News RSS Feeds
» Fusion is not only happening in labs at MIT
Donal Fox, Martin Luther King Jr. Visiting Artist at MIT for the 2009-2010 academic year, is internationally acclaimed for fusing classical music, jazz and improvisatory technique in his piano playing.
"Donal Fox occupies a unique position in contemporary music, not so much because he straddles the line between jazz and concert music, but because he includes improvisation in both genres with equal enthusiasm and expertise," said Peter Child, professor of music in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
In Fox's new Music and Theater Arts class in musical improvisation, MIT students are examining relationships between improvisation, composition and performance from a score.
"The results have been amazing," Child said, noting that class enrollment has exceeded expectations. "It's been delightful to watch Donal become increasingly engaged with our talented and unusual students, and the perspective of total immersion in music that he brings to the classroom is important and refreshing for them."
Fox applauds the commitment of his students. "The fascinating and challenging thing about my class is how wide-ranging it is," he said, noting that the springboard for his course material is the music the students used for their auditions. The musical interests are wide, he said, including classical, jazz, pop, world music, electronic, Klezmer, Afro-Cuban and any other musical genres that come up in discussion.
On October 10, Fox exemplified his subject matter in performing two sets with his quartet at the Regattabar in Cambridge. Among the 20 MIT students who took advantage of free tickets purchased through the Council for the Arts excursion series was Anne Goldberg, a cross-registered Wellesley senior who's taking Fox's improv class. Goldberg appreciates what she calls Fox's holistic approach.
"He really has shown me, through his performance at the Regattabar and through daily classroom experiences, that my growth as a musician is dependent on all aspects of my life, and that music draws upon the whole person, not simply on a series of exercises in a practice room."
As an example, Goldberg recounted an activity Fox conducted with the class, in which the students listed various emotions, which they transmuted into vocal sounds to be translated to their respective instruments. She called these exercises "tools to get in touch with our inner voices," adding that the students made some "incredibly expressive sounds by imitating our intuitions."
Classmate Paula Te, a senior in mechanical engineering and industrial design, has been interested in musical improvisation since she was a 14-year-old violinist in a church band, where her sheet music consisted of chords above a lyric sheet. "That was my first exposure to the world of improvisation, using my creativity and what musical sense I had to make up melodies on the spot," she recalled, relishing the chance to actually learn about improvisation from Fox.
This fall, in addition to a performance as a guest artist with MIT's Festival Jazz Ensemble on Saturday, November 14, where he will demonstrate some of his musical ideas with solo piano and small student ensemble pieces, he is planning for the world premiere performance of Peace Out for Improvised Piano and Orchestra, a work that will showcase his signature method of pairing an improvised solo part with notated orchestral writing, at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall.
Peace Out will be part of an American Composers Organization program titled "Traditions and Transmigrations," with Orchestra Underground. The concert is on Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m., and tickets, which range from $38-$48, can be purchased at CarnegieCharge at: 212-247-7800, or visit www.carnegiehall.org.
"Donal Fox occupies a unique position in contemporary music, not so much because he straddles the line between jazz and concert music, but because he includes improvisation in both genres with equal enthusiasm and expertise," said Peter Child, professor of music in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
In Fox's new Music and Theater Arts class in musical improvisation, MIT students are examining relationships between improvisation, composition and performance from a score.
"The results have been amazing," Child said, noting that class enrollment has exceeded expectations. "It's been delightful to watch Donal become increasingly engaged with our talented and unusual students, and the perspective of total immersion in music that he brings to the classroom is important and refreshing for them."
Fox applauds the commitment of his students. "The fascinating and challenging thing about my class is how wide-ranging it is," he said, noting that the springboard for his course material is the music the students used for their auditions. The musical interests are wide, he said, including classical, jazz, pop, world music, electronic, Klezmer, Afro-Cuban and any other musical genres that come up in discussion.
On October 10, Fox exemplified his subject matter in performing two sets with his quartet at the Regattabar in Cambridge. Among the 20 MIT students who took advantage of free tickets purchased through the Council for the Arts excursion series was Anne Goldberg, a cross-registered Wellesley senior who's taking Fox's improv class. Goldberg appreciates what she calls Fox's holistic approach.
"He really has shown me, through his performance at the Regattabar and through daily classroom experiences, that my growth as a musician is dependent on all aspects of my life, and that music draws upon the whole person, not simply on a series of exercises in a practice room."
As an example, Goldberg recounted an activity Fox conducted with the class, in which the students listed various emotions, which they transmuted into vocal sounds to be translated to their respective instruments. She called these exercises "tools to get in touch with our inner voices," adding that the students made some "incredibly expressive sounds by imitating our intuitions."
Classmate Paula Te, a senior in mechanical engineering and industrial design, has been interested in musical improvisation since she was a 14-year-old violinist in a church band, where her sheet music consisted of chords above a lyric sheet. "That was my first exposure to the world of improvisation, using my creativity and what musical sense I had to make up melodies on the spot," she recalled, relishing the chance to actually learn about improvisation from Fox.
This fall, in addition to a performance as a guest artist with MIT's Festival Jazz Ensemble on Saturday, November 14, where he will demonstrate some of his musical ideas with solo piano and small student ensemble pieces, he is planning for the world premiere performance of Peace Out for Improvised Piano and Orchestra, a work that will showcase his signature method of pairing an improvised solo part with notated orchestral writing, at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall.
Peace Out will be part of an American Composers Organization program titled "Traditions and Transmigrations," with Orchestra Underground. The concert is on Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m., and tickets, which range from $38-$48, can be purchased at CarnegieCharge at: 212-247-7800, or visit www.carnegiehall.org.
» Blowin' in the wind
MIT students and staff worked together last month to install wind-monitoring equipment on a lighting post in the west campus athletic fields to evaluate whether to erect a wind turbine there in the spring.
The planned turbine, a Skystream 3.7 with a rated output of 2.4 kilowatts, about enough to power an average home, is a gift from Philip Deutch as a tribute to his father, Institute Professor John Deutch. In addition to providing some power for lighting on the Briggs Field, the turbine would provide a teaching and research tool for MIT students. Already, the spring-semester class Projects in Energy plans to use the new windmill as part of its wind resource component.
