A look into the future
It’s now official: the information age will drastically change the world. Emerging technologies converged at MIT this week in a showcase to demonstrate how untapped industries could radically shape our future.
Joichi Ito set to lead Media Lab
Joichi “Joi” Ito, who was recently named the new director of the Media Lab, took the time to talk with The Tech about his ideas and perspective on the future of the Media Lab. Despite not having a college degree, Joi has made a name for himself in the technological and entrepreneurial world. Joi is currently a general partner of Neoteny Labs and chairman of Creative Commons, a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating the sharing of intellectual property. Yesterday, Joi announced that he will be helping to launch LinkedIn Japan, a job that he describes in his blog as the “last ‘real job’ before I transition over completely to the Media Lab role.”
MIT-China agreements established
On Wednesday, Chinese State Councilor Yandong Liu met with President Susan J. Hockfield for the signing of two important documents that will further strengthen MIT’s partnership with China. The first document confirmed the agreement between MIT and China to establish the China Scholarship Council Graduate Fellowship Program, a program that will be offered to MIT graduate students who are also citizens of the People’s Republic of China. The second document was a letter of intent calling for collaboration between MIT and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU).
Lone ticket participates in UA debate
This year, the Undergraduate Association debate was anything but a debate. With only one ticket in the running for the UA President and Vice President, candidates Allan E. Miramonti ’13 and Alec C. Lai ’13 took the time this past Sunday to answer questions regarding their campaign platform.
Eric Grimson to serve as chancellor
President Susan J. Hockfield announced yesterday the appointment of W. Eric L. Grimson PhD ’80 as MIT’s next chancellor. Grimson will take office on Mar. 1 and will succeed outgoing Chancellor Phillip L. Clay PhD ’75.
Looking in-depth at orientation plans
Following the Undergraduate Association emergency meeting last week, several student groups have responded in an effort to preserve Residential Exploration (REX) during next year’s orientation. While final changes to Orientation have not yet been confirmed, a reduced schedule could lead to timing conflicts, which could cut back on available time during the REX period. The final scheduling decision rests with Chancellor Phillip L. Clay PhD ’75, and will be made by mid-February, according to Julie B. Norman, Senior Associate Dean and Director of Undergraduate Academic and Advising Programming.
Budget cuts target jobs, Athena printing, student life
In late 2009, MIT announced its plans to save $130 million over the next two years. This past year marked a major move in the implementation of the recommendations made by the Institute-Wide Planning Task Force, a group charged to recommend budget-cutting activities across all departments and divisions at MIT.
IS&T begins ID card-based printing plan
Printing out a pset? Make sure you have your MIT ID on hand. On Friday, IS&T changed over several pilot printers to the Pharos “hold-and-release” system, which requires students to swipe their card to complete the print job. Pharos will be the future of printing at MIT.
Bad Ideas weekend a surprising success
Frosting eating contest; human dogsledding; 10 ^ 4 cookies; the Green Building Challenge; the 7-11 Challenge. At East Campus this weekend, it was all about bad ideas.
Corporation talks dining
No action to reevaluate the proposed dining plan was made by the MIT Corporation after an informal discussion took place at the Corporation meeting on Dec. 3. Dining was not on the original meeting agenda.
UA proposal seeks flexible dining options
Dean for Student Life Chris Colombo met with Undergraduate Association leaders last Friday to discuss possible changes to the new dining plan this fall. UA President Vrajesh Y. Modi ’11 and Vice President Samantha G. Wyman ’11 presented a proposal in which dorms would decide their own dining plan and current upperclassman could opt out of the new dining plan.
Media Lab celebrates 25th anniversary
“What happens when you have a powerful browser in the hands of people who have never seen anything except television in a shared model,” Google CEO Eric Schmidt asked a group of hundreds representing over 60 sponsoring companies within the confines of the new Media Lab building.
