Cambridge, Boston and regional relations

21 celebrated as “Graduate Students of Excellence”
From peer mentorship to activism and service, graduate students play a critical role in shaping the culture of MIT. The Graduate Students of Excellence (GSE) program honors individuals who improve…
Les Perelman, expert in writing assessment and champion of writing education, dies at 77
Leslie “Les” Perelman, an influential figure in college writing assessment; a champion of writing instruction across all subject matters for over three decades at MIT; and a former MIT associate…
W.M. Keck Foundation to support research on healthy aging at MIT
A prestigious grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation to Alison E. Ringel, an MIT assistant professor of biology, will support groundbreaking healthy aging research at the Institute. Ringel, who is…
Turning curiosity about engineering into careers
It’s not every day that aspiring teenage engineers can see firsthand how planes are built. But a collaboration between nonprofit Engineering Tomorrow, aerospace firm Boeing, and alumni of the MIT…
Mixing generative AI with physics to create personal items that work in the real world
Have you ever had an idea for something that looked cool, but wouldn’t work well in practice? When it comes to designing things like decor and personal accessories, generative artificial…
“MIT Open Learning has opened doors I never imagined possible”
Through the MITx MicroMasters Program in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy, Munip Utama strengthened the skills he was already applying in his work with Baitul Enza, a nonprofit helping…
Taking the heat out of industrial chemical separations
The modern world runs on chemicals and fuels that require a huge amount of energy to produce: Industrial chemical separation accounts for 10 to 15 percent of the world’s total…
The philosophical puzzle of rational artificial intelligence
To what extent can an artificial system be rational? A new MIT course, 6.S044/24.S00 (AI and Rationality), doesn’t seek to answer this question. Instead, it challenges students to explore this…
Your future home might be framed with printed plastic
The plastic bottle you just tossed in the recycling bin could provide structural support for your future house. MIT engineers are using recycled plastic to 3D print construction-grade beams, trusses,…
Brian Hedden named co-associate dean of Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing
Brian Hedden PhD ’12 has been appointed co-associate dean of the Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC) at MIT, a cross-cutting initiative in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing,…
The strength of “infinite hope”
Dean of Engineering Paula Hammond ’84 PhD ’93 made a resounding call for the MIT community to “embrace endless hope” and “never stop looking forward,” in a keynote address at…
Keeril Makan named vice provost for the arts
Keeril Makan has been appointed vice provost for the arts at MIT, effective Feb. 1. In this role, Makan, who is the Michael (1949) and Sonja Koerner Music Composition Professor…
Expanding educational access in Massachusetts prisons
Collaborators from across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts came together in December for a daylong summit of the Massachusetts Prison Education Consortium (MPEC), hosted by the Educational Justice Institute (TEJI) at…
Bryan Bryson: Engineering solutions to the tough problem of tuberculosis
On his desk, Bryan Bryson ’07, PhD ’13 still has the notes he used for the talk he gave at MIT when he interviewed for a faculty position in biological…
Pablo Jarillo-Herrero wins BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award
Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics at MIT, has won the 2025 BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Basic Sciences for “discoveries concerning the ‘magic…
Richard Hynes, a pioneer in the biology of cellular adhesion, dies at 81
MIT Professor Emeritus Richard O. Hynes PhD ’71, a cancer biologist whose discoveries reshaped modern understandings of how cells interact with each other and their environment, passed away on Jan.…
Professor of the practice Robert Liebeck, leading expert on aircraft design, dies at 87
Robert Liebeck, a professor of the practice in the MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics and one of the world’s leading experts on aircraft design, aerodynamics, and hydrodynamics, died on…
A new way to “paint with light” to create radiant, color-changing items
Gemstones like precious opal are beautiful to look at and deceivingly complex. As you look at such gems from different angles, you’ll see a variety of tints glisten, causing you…
Demystifying college for enlisted veterans and service members
“I went into the military right after high school, mostly because I didn’t really see the value of academics,” says Air Force veteran and MIT sophomore Justin Cole. His perspective…
How an online MIT course in supply chain management sparked a new career
As a college student, Kevin Power never considered working in supply chain management; in fact, he didn’t know it was an option. He earned an undergraduate degree in manufacturing engineering…
Generative AI tool helps 3D print personal items that sustain daily use
Generative artificial intelligence models have left such an indelible impact on digital content creation that it’s getting harder to recall what the internet was like before it. You can call…
Feeding innovation to solve complex urban problems
The Mexico City Initiative at MIT, led by the Institute’s Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism (LCAU), has conceived and modeled an impressive array of solutions for challenges facing…
The “delicious joy” of creating and recreating music
As a graduate student, Leslie Tilley spent years studying and practicing the music of Bali, Indonesia, including a traditional technique in which two Balinese drummers play intricately interlocking rhythms while…
Fueling research in nuclear thermal propulsion
Going to the moon was one thing; going to Mars will be quite another. The distance alone is intimidating. While the moon is 238,855 miles away, the distance to Mars…
MIT named to prestigious 2026 honor roll for mental health services
MIT is often recognized as one of the leading institutions of higher learning not only in the United States, but in the world, by several publications, including U.S. News &…
Decoding the Arctic to predict winter weather
Every autumn, as the Northern Hemisphere moves toward winter, Judah Cohen starts to piece together a complex atmospheric puzzle. Cohen, a research scientist in MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental…
Eighteen MIT faculty honored as “Committed to Caring” for 2025-27
At MIT, a strong spirit of mentorship shapes how students learn, collaborate, and imagine the future. In a time of accelerating change — from breakthroughs in artificial intelligence to the…
Stone Center on Inequality and Shaping the Future of Work Launches at MIT
The James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center on Inequality and Shaping the Future of Work officially launched on Nov. 3, 2025, bringing together scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to explore critical…
A new lens on humanity
When the MIT Human Insight Collaborative (MITHIC) launched in fall 2024, it was designed to elevate scholars at the frontiers of human-centered research and education, and to provide them with resources…
Positioning Massachusetts as a hub for climate tech and economic development
Massachusetts is uniquely positioned to become a leader in climate tech, said Emily Reichert MBA ’12, the CEO of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and former CEO of Greentown…
Using design to interpret the past and envision the future
Some of designer C Jacob Payne’s projects present new, futuristic products — such as zero-gravity footwear for astronauts, and electronic-embedded ceramics — using technological tools and processes of digital fabrication,…
One pull of a string is all it takes to deploy these complex structures
MIT researchers have developed a new method for designing 3D structures that can be transformed from a flat configuration into their curved, fully formed shape with only a single pull…
MIT community in 2025: A year in review
In 2025, MIT maintained its standard of community and research excellence amidst a shift in national priorities regarding the federal funding of higher education. Notably, QS ranked MIT No. 1 in…
Q&A: The secret sauce behind successful collegiate dining
MIT Director of Dining Andrew Mankus has been serving the Institute community since his arrival on campus in June. He brings a wealth of energy and experience — and a…
Building reuse into the materials around us
In a field defined by discovering, designing, and processing the materials that underpin modern technology, Diran Apelian ScD ’73 has a resounding message: Reuse can’t remain just the focus of…
Digital innovations and cultural heritage in rural towns
Population decline often goes hand-in-hand with economic stagnation in rural areas — and the two reinforce each other in a cycle. Can digital technologies advance equitable innovation and, at the…