But before installing the windmill, it's essential to quantify the wind resource that's available amid the many campus buildings. To do so, recording anemometers were mounted atop and at different levels on a light pole, and a Lidar system, on loan from NRG Systems, is planned to be installed next to it. The Lidar system enables continuous monitoring of wind speeds at various levels, up to 200 meters above the ground, to determine exactly how much the wind speeds vary with height. A second monitoring station may be installed later at the far western end of the field, to provide a second set of location-specific data.
Peter Cooper, manager of sustainability engineering and utility planning for MIT's Department of Facilities, says that additional turbines might eventually be installed in other campus locations, including some building rooftops, as well as at MIT's Bates Linear Accelerator facility in Middleton, Mass. After the monitoring tower is taken down in the spring to make way for the first on-campus turbine, the tower may be set up in Middleton to begin monitoring wind speeds at that location, he says. The planned turbine "is certainly not the last wind project here, by any means," he says.
Robert Armstrong, deputy director of the MIT Energy Initiative, says that one of MITEI's four major objectives is "using the campus as a living laboratory," and having a working wind turbine on campus would help to meet that mandate.
Graduate student in engineering systems Katherine Dykes, vice-president of the MIT Energy Club and founder of the Wind Energy Group, says that wind monitoring equipment for site evaluation would usually use its own free-standing tower, but the athletics department were concerned that the guy wires needed to support such a tower would interfere with sport activities in the area. The solution was to make use of a light pole already in place.
Monitoring the wind is crucial because it's hard to predict exactly how wind will flow in a complex environment surrounded by many buildings, and even small differences in average wind speed can make a big difference. Because the energy of the wind varies as the cube of the speed, explains NRG representative Larry Jacobs, if you find a spot where the average wind speed is twice as high, the amount of power that could be generated would increase by a factor of eight.
The Lidar system that NRG has developed allows continuous monitoring of wind speeds from ground level all the way up to 200 meters, using just a box on the ground that takes up less than one cubic yard. There's no need for a tower at all with that technology, he says. (In this case, since the $200,000 equipment is on loan for about two months, the tower-mounted anemometers will provide a longer timeline of data).
The work is being carried out by a group of graduate students led by Dykes and Wind Energy Group president Kathy Araujo. They have been working with the Facilities Department, with MITEI's "walk the talk" program for campus energy improvements, and with donors and industry representatives.
Planning for this project, dubbed Project Breeze, has been underway for well over a year, Dykes says. Even before the eventual windmill is installed, the project has an educational function - for now, a hands-on demonstration of the equipment and procedures needed for site evaluation, as well as access to the local, real-time data being provided by that equipment. The team hopes to make that real-time data available online, so that any students can use the information for their own research projects. "Each phase is a stand-alone project that will provide information for student-related research," she explains.
The planned turbine, a Skystream 3.7 with a rated output of 2.4 kilowatts, about enough to power an average home, is a gift from Philip Deutch as a tribute to his father, Institute Professor John Deutch. In addition to providing some power for lighting on the Briggs Field, the turbine would provide a teaching and research tool for MIT students. Already, the spring-semester class Projects in Energy plans to use the new windmill as part of its wind resource component.
But before installing the windmill, it's essential to quantify the wind resource that's available amid the many campus buildings. To do so, recording anemometers were mounted atop and at different levels on a light pole, and a Lidar system, on loan from NRG Systems, is planned to be installed next to it. The Lidar system enables continuous monitoring of wind speeds at various levels, up to 200 meters above the ground, to determine exactly how much the wind speeds vary with height. A second monitoring station may be installed later at the far western end of the field, to provide a second set of location-specific data.
Peter Cooper, manager of sustainability engineering and utility planning for MIT's Department of Facilities, says that additional turbines might eventually be installed in other campus locations, including some building rooftops, as well as at MIT's Bates Linear Accelerator facility in Middleton, Mass. After the monitoring tower is taken down in the spring to make way for the first on-campus turbine, the tower may be set up in Middleton to begin monitoring wind speeds at that location, he says. The planned turbine "is certainly not the last wind project here, by any means," he says.
Robert Armstrong, deputy director of the MIT Energy Initiative, says that one of MITEI's four major objectives is "using the campus as a living laboratory," and having a working wind turbine on campus would help to meet that mandate.
Graduate student in engineering systems Katherine Dykes, vice-president of the MIT Energy Club and founder of the Wind Energy Group, says that wind monitoring equipment for site evaluation would usually use its own free-standing tower, but the athletics department were concerned that the guy wires needed to support such a tower would interfere with sport activities in the area. The solution was to make use of a light pole already in place.
Monitoring the wind is crucial because it's hard to predict exactly how wind will flow in a complex environment surrounded by many buildings, and even small differences in average wind speed can make a big difference. Because the energy of the wind varies as the cube of the speed, explains NRG representative Larry Jacobs, if you find a spot where the average wind speed is twice as high, the amount of power that could be generated would increase by a factor of eight.
The Lidar system that NRG has developed allows continuous monitoring of wind speeds from ground level all the way up to 200 meters, using just a box on the ground that takes up less than one cubic yard. There's no need for a tower at all with that technology, he says. (In this case, since the $200,000 equipment is on loan for about two months, the tower-mounted anemometers will provide a longer timeline of data).
The work is being carried out by a group of graduate students led by Dykes and Wind Energy Group president Kathy Araujo. They have been working with the Facilities Department, with MITEI's "walk the talk" program for campus energy improvements, and with donors and industry representatives.
Planning for this project, dubbed Project Breeze, has been underway for well over a year, Dykes says. Even before the eventual windmill is installed, the project has an educational function - for now, a hands-on demonstration of the equipment and procedures needed for site evaluation, as well as access to the local, real-time data being provided by that equipment. The team hopes to make that real-time data available online, so that any students can use the information for their own research projects. "Each phase is a stand-alone project that will provide information for student-related research," she explains.
