News

How to make small modular reactors more cost-effective

January 24, 2025

When Youyeon Choi was in high school, she discovered she really liked “thinking in geometry.” The shapes, the dimensions … she was into all of it. Today, geometry plays a prominent role in her doctoral work under the guidance of Professor Koroush Shirvan, as she explores ways to increase the competitiveness of small modular reactors […]

How cities are weathering the climate crisis

January 24, 2025

Several years ago, the residents of a manufactured-home neighborhood in southeast suburban Houston, not far from the Buffalo Bayou, took a major step in dealing with climate problems: They bought the land under their homes. Then they installed better drainage and developed strategies to share expertise and tools for home repairs. The result? The neighborhood […]

A platform to expedite clean energy projects

January 24, 2025

Businesses and developers often face a steep learning curve when installing clean energy technologies, such as solar installations and EV chargers. To get a fair deal, they need to navigate a complex bidding process that involves requesting proposals, evaluating bids, and ultimately contracting with a provider. Now the startup Station A, founded by a pair […]

How good old mud can lower building costs

January 24, 2025

Buildings cost a lot these days. But when concrete buildings are being constructed, there’s another material that can make them less expensive: mud. MIT researchers have developed a method to use lightly treated mud, including soil from a building site, as the “formwork” molds into which concrete is poured. The technique deploys 3D printing and […]

Steven Strang, literary scholar and leader in writing and communication support at MIT, dies at 77

January 22, 2025

Steven Strang, a writer and literary scholar who founded MIT’s Writing and Communication Center in 1981 and directed it for 40 years, died with family at his side on Dec. 29, 2024. He was 77. His vision for the center was ambitious. After an MIT working group identified gaps between the students’ technical knowledge and their […]

“Forever grateful for MIT Open Learning for making knowledge accessible and fostering a network of curious minds”

January 22, 2025

Bia Adams, a London-based neuropsychologist, former professional ballet dancer, and MIT Open Learning learner, has built her career across decades of diverse, interconnected experiences and an emphasis on lifelong learning. She earned her bachelor’s degree in clinical and behavioral psychology, and then worked as a psychologist and therapist for several years before taking a sabbatical in […]

For MIT-WHOI Joint Program student Faith Brooks, the sky’s the limit

January 22, 2025

Faith Brooks, a graduate student in the MIT-WHOI Joint Program, has had a clear dream since the age of 4: to become a pilot. “At around 8 years old, my neighbor knew I wanted to fly and showed me pictures of her dad landing a jet on an aircraft carrier, and I was immediately captivated,” says Brooks. […]

Student Program for Innovation in Science and Engineering is a launching pad toward possibility

January 21, 2025

When you ask MIT students to tell you the story of how they came to Cambridge, you might hear some common themes: a favorite science teacher; an interest in computers that turned into an obsession; a bedroom decorated with NASA posters and glow-in-the-dark stars. But for a few, the road to MIT starts with an […]

Modeling complex behavior with a simple organism

January 21, 2025

The roundworm C. elegans is a simple animal whose nervous system has exactly 302 neurons. Each of the connections between those neurons has been comprehensively mapped, allowing researchers to study how they work together to generate the animal’s different behaviors. Steven Flavell, an MIT associate professor of brain and cognitive sciences and investigator with the […]

MIT Global SCALE Network named No. 1 supply chain and logistics master’s program for 2024-25

January 16, 2025

The MIT Global Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence (SCALE) Network has once again been ranked as the world’s top master’s program for supply chain and logistics management by Eduniversal’s 2024/2025 Best Masters Rankings. This recognition marks the eighth consecutive No. 1 ranking since 2016, reaffirming MIT’s unparalleled leadership in supply chain education, research, and practice. […]