New curriculum offered for students doubling in 6-1 & 8
The Department of Physics and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science have recently announced changes to the curriculum for undergraduates double majoring in Electrical Engineering (Course 6-1) and Physics (Course 8).
Commencement to be partly cloudy
The month of June is off to its coldest start in Boston’s recorded history. Until this week, there had never (since records were first kept in 1872) been a day in June during which the temperature in Boston didn’t reach at least 50°F. However, the high temperatures on both Monday and Tuesday, June 1 and 2, were only 49°F. The unseasonable cold began to abate on Wednesday as sunshine returned, bringing temperatures into the mid-50s. This warming trend will continue through the weekend, as temperatures slowly make their way back up to seasonable levels.
Judith Layzer, professor in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, dies at 53
Judith Layzer, a professor at MIT and an accomplished scholar who produced influential work on environmental policy and politics, died Thursday after an extended illness. She was 53.
UROP minimum wage to increase
The minimum hourly wage for MIT’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program is slated to increase to $11.50 over the next two years, according to an email from Julie B. Norman, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education.
Marathon bomber sentenced to death
Most of the jurors were unconvinced by the defense's mitigating factors, such as the claim that it was Tsarnaev's brother who shot MIT police officer Sean Collier.
Weather
The summery weather will continue through the weekend in Cambridge as a Low over Ontario brings warm southern air our way through Sunday. The chance that this will bring some spots of rain over the weekend is low, but non-zero. The weather we are getting this week is a little warmer than average for May, so don’t burn your spring clothes just yet.
Students given additional time to move out after final exams
Undergraduates living in dormitories may request to remain in their dormitories for an additional day — until Sunday, May 24 — before they are required to move out for the summer, according to an email from Henry Humphreys, senior associate dean of Residential Life and Dining.
Marathon bomber appears to weep as aunt testifies
BOSTON — Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has maintained an impassive or stoic demeanor throughout his trial. Even as survivors told of the carnage he inflicted at the 2013 Boston Marathon, and family members described how he killed their loved ones, he barely seemed to flinch.
Faculty urged to weigh in on climate change, divestment
With the MIT Climate Change Conversation Committee due to report findings within the next month — and expected to recommend whether MIT should divest — Vice President of Research Maria T. Zuber has called on faculty members to join the dialogue.
NFL issues deflategate ruling: Pats likely guilty
An NFL investigation has found that “it is more probable than not” that New England Patriots personnel intentionally deflated footballs to gain an advantage in the AFC championship game last season, and that Tom Brady, the Super Bowl most valuable player, was aware of it.
Nepali students association raises $27,000 for earthquake relief
MITeri, a Nepali students association, has raised more than $27,000 to aid relief efforts in Nepal, according to the group’s homepage.
Witness describes supermax prison as jury weighs life and death for Tsarnaev
BOSTON — In case the jury in the Boston Marathon bombing trial has been wondering, vacancies exist in the most secure cellblock at the remote supermax penitentiary in Colorado, the toughest, bleakest prison in the federal system.
CORRECTIONS
The caption for last week’s front-page photograph of a girl at the Collier Memorial misstated the name of MIT’s president. He is L. Rafael Reif, not “Rafael L. Reif.”
Settlement requires edX to supply features for those with disabilities
EdX has entered into a settlement with the Department of Justice over allegations that the online course provider was not fully accessible to people with disabilities, in violation of federal law.
Memorial unveiled in honor of Collier
The dedication of a permanent memorial to Officer Sean A. Collier was held on April 29 in a ceremony that emphasized the strength of both Collier and the MIT community.
All quiet on the Eastern front
A more-or-less benign weather pattern will lead to cloudy skies and mild temperatures into the weekend. For the next few days, a so-called ‘backdoor front’ will influence New England weather. In contrast to typical cold fronts, which channel in cooler air from the northwest, backdoor cold fronts approach from the northeast. During the spring months in New England, this often means cooler temperatures and clouds as air blows over ocean waters.
Funding cuts hurt US innovation, report says
Decreased federal investment in academic basic research will hinder innovation in industries and at universities, according to a report, entitled “The Future Postponed,” written by a committee of 30 MIT faculty members and administrators.