» Amherst Alley construction site fire causes no injuries
A fire broke out at around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday in a construction trench on Amherst Alley outside the ATO building. Cambridge firefighters had the blaze under control by around 8:50 a.m.
There were no injuries, although several nearby student residences were evacuated as a precaution.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by members of the Cambridge Fire Department and by MIT safety officials.
There were no injuries, although several nearby student residences were evacuated as a precaution.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by members of the Cambridge Fire Department and by MIT safety officials.
» MIT running back DeRon Brown '10 featured in USA Today
MIT senior running back DeRon Brown '10 is the subject of a feature article in yesterday's USA Today. Brown's average of 170 yards per game is tops in Division III.
Read the article on the USA Today website here:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2009-11-02-mit-brown_N.htm
See Brown play in his last game for MIT this weekend versus Endicott College:
http://mit.prestosports.com/sports/m-footbl/2009-10/schedule
Read the article on the USA Today website here:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2009-11-02-mit-brown_N.htm
See Brown play in his last game for MIT this weekend versus Endicott College:
http://mit.prestosports.com/sports/m-footbl/2009-10/schedule
» MIT team finishes fifth overall in solar electric vehicle race
On Thursday, Oct. 29, the MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team completed the
World Solar Challenge in Australia, finishing in second place in the
Silicon category — cars racing with off-the-shelf, terrestrial-grade
silicon solar cells — and fifth place overall among 25 competitors.
The team raced their newest vehicle, Eleanor, a total of 3,021 kilometers from the northern city of Darwin to Adelaide in South Australia, in five days. Eleanor is the 10th solar vehicle that the MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team has built and raced since 1984. The vehicle’s performance in this year’s competition ranked among the team's best finishes.
Designed and built by the SEVT in 2008 and 2009, the car, weighing 430 pounds without a driver, is a fully solar-powered electric vehicle built from high-tech composites and containing the state-of-the-art in power electronics.
Power is provided by an array of six square meters of silicon solar cells that outputs a maximum of 1200 watts — less than most hairdryers. Despite this, the car with a driver can maintain highway speeds throughout the day. The array charges a battery pack designed by Genasun, a company founded by a SEVT alumnus, composed of 551 extremely high energy density lithium-ion cells donated by Panasonic. The pack is able to power the car without recharging from Boston to New York.
The MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team is a student-run organization that designs, builds, tests, and races a solar vehicle on a two-year design cycle. Consisting mainly of undergraduates, the team competes in domestic and international competitions. The SEVT operates with the support of its sponsors, including Infinesse Corp., MIT's Edgerton Center, Ford, and Panasonic Corp.
The team raced their newest vehicle, Eleanor, a total of 3,021 kilometers from the northern city of Darwin to Adelaide in South Australia, in five days. Eleanor is the 10th solar vehicle that the MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team has built and raced since 1984. The vehicle’s performance in this year’s competition ranked among the team's best finishes.
Designed and built by the SEVT in 2008 and 2009, the car, weighing 430 pounds without a driver, is a fully solar-powered electric vehicle built from high-tech composites and containing the state-of-the-art in power electronics.
Power is provided by an array of six square meters of silicon solar cells that outputs a maximum of 1200 watts — less than most hairdryers. Despite this, the car with a driver can maintain highway speeds throughout the day. The array charges a battery pack designed by Genasun, a company founded by a SEVT alumnus, composed of 551 extremely high energy density lithium-ion cells donated by Panasonic. The pack is able to power the car without recharging from Boston to New York.
The MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team is a student-run organization that designs, builds, tests, and races a solar vehicle on a two-year design cycle. Consisting mainly of undergraduates, the team competes in domestic and international competitions. The SEVT operates with the support of its sponsors, including Infinesse Corp., MIT's Edgerton Center, Ford, and Panasonic Corp.
» Clothing drive to benefit CASPAR
The cold weather is almost here! Get rid of unwanted warm clothing and help those in need — donate to CASPAR (the Cambridge and Somerville Program for Alcoholism and Drug Rehabilitation) during the Campus Winter Clothing Drive taking place Nov. 3 to Nov. 10 at five convenient locations around campus.
CASPAR is seeking donations of gently used clothing items such as mens' jeans, sweatshirts/fleeces, hats, gloves, winter boots, sneakers, warm coats, and (new) warm socks. Drop off your items in donation bins at: Copy Tech (11-004), Student Center (W20), Whitaker Lobby (E25), Environmental Programs Office (N52-496), and MIT Police Department (W89). See map here.
This effort is sponsored by the Office of Government and Community Relations, Office of Community Giving, and the Department of Facilities. Questions? Contact Anya Petroff at 617-253-1989 or at apetroff@mit.edu.
CASPAR is seeking donations of gently used clothing items such as mens' jeans, sweatshirts/fleeces, hats, gloves, winter boots, sneakers, warm coats, and (new) warm socks. Drop off your items in donation bins at: Copy Tech (11-004), Student Center (W20), Whitaker Lobby (E25), Environmental Programs Office (N52-496), and MIT Police Department (W89). See map here.
This effort is sponsored by the Office of Government and Community Relations, Office of Community Giving, and the Department of Facilities. Questions? Contact Anya Petroff at 617-253-1989 or at apetroff@mit.edu.
» Data points of light
MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) has gained wide notice for its disarmingly simple suggestions about improving global welfare. In Kenya several years ago, J-PAL researchers noticed that the most inexpensive way to improve the school attendance of children is medical treatment that rids them of intestinal worms. Now, based on that finding, the Clinton Global Initiative is attempting to deworm 20 million schoolchildren in 26 countries in 2009.
In order to keep churning out its many studies — 181 since its inception in 2003 — J-PAL needs student help. For that, it has relied upon MIT’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).
Founded in 1969, UROP is one of the oldest programs in the United States that invites undergraduates to participate in research as the junior colleagues of Institute faculty. UROP gets undergraduates into campus labs; J-PAL makes the world a lab, by running randomized experiments testing the usefulness of anti-poverty programs. And labs require workers, which is where UROP and J-PAL join forces. Out of 105 current economics majors at MIT, according to J-PAL’s senior project manager, Tricia Gonwa, 17 participate in UROP, and nine specifically work with J-PAL.
