News

Play it again, Spirio

February 21, 2024

Seated at the grand piano in MIT’s Killian Hall last fall, first-year student Jacqueline Wang played through the lively opening of Mozart’s “Sonata in B-flat major, K.333.” When she’d finished, Mi-Eun Kim, pianist and lecturer in MIT’s Music and Theater Arts Section (MTA), asked her to move to the rear of the hall. Kim tapped […]

An MIT philosopher’s call for a civil discussion on gender and sex

February 20, 2024

MIT philosopher Alex Byrne knows that within his field, he’s very much in the minority when it comes to his views on sex and gender.  “As an example, I have a particular answer to the question ‘What is a woman?’ Namely, that a woman is an adult female of our species. This is extremely controversial, […]

MIT Solve announces 2024 Global Challenges and Indigenous Communities Fellowship

February 20, 2024

The driving mission of MIT Solve is inviting new voices and proposed solutions to world problems as a way to achieve a more sustainable and equitable future for all. To that end, Solve recently announced the 2024 Global Challenges and the Indigenous Communities Fellowship to help find and scale the best.  Solve invites anyone from […]

MIT community members elected to the National Academy of Engineering for 2024

February 17, 2024

Two MIT faculty, a principal staff member of MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and 13 additional alumni are among the 114 new members and 21 international members elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) on Feb. 6. One of the highest professional distinctions for engineers, membership to the NAE is given to individuals who have made […]

A passion for innovation and education

February 15, 2024

Imagine you were planning a trek across Death Valley. Would you be better off setting out on foot with just a bottle of water in your hand, or in a vehicle loaded with supplies and a full tank of gas? That’s one of the metaphors Leon Sandler uses to describe the work of the Deshpande […]

MIT course aids social connection, better relationships, and happiness

February 15, 2024

As part of MIT Chancellor Melissa Nobles’s effort to educate the whole student, MIT’s chaplain to the Institute and associate dean Thea Keith-Lucas, along with colleagues Natalie Hill, a Methodist minister and chaplain, and Sarah Johnson, lead wellness instructor for physical education and wellness, created PE.0539 (Yoga/Emotional Intelligence, Connection, Belonging), a new course for students […]

Anantha Chandrakasan named MIT’s inaugural chief innovation and strategy officer

February 14, 2024

Anantha Chandrakasan, dean of the School of Engineering and the Vannevar Bush Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has been named as MIT’s first chief innovation and strategy officer, effective immediately. He will continue to serve as dean of engineering, a role he has held since 2017. As chief innovation and strategy officer, Chandrakasan […]

Using AI to discover stiff and tough microstructures

February 14, 2024

Every time you smoothly drive from point A to point B, you’re not just enjoying the convenience of your car, but also the sophisticated engineering that makes it safe and reliable. Beyond its comfort and protective features lies a lesser-known yet crucial aspect: the expertly optimized mechanical performance of microstructured materials. These materials, integral yet […]

Robert Langer receives Dr. Paul Janssen Award

February 13, 2024

MIT Institute Professor Robert S. Langer was recently honored with the 2023 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for his groundbreaking work in designing novel drug delivery systems that can deliver medications continuously, precisely, and at controlled rates over extended periods. Langer’s pioneering research into biomedical compounds for drug delivery and tissue engineering has impacted a wide […]

MIT community members honored with 2024 Franklin Institute Awards

February 9, 2024

The Franklin Institute recently announced its 2024 cohort of award winners, as part of its bicentennial celebration. Since its inception, the Franklin Institute Awards Program has honored the most influential scientists, engineers, and inventors who have significantly advanced science and technology. It is one of the oldest comprehensive science awards in the world. The 2024 […]