Most students don’t support new dining plan, survey by UA reveals
Students are strongly disinterested in the proposed dining plan, according to a survey conducted by the Undergraduate Association last week. Out of 222 respondents who said they lived in a dining dorm, only 98 said they had heard or read specific details about the plan. Of those 98 students, only 8 supported the new dining plan. Approximately one-sixth of undergraduates participated in the one-page survey, which asked questions about student life issues.
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK Prefrosh in Providence
Last Thursday, I found myself standing in the same hotel as I had been two years prior when I was accepted to MIT. It was at the Radisson Providence Harbor Hotel in Rhode Island, where the MIT Club of Rhode Island has been hosting its prospective freshmen dinner since 2007.
The end of Northwest Shuttle?
MIT is considering shutting down the Northwest Shuttle service, which runs between the MIT graduate dorms north of Vassar St. and west of Massachusetts Ave. and the main academic buildings. MIT would expect Northwest Shuttle riders to instead use EZRide, a shuttle operated by the Charles River Transporation Management Association that services most of the same area, according to Lawrence R. Brutti, the operations manager of MIT Parking and Transportation.
Team 9 wins annual Maslab competition
Last Friday, robot enthusiasts flocked to 26-100 to watch Maslab, one of MIT’s most popular IAP student competitions. This year, ten teams took to the playing field, building and programming robots to autonomously identify red and yellow balls and scoring them into their respective goals. The champion this year was Team 9, made up of Geza Kovacs ‘12, Daniel J. Stallworth ‘11, Raqeebul I. Ketan ‘11, Jeremy M. Martin ‘10, and Chukwuka C. Mbagwu ‘11.
DSL To Reassess MIT Dining, Reduce Large Annual Deficits
Facing an average annual deficit of $500,000 from the MIT Dining Program, the Division for Student Life will be working with MIT community leaders this spring in an effort to improve the current dining program. While there is no strict timeline for making changes to dining, Dean for Student Life Chris Colombo hopes to prepare a plan by the end the academic year that will reduce financial loss while preserving student choice. As of now, no changes to the dining program are being made.
Nozette ’83 Charged with Espionage; Could Be Sentenced to Life in Prison
Last Thursday, MIT alum Dr. Stewart D Nozette PhD ’83 appeared before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and plead not guilty to committing espionage against the United States government. He will be returning to court on November 10 to face a sentence that could put him in prison for life.
850 Children, Students Are Vaccinated At MIT Medical H1N1 Influenza Clinic
Over 100 students who came to MIT Medical between 12 and 3 p.m. on Wednesday received H1N1 vaccines.
Students Energetically Await President Obama’s Visit, Speech
The news of President Barack Obama’s arrival on campus has sparked excitement throughout the MIT community, but it has also prompted protests.
Most Cut Varsity Sports Have Returned As CSC Club Sports This Season
Six of the eight teams stripped of varsity status last spring have been reinstated as club sports under the Club Sports Council. Two teams did not receive CSC recognition: women’s ice hockey, for which there already exists a club sport, and wrestling, which is still trying to regain varsity status.
Next House Residents Bemoan Teeny Meals Many Complain Food Is Worse, Portions Shrank
It all started on September 20, with a third of an ear of corn, snap peas, and a stuffed portabello mushroom. Sean Y. Liu ’10 was disgusted with the size of his dinner, so he took a snapshot and sent it out the <i>next-forum</i> mailing list for everyone to see.
After Summer Hiatus, Student Center Post Office To Reopen
The MIT Post Office, located in the basement of the Student Center, will reopen and resume regular hours on Monday, August 31 after being closed for six weeks.
MIT Picower Institute Suffers From Madoff Losses
Since the Madoff scandal and the collapse of the Picower Foundation, the MIT Picower Institute for Learning and Memory has successfully continued its operations despite some sharp, unexpected loss of funding. Money for several high-risk, high-gain projects has vaporized.
Student Life Fee Up $22 From Last Year
The Student Life Fee goes up to $272 next year, an increase of $22 (8.8 percent) from the previous year’s $250. All students pay this fee in order to support campus student services.
New Tech Barber Will Be Evicted From Student Center This Friday
The New Tech Barber, located in the basement of the Stratton Student Center, is being evicted this Friday after decades of cutting hair at MIT.