“UROP gets undergraduates excited about economics research, and the undergraduates work with the data collected in the field, contributing to our research,” Gonwa told a panel discussion during UROP’s 40th-anniversary symposium on Oct. 29.
Specifically, UROP students make sure J-PAL’s survey data, collected by field workers around the globe, is accurate. And by poring over the numbers, the undergraduates learn development economics from the inside out.
Consider one J-PAL research project on health in India, which involved giving 25,000 residents 100 questions each. The resulting 2.5 million data points had to be confirmed multiple times before being analyzed, noted Richard McDowell, a J-PAL researcher who spoke on the panel. Yet as survey data is transferred from paper to computers — and often from one language to another — mistakes occur. UROP students must catch those errors to make sure J-PAL’s studies are valid.
“Let’s say you have a 25-year-old man who works as a farmer, owns a radio, uses a bike to get around, and the last time he was pregnant, he had three pre-natal tests,” McDowell said wryly. “That’s a definite red flag.”
One panelist who has spent hours double-checking such entries, senior Niveditha Subramanian, shows what UROP has brought to J-PAL. Subramanian wants to become an economist, has served as an intern as J-PAL’s Paris office, and recently used her language skills to translate survey data from French to English, as part of a J-PAL project aiming to bring clean water to residents of Tangier, Morocco.
“My family is from India, and every time we go back, it’s easy to see poverty,” said Subramanian. “At J-PAL you have a chance to change that reality in the world.”
One data-entry form at a time, anyway.
In order to keep churning out its many studies — 181 since its inception in 2003 — J-PAL needs student help. For that, it has relied upon MIT’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).
Founded in 1969, UROP is one of the oldest programs in the United States that invites undergraduates to participate in research as the junior colleagues of Institute faculty. UROP gets undergraduates into campus labs; J-PAL makes the world a lab, by running randomized experiments testing the usefulness of anti-poverty programs. And labs require workers, which is where UROP and J-PAL join forces. Out of 105 current economics majors at MIT, according to J-PAL’s senior project manager, Tricia Gonwa, 17 participate in UROP, and nine specifically work with J-PAL.
“UROP gets undergraduates excited about economics research, and the undergraduates work with the data collected in the field, contributing to our research,” Gonwa told a panel discussion during UROP’s 40th-anniversary symposium on Oct. 29.
Specifically, UROP students make sure J-PAL’s survey data, collected by field workers around the globe, is accurate. And by poring over the numbers, the undergraduates learn development economics from the inside out.
Consider one J-PAL research project on health in India, which involved giving 25,000 residents 100 questions each. The resulting 2.5 million data points had to be confirmed multiple times before being analyzed, noted Richard McDowell, a J-PAL researcher who spoke on the panel. Yet as survey data is transferred from paper to computers — and often from one language to another — mistakes occur. UROP students must catch those errors to make sure J-PAL’s studies are valid.
“Let’s say you have a 25-year-old man who works as a farmer, owns a radio, uses a bike to get around, and the last time he was pregnant, he had three pre-natal tests,” McDowell said wryly. “That’s a definite red flag.”
One panelist who has spent hours double-checking such entries, senior Niveditha Subramanian, shows what UROP has brought to J-PAL. Subramanian wants to become an economist, has served as an intern as J-PAL’s Paris office, and recently used her language skills to translate survey data from French to English, as part of a J-PAL project aiming to bring clean water to residents of Tangier, Morocco.
“My family is from India, and every time we go back, it’s easy to see poverty,” said Subramanian. “At J-PAL you have a chance to change that reality in the world.”
One data-entry form at a time, anyway.
» Of Note: IAP is just around the corner
Independent Activities Period (IAP) — MIT’s special four-week term that begins the first week in January — will start this year on Jan. 4 and run through Jan. 29. IAP provides a break from the academic routine of the fall and spring semesters and offers hundreds of opportunities for creativity in teaching and learning.
IAP offerings are distinguished by their variety, innovative spirit and fusion of fun and learning. Past IAPs have included for-credit subjects such as “Language and Mind” in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences; intensive elementary study of European languages; and “The Art and Science of Boat Design” in mechanical engineering. Non-credit activities have ranged from “Advanced Gentoo Linux” to “Battle of the Brownies” to “Charm School,” in which participants learn skills such as which fork to use at a fancy banquet.
Information about IAP can be found on the IAP web site at http://web.mit.edu/iap, with new IAP activities and subjects announced starting in late October and continuing through the IAP period.
IAP offerings are distinguished by their variety, innovative spirit and fusion of fun and learning. Past IAPs have included for-credit subjects such as “Language and Mind” in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences; intensive elementary study of European languages; and “The Art and Science of Boat Design” in mechanical engineering. Non-credit activities have ranged from “Advanced Gentoo Linux” to “Battle of the Brownies” to “Charm School,” in which participants learn skills such as which fork to use at a fancy banquet.
Information about IAP can be found on the IAP web site at http://web.mit.edu/iap, with new IAP activities and subjects announced starting in late October and continuing through the IAP period.
» President Obama lights up MIT
President Barack Obama, in a historic visit to the MIT campus, praised the Institute's commitment to energy research and issued a strong call for the nation to lead the world in the development of new, efficient and clean energy technologies.
"Nations everywhere are racing to develop new ways to produce and use energy," he said in remarks delivered to a packed Kresge Auditorium. "The nation that wins this competition will be the nation that leads the global economy. I'm convinced of that. And I want America to be that nation."
Before delivering his speech on "American leadership in clean energy," the President was escorted by MIT President Susan Hockfield and MIT Energy Initiative Director Ernest Moniz on a tour of MIT laboratories conducting energy research.
"Extraordinary research [is] being conducted at this Institute," Obama said, citing work that could lead to windows that generate electricity, batteries that are grown by viruses rather than being built, highly efficient new lighting systems and ways of storing energy from offshore windmills so that it can be delivered when needed.
