flyer posted in public spaces and circulated on social media describes Kraus as a 72-year-old white woman, 5 feet, 4 inches, with long silver hair and a “very fit” build. She was last seen at 9 a.m. leaving her home on the 1500 block of Ashland Avenue, in Evanston, wearing a windbreaker and long pants. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact her son, Mikey Perkins at (847) 702-1156, or the Evanston Police Department at (847) 866-5000.

Perkins told the RoundTable Monday evening that both Evanston and Northwestern police have been notified, and the two are coordinating search efforts. He said the search is focusing on “natural spaces around Evanston” such as parks and the lakefront, as “those are the places that she’s most likely to want to spend her time.”

“She left home this morning on her own, didn’t take her phone with her,” Perkins said, “and nine hours later, we’re very concerned.”

EPD Cmdr. Ryan Glew told the RoundTable the investigation is ongoing as of 7 p.m. Monday evening, and said “it appears all publicly available info” is already in the flyer and the social media posts circulating it. Representatives of Northwestern and its police department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Tuesday morning, EPD was flying a drone along the lakefront to aid in the search, per a Facebook post from the department. Police from neighboring suburb Wilmette are aiding in this search with their department’s drone.

A Wilmette police officer prepares to fly the department’s drone on the morning of Tuesday as part of a joint search operation for missing resident Nina Kraus. Credit: Ellen Galland

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