Sloan Sales Conference: Panels & Talks Mean Business
It was Friday, April 17, and by the time I left my final class of the day, Campus Preview Weekend was already in full swing. Making my way down the prefrosh-packed Infinite, I had something far different planned for the afternoon than CPW. I was headed down Memorial Drive to the Hyatt Regency, where the 3rd annual MIT Sloan Sales Conference was attracting a crowd of businessmen from prospective entrepreneurs to some of the top sales experts in the nation.
MacGregor Dining Program Closed Due To High Costs
Because of inconsistent food quality, low attendance, and high costs, the MacGregor Dining Pilot Program ceased operations as of Tuesday. The program, which served dinner in MacGregor weekly, was instated to test the potential for a full-service dining hall in the dormitory. The program suffered from a $7500 deficit last semester in food and labor costs.
MIT Press Will Focus More on E-Books;Press Saw Ten Percent Drop in Book Sales
As the transition from print publication to digital publication of scholarly work becomes more prevalent, university presses are being forced to adapt their business plans to appeal to the new electronic demand: MIT Press is no exception.
Campus Police Officer Arrested, Charged with Drug Trafficking
Officer Joseph D’Amelio of the MIT Police was arrested in uniform in East Boston on Saturday night for trafficking in prescription painkillers. D’Amelio, of East Boston, and his cousin Anthony Cristallo, of Derry, NH, were caught trafficking 340 OxyContin pills and 500 Roxicodone tablets at an auto shop near Logan International Airport, the <i>Boston Herald </i>reported.
UA Candidates Spar Over Student Issues
From the dining system to student-administration transparency, Undergraduate Association presidential and vice-presidential candidates discussed popular student government issues in a debate last Sunday night. The debate was co-hosted by <i>The Tech</i> and the UA Election Commission.
Von Maltzahn Wins $30,000 Award for Cancer Research
Last Tuesday, graduate student Geoffrey von Maltzahn was named winner of the Lemelson-MIT Student Prize and received an unrestricted cash gift of $30,000 for his innovative work in cancer therapy.
Clay, Reif, Stone Form Planning Task Force; 150-Member 3-Level Hierarchy Will Help
How is MIT reacting to the current economic situation? In a letter released to the MIT community on Monday, the MIT administration unveiled details of a new task force charged to reevaluate and recommend changes in MIT operations to improve financial efficiency.
New Commingled Recycling Program Will Be Rolled Out by End of Spring
Soon, recycling at the Institute could have a one-bin solution.
Vote to Reform GIRs Delayed by Two New Amendments in Dec.
The proposed changes to the General Institute Requirements, which would give students more latitude in the science classes they are required to take and do away with HASS-Ds, failed to reach a vote at the faculty meeting on December 17th. Two amendments were called to the floor, delaying the actual vote until the next faculty meeting scheduled for February.
Etiquette, Flirting, and Clothes Take The Spotlight at IAP Charm School
Is it possible to earn a degree from MIT in a single afternoon? On Friday, close to 100 students, faculty, and alumni did just that during the 16th annual Charm School, held at the Stratton Student Center. And unlike MIT’s School of Engineering, Charm School boasted an admissions acceptance rate of 100 percent.
MIT Dining Committee Releases Documents
Will next year’s incoming freshmen pay a mandatory fee for food? The “Blue Ribbon Committee” of students and administrators charged with determining the future of MIT dining has reported no new progress toward articulating a food policy since early December, when <i>The Tech</i> reported that a mandatory fee was among the committee’s proposals.
Caught Breaking Into Admission Record Rm., Student Faces Charges
Early on Sunday, Nov. 2, MIT Police arrested Shaunalynn M. Duffy ’09 for allegedly breaking into the Freshman Admission Records Office (3-001), according to a police report.
Institute To Cut Budget, Slow Hiring
MIT will cut general spending by five percent in the fiscal year beginning next July, and by 10–15 percent within the next three years, the president and provost said in a letter to the MIT community yesterday. The announcement mirrors announcements by elite universities similarly affected by the global financial crisis.