"You just get excited being here, and seeing these extraordinary young people," he said. "It taps into something essential about America," he said, asserting that the nation has "always been about discovery. It's in our DNA."
'Heirs to a legacy of innovation'
Obama's talk came as Congress gears up for hearings on clean energy legislation and as negotiators from around the world prepare for December's U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen.
The President said that the clean-energy research he saw in the labs is "a reminder that all of you are heirs to a legacy of innovation, not just here but across America, that has improved our health and our well being and helped us achieve unparalleled prosperity." But Obama indicated that this prosperity was in jeopardy, threatened in part by the very force that drives it.
"The system of energy that powers our economy also undermines our security and endangers our planet," he said.
Discussing energy legislation that is presently working its way through the U.S. Congress with some bipartisan support, including a bill jointly sponsored by Republican Senator Lindsay Graham and Democratic Senator John Kerry, the President said he believed a consensus was growing.
"We are seeing a convergence," he said. The naysayers, the folks who would pretend that this is not an issue, they are being marginalized." But, he added, "the closer we get, the harder the opposition will fight."
Young people, he said, "understand that this is the challenge of their generation."
Indeed, Forgan McIntosh, co-president of the MIT Energy Club and an MBA student at the MIT Sloan School of Management, said before the event that he hoped the President would use his occasion to jump-start progress on redefining Washington's role in the energy sector and its leadership position in the global race for clean energy competitiveness. Reached after the speech, McIntosh said he was not disappointed.
"The President used his speech to express a solid commitment to leading the global clean energy race for both economic and climate concerns," he said.
'The go-to place'
President Obama's visit to MIT was only the second in the Institute's history by a sitting president, following President Bill Clinton's appearance for a Commencement address in 1998. This was the first such visit to include a tour of laboratories and meetings with MIT faculty members.
After taking the stage in Kresge, Obama began his talk with a few quips about MIT, initially describing it as "the most prestigious school in Cambridge Massachusetts." The graduate of Harvard Law School quickly backtracked, adding, "well, in this part of Cambridge." Then, referring to MIT's tradition of hacks, he said "I might be here for a while — a bunch of engineering students put my motorcade on top of Building 10."
Following the speech, Moniz said Obama was "truly thrilled with the work he saw and the scale of the commitment he saw here." Robert Armstrong, deputy director of the MIT Energy Initiative, said the fact that the President chose to come here for this talk illustrates the fact that "MIT is becoming the go-to place for work on clean energy."
Hockfield, in her remarks before the President's talk, said that "President Obama has articulated a powerful vision for restoring economic growth, creating jobs and counteracting climate change by investing aggressively in clean energy research and development."
Hockfield hailed the historic significance of the visit, saying the fact "that President Obama has come to MIT to talk about America's potential to lead in clean energy is a tribute to the groundbreaking work of our faculty and students, including many in this room."
She added that "we share President Obama's view that clean energy is the defining challenge of this era. To meet the doubling of global energy demand by 2050; to drive new patents, new products, new industries and new jobs, and to mitigate climate change, clean energy is the only avenue."
Chancellor Phillip L. Clay said that the President's visit "signals that the administration understands the very important leadership contribution that MIT is making on the energy problem," and shows the President's commitment to "applying science and technology to solving problems such as energy." Personally, he said, "I'm just so pleased and proud — there's no place on my body left to pinch."
(Editors' Note: The MIT News Office is awaiting photos from President Obama's tour of the labs and will publish them online as soon as they become available.)
"Nations everywhere are racing to develop new ways to produce and use energy," he said in remarks delivered to a packed Kresge Auditorium. "The nation that wins this competition will be the nation that leads the global economy. I'm convinced of that. And I want America to be that nation."
Before delivering his speech on "American leadership in clean energy," the President was escorted by MIT President Susan Hockfield and MIT Energy Initiative Director Ernest Moniz on a tour of MIT laboratories conducting energy research.
"Extraordinary research [is] being conducted at this Institute," Obama said, citing work that could lead to windows that generate electricity, batteries that are grown by viruses rather than being built, highly efficient new lighting systems and ways of storing energy from offshore windmills so that it can be delivered when needed.
"You just get excited being here, and seeing these extraordinary young people," he said. "It taps into something essential about America," he said, asserting that the nation has "always been about discovery. It's in our DNA."
'Heirs to a legacy of innovation'
Obama's talk came as Congress gears up for hearings on clean energy legislation and as negotiators from around the world prepare for December's U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen.
The President said that the clean-energy research he saw in the labs is "a reminder that all of you are heirs to a legacy of innovation, not just here but across America, that has improved our health and our well being and helped us achieve unparalleled prosperity." But Obama indicated that this prosperity was in jeopardy, threatened in part by the very force that drives it.
"The system of energy that powers our economy also undermines our security and endangers our planet," he said.
Discussing energy legislation that is presently working its way through the U.S. Congress with some bipartisan support, including a bill jointly sponsored by Republican Senator Lindsay Graham and Democratic Senator John Kerry, the President said he believed a consensus was growing.
"We are seeing a convergence," he said. The naysayers, the folks who would pretend that this is not an issue, they are being marginalized." But, he added, "the closer we get, the harder the opposition will fight."
Young people, he said, "understand that this is the challenge of their generation."
Indeed, Forgan McIntosh, co-president of the MIT Energy Club and an MBA student at the MIT Sloan School of Management, said before the event that he hoped the President would use his occasion to jump-start progress on redefining Washington's role in the energy sector and its leadership position in the global race for clean energy competitiveness. Reached after the speech, McIntosh said he was not disappointed.
"The President used his speech to express a solid commitment to leading the global clean energy race for both economic and climate concerns," he said.
'The go-to place'
President Obama's visit to MIT was only the second in the Institute's history by a sitting president, following President Bill Clinton's appearance for a Commencement address in 1998. This was the first such visit to include a tour of laboratories and meetings with MIT faculty members.
