News

These 3D-printed objects can tell you if they’re being used properly

August 5, 2026

Imagine a bottle of hazardous chemicals sitting on a laboratory shelf that changes its appearance to alert scientists that its lid is not properly secured, potentially preventing a dangerous spill.A new 3D-printing system created by MIT researchers enables users to produce interactive objects like this chemical bottle, which change their appearance when they are pressed, […]

Connecting students with the future of microelectronics

August 3, 2026

The 2026 Northeast Microelectronics Internship Program (NMIP), organized by the MIT Microsystems Technology Laboratories, brought together 30 exceptional students from leading universities across the Northeast for an immersive week exploring the rapidly evolving world of semiconductor technology and microelectronics. Held July 13-17, the externship provided undergraduate students with an opportunity to experience the complete microelectronics […]

Using reason, again and again

August 2, 2026

You probably think you are rational. Day to day, you try to “make the best possible use of the information available to you,” as MIT philosopher Brian Hedden PhD ’12 writes in his 2015 book, “Reasons without Persons.”  If you think you are rational because of how you plan for the future, and change your […]

Building energy security through more sustainable batteries

July 31, 2026

For Hugh Smith, the challenge of building an energy-secure future isn’t about creating the world’s “best” battery. It’s about designing the right battery for the right job. As a fifth-year PhD candidate in MIT’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Smith studies sodium-ion batteries, an emerging alternative to the lithium-ion batteries that power everything from […]

Connecting research to policy on Capitol Hill

July 30, 2026

This spring, 25 MIT students and postdocs traveled to Washington to meet with congressional staffers and advocate for sustained federal investment in scientific research.  With recent cuts to National Science Foundation programs and continued uncertainty surrounding the federal research budget, these conversations were especially timely. Over the course of just two days, participants met with […]

MIT projects selected for funding under US Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission

July 29, 2026

MIT researchers are set to contribute to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Genesis Mission, with 15 collaborative projects among those selected for funding under Genesis Phase I, DOE announced Wednesday. The Genesis Mission, a national initiative, intends to build “the world’s most powerful integrated science discovery platform” by incentivizing cross-sector collaborations that leverage AI, supercomputing, quantum […]

Looking beyond research

July 29, 2026

In Professor Anna-Christina Eilers’ research group, mentorship happens through small, meaningful gestures: thoughtful feedback on a draft, a check-in after a rough week, and a readiness to help when things get tough. For her students, these everyday moments have become a defining feature of her approach. An observational astrophysicist, Eilers studies how the universe evolved […]

Working to automate nuclear plant operations

July 29, 2026

For nuclear to be considered as a viable clean energy source, it has to be competitively priced and economical to produce.  Lauren Fortier, a second-year doctoral student in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE), is helping the cause by developing remote operation protocols for autonomous control of nuclear plants.  After an undergraduate degree […]

Diana Grass: Listening to the body’s language

July 17, 2026

Growing up in Colombia, Diana Grass had a simple response whenever someone told her something was impossible. “I’ll figure it out.” It’s a phrase that she still lives by today as PhD candidate in the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology (HST), as she develops soft bioelectronic devices to study the physiological signals through […]

A better way to turn 2D designs into 3D models for rapid prototyping

July 16, 2026

Engineers often use vision-language models to produce new designs, such as for airplane or automobile components. To simulate how those components will perform in realistic situations, they’ll use tried-and-true computer-aided design (CAD) software to generate 3D models of those designs, which they can put through virtual crash or durability tests.  Researchers from MIT and elsewhere […]