Police Stress Bicycle Safety, Theft Prevention Measures
Following an accident in the Infinite Corridor this fall, the issue of bicyclist and pedestrian safety has become one of the forefront concerns of the MIT Police.
New MIT Fundraising Drive Has Already Raised $277 Million
In its second year of operations, the Campaign for Students has already raised $277 million to support student scholarships, research, and student-oriented services. The campaign aims to raise $500 million by MIT’s 150th anniversary in 2011.
540 Accepted Out of 5,019 Applicants in a Record-Setting Year
MIT accepted 10.7 percent of early applicants this year, in what may be the most competitive admissions season yet. Out of 5019 applications, 540 students were offered early admission, according to Dean of Admissions Stuart Schmill ’86.
Stuck in Hotel During Mumbai Terrorist Attack, Prof. Escapes
On the night of Nov. 26, Sloan Professor Eric von Hippel SM ’68 was awoken by explosions and gunshots from his room at the Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai, India. Von Hippel experienced and survived the terrorist attack that devastated one of India’s largest and most developed cities.
Media Lab Extension Nearing Completion
The new Media Lab extension is in its final stage of construction and the exterior will be completed by the end of November. Construction on the interior will continue and if everything goes according to plan, the new lab (building E14) will be operating by October 2009.
Grad Rat Redesigned for First Time Since 2003
MIT graduate students packed into Walker Memorial on Wednesday night to celebrate the unveiling of the first new Grad Rat ring design since 2003.
40 Student Projects Displayed to Public At MIT Energy Night
Last Friday night, the MIT Energy Night lit up Cambridge as students, faculty, and enthusiasts alike flocked down Massachusetts Avenue toward the MIT Museum. Forty MIT energy projects populated each and every corner of the museum, displaying topics from sustainability to efficiency.
Students Protest Institute’s Handling of Hacking, Housing, and Student Involvement
About 70 students protested for more student representation in Institute decisions during a “tool-in” on Friday, October 17, the first day of Family Weekend, in Lobby 7.
Initiative Seed Grants Fund 17 Energy Projects
For the second time this year, the MIT Energy Initiative awarded over $1.7 million in seed grants to energy research. The grants fund 17 energy projects ranging from designing solar cookers for third world countries to synthesizing thin-films for thermoelectric power.
New Sorority Pi Beta Phi Offering Bids Sunday, Aims to Buy a House
After registering students in Lobby 10 for the past two weeks, new sorority Pi Beta Phi will give bids this Sunday to 60–80 undergraduate women.
Job Seekers Flocked to Career Fair Last Week
More students but fewer companies attended last Thursday’s Fall Career Fair at the Johnson Athletic Center, according to Robert J. Richard, associate director of the Global Education and Career Development Center.
LaVerde’s Discontinues 24 Hr. Service, Closes at Three
As of this term, LaVerde’s will no longer be open 24 hours on weeknights and will close instead at 3 a.m.. There are no plans for any alternative late-night food service on campus since it’s not certain there would be enough student demand to make it viable.
MIT Class of ’08 Earns $65,324 On Average, According to Career Survey
The MIT students receiving Bachelor of Science degrees in June 2008 were offered a mean salary of $65,324, a 6.9 percent increase over last year, according to data from the preliminary version of the MIT Careers Office’s 2008 Graduating Student Survey. The consumer price index rose about 6.2 percent over the same period of time, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Visiting Professor Discusses ’08 Election
<i>From Northwestern University, to Stanford, to MIT, Professor Marc Meredith of the Political Science Department is truly a traveling scholar. Earning masters degrees in both economics and political science, Marc examines today’s political scene with the eye of an economist. He currently teaches Quantitative Research Methods I (17.800), a graduate class where students apply statistical techniques to politics in order to better understand and predict social trends. When it comes time to predict the next president, Marc will be one step ahead, applying game theory to the society in which we live. While his field is rigorous, Marc also finds time to enjoy his many hobbies including running, football, poker, and ping-pong.</i>