After taking the stage in Kresge, Obama began his talk with a few quips about MIT, initially describing it as "the most prestigious school in Cambridge Massachusetts." The graduate of Harvard Law School quickly backtracked, adding, "well, in this part of Cambridge." Then, referring to MIT's tradition of hacks, he said "I might be here for a while — a bunch of engineering students put my motorcade on top of Building 10."
Following the speech, Moniz said Obama was "truly thrilled with the work he saw and the scale of the commitment he saw here." Robert Armstrong, deputy director of the MIT Energy Initiative, said the fact that the President chose to come here for this talk illustrates the fact that "MIT is becoming the go-to place for work on clean energy."
Hockfield, in her remarks before the President's talk, said that "President Obama has articulated a powerful vision for restoring economic growth, creating jobs and counteracting climate change by investing aggressively in clean energy research and development."
Hockfield hailed the historic significance of the visit, saying the fact "that President Obama has come to MIT to talk about America's potential to lead in clean energy is a tribute to the groundbreaking work of our faculty and students, including many in this room."
She added that "we share President Obama's view that clean energy is the defining challenge of this era. To meet the doubling of global energy demand by 2050; to drive new patents, new products, new industries and new jobs, and to mitigate climate change, clean energy is the only avenue."
Chancellor Phillip L. Clay said that the President's visit "signals that the administration understands the very important leadership contribution that MIT is making on the energy problem," and shows the President's commitment to "applying science and technology to solving problems such as energy." Personally, he said, "I'm just so pleased and proud — there's no place on my body left to pinch."
(Editors' Note: The MIT News Office is awaiting photos from President Obama's tour of the labs and will publish them online as soon as they become available.)
» Two student inventors take home national prizes
Harris Wang '05, a graduate student in the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST), shared the $25,000 grand prize in the 2009 Collegiate Inventors Competition for inventing a new way of programming cells — a technology that could allow bioengineers to produce customized microorganisms much more cheaply and quickly than possible before.
Working in the laboratory of Harvard genetics professor George Church, Wang developed a protocol to allow faster cell programming, and then put together hardware and software to automate it. To demonstrate the process, he engineered a strain of E. coli bacterium that produces lycopene, a red-colored antioxidant.
Geoffrey von Maltzahn '03, also a graduate student in HST, won the graduate student division of the competition for his work on nanoparticles that can increase the effectiveness of existing cancer drugs.
Von Maltzahn's new tumor-fighting strategy uses two sets of nanoparticles — one to target tumors, and another to deliver cancer drugs. The first set of nanoparticles lodges in a tumor's blood vessels and causes local bleeding, which stimulates production of clotting factors. Those factors attract a second set of nanoparticles programmed to deliver a cancer drug.
Von Maltzahn, who received $15,000 with his award, also won the $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize earlier this year.
Working in the laboratory of Harvard genetics professor George Church, Wang developed a protocol to allow faster cell programming, and then put together hardware and software to automate it. To demonstrate the process, he engineered a strain of E. coli bacterium that produces lycopene, a red-colored antioxidant.
Geoffrey von Maltzahn '03, also a graduate student in HST, won the graduate student division of the competition for his work on nanoparticles that can increase the effectiveness of existing cancer drugs.
Von Maltzahn's new tumor-fighting strategy uses two sets of nanoparticles — one to target tumors, and another to deliver cancer drugs. The first set of nanoparticles lodges in a tumor's blood vessels and causes local bleeding, which stimulates production of clotting factors. Those factors attract a second set of nanoparticles programmed to deliver a cancer drug.
Von Maltzahn, who received $15,000 with his award, also won the $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize earlier this year.
» MIT welcomes President Obama
Anticipating the Friday arrival of President Barack Obama at MIT, members of the MIT community noted both the significance of the visit and the gravity of its purpose.
Hundreds of visitors including Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick were expected to be present at noon in Kresge Auditorium for President Obama's remarks on "American leadership in clean energy." The talk comes as Congress gears up for hearings on clean energy legislation and as negotiators from around the world prepare for December's U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen.
Prior to speaking in Kresge, the president was due to tour a research lab on campus.
Among those planning to watch the president in Kresge was Forgan McIntosh, co-president of the MIT Energy Club and an MIT Sloan School of Management MBA student. McIntosh said he was frustrated that the battle over health care reform had crowded out the public debate over energy policy, and said he was looking to Obama's speech to jump-start progress on redefining the government's role in the energy sector and Washington's leadership position in the global race for clean energy competitiveness.
"I hope Obama's speech signals a recommitment by the White House to address energy issues on a first-priority basis," he said.
Community members said MIT was a logical choice for Obama's remarks on clean energy. Led by the MIT Energy Initiative, faculty, students and staff researchers are developing transformative technologies that include an array of advanced solar pathways and key enablers for renewable energy such as storage. MITEI Director Ernie Moniz noted that his initiative also supports innovative projects for conventional energy systems — nuclear power and carbon capture and sequestration, for example — to lower carbon emissions and mitigate climate change.
"Through his support for clean energy science, technology, and innovation, the energy focus of the stimulus package, and critically important enhanced support for energy research and development, the President has expanded our energy vision and is focused on creating the conditions for energy innovation to flourish across the country — at a faster pace, at large scale," said Moniz.
Governor Patrick said MIT was "the perfect place" for the President to expand on his vision for the country's clean-energy future.
"I am so pleased that President Obama chose Massachusetts, and this great university, as the place to deliver a major message on clean energy," he said. "In the Commonwealth, we are hard at work aligning energy and environmental regulations, making energy efficiency the fuel of first choice, setting a price on carbon emissions, and accelerating the use of renewable power."
MIT President Susan Hockfield expressed gratitude on behalf of the MIT community for the effectiveness President Obama and Governor Patrick had shown in championing the cause of clean energy.
"At MIT, we share President Obama's conviction that clean energy is the defining challenge of this century — and we share his vision that America can return to economic growth, create jobs and mitigate climate change by investing in clean energy research," she said. "That the President has come to MIT to make a major statement about America's potential to lead in clean energy stands as a tribute to MIT's faculty and students, who are working together through the MIT Energy Initiative to invent a sustainable energy future."
As is common with Presidential visits, seating for the address in Kresge Auditorium will be extraordinarily limited and will be by invitation only. The tickets MIT has for the event will be allocated in such a way as to be broadly representative of the Institute — and weighted to favor students.
The speech will be webcast beginning at noon on Friday: it can be viewed online at http://amps-web.mit.edu/public/amps/webcast/2009/obama-2009oct23/.
For more information on how to view the speech, please visit http://web.mit.edu/events/presidentialvisit/
Hundreds of visitors including Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick were expected to be present at noon in Kresge Auditorium for President Obama's remarks on "American leadership in clean energy." The talk comes as Congress gears up for hearings on clean energy legislation and as negotiators from around the world prepare for December's U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen.
Prior to speaking in Kresge, the president was due to tour a research lab on campus.
Among those planning to watch the president in Kresge was Forgan McIntosh, co-president of the MIT Energy Club and an MIT Sloan School of Management MBA student. McIntosh said he was frustrated that the battle over health care reform had crowded out the public debate over energy policy, and said he was looking to Obama's speech to jump-start progress on redefining the government's role in the energy sector and Washington's leadership position in the global race for clean energy competitiveness.
"I hope Obama's speech signals a recommitment by the White House to address energy issues on a first-priority basis," he said.
Community members said MIT was a logical choice for Obama's remarks on clean energy. Led by the MIT Energy Initiative, faculty, students and staff researchers are developing transformative technologies that include an array of advanced solar pathways and key enablers for renewable energy such as storage. MITEI Director Ernie Moniz noted that his initiative also supports innovative projects for conventional energy systems — nuclear power and carbon capture and sequestration, for example — to lower carbon emissions and mitigate climate change.
"Through his support for clean energy science, technology, and innovation, the energy focus of the stimulus package, and critically important enhanced support for energy research and development, the President has expanded our energy vision and is focused on creating the conditions for energy innovation to flourish across the country — at a faster pace, at large scale," said Moniz.
Governor Patrick said MIT was "the perfect place" for the President to expand on his vision for the country's clean-energy future.
"I am so pleased that President Obama chose Massachusetts, and this great university, as the place to deliver a major message on clean energy," he said. "In the Commonwealth, we are hard at work aligning energy and environmental regulations, making energy efficiency the fuel of first choice, setting a price on carbon emissions, and accelerating the use of renewable power."
MIT President Susan Hockfield expressed gratitude on behalf of the MIT community for the effectiveness President Obama and Governor Patrick had shown in championing the cause of clean energy.
"At MIT, we share President Obama's conviction that clean energy is the defining challenge of this century — and we share his vision that America can return to economic growth, create jobs and mitigate climate change by investing in clean energy research," she said. "That the President has come to MIT to make a major statement about America's potential to lead in clean energy stands as a tribute to MIT's faculty and students, who are working together through the MIT Energy Initiative to invent a sustainable energy future."
As is common with Presidential visits, seating for the address in Kresge Auditorium will be extraordinarily limited and will be by invitation only. The tickets MIT has for the event will be allocated in such a way as to be broadly representative of the Institute — and weighted to favor students.
The speech will be webcast beginning at noon on Friday: it can be viewed online at http://amps-web.mit.edu/public/amps/webcast/2009/obama-2009oct23/.
For more information on how to view the speech, please visit http://web.mit.edu/events/presidentialvisit/
» A note on parking and pedestrian traffic on Friday
Before and during President Obama's visit on Friday, there will be special restrictions on parking and access in certain locations.
The following areas will be closed to all parking from 11 p.m. on Thursday to 3 p.m. on Friday: the Kresge Lot, the Main Lot, and Amherst and Danforth Streets.
Kresge permit holders and Amherst permit holders should park in the West Garage and West Annex Lot. Main Lot permit holders should park in the Stata Center Garage.
From 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, there will be no access to bike racks in the Main Lot by buildings 3 through 39 and on the south and west side of the Student Center.
Pedestrian traffic is closed on Amherst Street from Massachusetts Avenue to Danforth Street, and Danforth Street to Memorial Drive.
The following areas will be closed to all parking from 11 p.m. on Thursday to 3 p.m. on Friday: the Kresge Lot, the Main Lot, and Amherst and Danforth Streets.
Kresge permit holders and Amherst permit holders should park in the West Garage and West Annex Lot. Main Lot permit holders should park in the Stata Center Garage.
From 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, there will be no access to bike racks in the Main Lot by buildings 3 through 39 and on the south and west side of the Student Center.
Pedestrian traffic is closed on Amherst Street from Massachusetts Avenue to Danforth Street, and Danforth Street to Memorial Drive.
» President Obama to deliver energy address from MIT on Friday
On Friday, President Barack Obama will visit MIT, where he will deliver
an address about American leadership on clean energy as well as meet
MIT faculty and students whose research centers on energy. He will be
joined by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.
An announcement of the President's visit was made on Tuesday evening in a letter to the MIT Community from Kirk Kolenbrander, MIT's Vice President for Institute Affairs and Secretary of the Corporation. "President Obama and President Hockfield both believe that the leading minds in science and technology must bring their talent squarely to bear on creating transformational energy solutions," Kolenbrander wrote. "We are thrilled to see MIT recognized as central to that historic effort."
The speech will be webcast beginning at noon on Friday: it can be viewed online at http://amps-web.mit.edu/public/amps/webcast/2009/obama-2009oct23/.
Seeing the address from campus
In addition to being webcast, the President's address will be cablecast on MIT Cable channel 8, while open captioning will be provided on MIT Cable channel 9.
The address will also be shown live in the following rooms on campus (see map here): 1-190, 4-237, 26-100, 32-141, 32-155, E51-315 and the MIT360 space at the MIT Museum. The cablecast in Room 32-155 will be open-captioned.
At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the speech will be simulcast in S2-180 and Laboratory Group conference rooms on Channel 20.
Finally, an "on demand" version of the speech will be available online shortly after the conclusion of the event.
As is common with Presidential visits, seating for the address in Kresge Auditorium will be extraordinarily limited and will be by invitation only. The tickets MIT has for the event will be allocated in such a way as to be broadly representative of the Institute — and weighted to favor students.
An announcement of the President's visit was made on Tuesday evening in a letter to the MIT Community from Kirk Kolenbrander, MIT's Vice President for Institute Affairs and Secretary of the Corporation. "President Obama and President Hockfield both believe that the leading minds in science and technology must bring their talent squarely to bear on creating transformational energy solutions," Kolenbrander wrote. "We are thrilled to see MIT recognized as central to that historic effort."
The speech will be webcast beginning at noon on Friday: it can be viewed online at http://amps-web.mit.edu/public/amps/webcast/2009/obama-2009oct23/.
Seeing the address from campus
In addition to being webcast, the President's address will be cablecast on MIT Cable channel 8, while open captioning will be provided on MIT Cable channel 9.
The address will also be shown live in the following rooms on campus (see map here): 1-190, 4-237, 26-100, 32-141, 32-155, E51-315 and the MIT360 space at the MIT Museum. The cablecast in Room 32-155 will be open-captioned.
At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the speech will be simulcast in S2-180 and Laboratory Group conference rooms on Channel 20.
Finally, an "on demand" version of the speech will be available online shortly after the conclusion of the event.
As is common with Presidential visits, seating for the address in Kresge Auditorium will be extraordinarily limited and will be by invitation only. The tickets MIT has for the event will be allocated in such a way as to be broadly representative of the Institute — and weighted to favor students.
» Memorial service for Peter N. Curtin scheduled
A memorial service for Peter N. Curtin will be held on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 3:30 p.m. in the MIT Chapel.
For more information, contact Christina English, cenglish@mit.edu, 617-253-7707.
For more information, contact Christina English, cenglish@mit.edu, 617-253-7707.
» Letter to the community regarding President Barack Obama's visit
President Barack Obama will visit MIT on Friday, Oct. 23. Details of the event were described in an e-mail sent this evening to the MIT community from Kirk Kolenbrander, MIT's Vice President for Institute Affairs and Secretary of the Corporation. The letter follows.
It is my great pleasure to announce that on Friday, October 23, President Barack Obama will be visiting MIT, where he will deliver an address in Kresge Auditorium on clean energy after meeting some of the MIT faculty and students whose work centers on energy. The President will be joined by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.
President Obama’s decision to speak about energy from our campus is a high honor — and one that can truly be shared by the entire MIT community. Students, faculty and staff at the Institute are helping to frame the national policy debate on energy, push the frontiers of energy research, and revitalize energy education. With our flagship energy initiative — MITEI — MIT is bringing real-world solutions to the most challenging problems in energy.
President Obama and President Hockfield both believe that the leading minds in science and technology must bring their talent squarely to bear on creating transformational energy solutions. We are thrilled to see MIT recognized as central to that historic effort.
Logistics of the Visit
A great number of us would love the opportunity to see the President speak in person. However, as is common with Presidential visits, seating for the address will be extraordinarily limited and will be by invitation only. The tickets MIT has for the event will be allocated in such a way as to be broadly representative of the Institute — and weighted to favor students. I am working with the deans of our five schools to extend invitations to a small number of students, faculty and staff. In order to allow as much of the community to share in this visit as possible, we will webcast the address live to various locations around campus.
Details on the locations of the webcasts, as well as any further information about the day of the visit, will be made available tomorrow at http://web.mit.edu/events/presidentialvisit.
The visit will begin in the late morning on Friday and end in the early afternoon. Of course, any Presidential visit to MIT involves security measures that may cause significant interruptions to the ordinary life of the campus. On Friday morning, please expect vehicle and pedestrian traffic to be disrupted on various parts of our campus. Those who are likely to be directly affected (as with the temporary closing of a parking lot or a part of a building) will be notified as soon as possible. Once President Obama has departed our campus, we will swiftly restore normal operations.
Friday’s visit will be a great source of pride at MIT for years to come. We look forward to sharing that special day with you all.
It is my great pleasure to announce that on Friday, October 23, President Barack Obama will be visiting MIT, where he will deliver an address in Kresge Auditorium on clean energy after meeting some of the MIT faculty and students whose work centers on energy. The President will be joined by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.
President Obama’s decision to speak about energy from our campus is a high honor — and one that can truly be shared by the entire MIT community. Students, faculty and staff at the Institute are helping to frame the national policy debate on energy, push the frontiers of energy research, and revitalize energy education. With our flagship energy initiative — MITEI — MIT is bringing real-world solutions to the most challenging problems in energy.
President Obama and President Hockfield both believe that the leading minds in science and technology must bring their talent squarely to bear on creating transformational energy solutions. We are thrilled to see MIT recognized as central to that historic effort.
Logistics of the Visit
A great number of us would love the opportunity to see the President speak in person. However, as is common with Presidential visits, seating for the address will be extraordinarily limited and will be by invitation only. The tickets MIT has for the event will be allocated in such a way as to be broadly representative of the Institute — and weighted to favor students. I am working with the deans of our five schools to extend invitations to a small number of students, faculty and staff. In order to allow as much of the community to share in this visit as possible, we will webcast the address live to various locations around campus.
Details on the locations of the webcasts, as well as any further information about the day of the visit, will be made available tomorrow at http://web.mit.edu/events/presidentialvisit.
The visit will begin in the late morning on Friday and end in the early afternoon. Of course, any Presidential visit to MIT involves security measures that may cause significant interruptions to the ordinary life of the campus. On Friday morning, please expect vehicle and pedestrian traffic to be disrupted on various parts of our campus. Those who are likely to be directly affected (as with the temporary closing of a parking lot or a part of a building) will be notified as soon as possible. Once President Obama has departed our campus, we will swiftly restore normal operations.
Friday’s visit will be a great source of pride at MIT for years to come. We look forward to sharing that special day with you all.
» Teens aim to make a difference through invention
Today, the Lemelson-MIT Program announced 15 teams of high school students, teachers and mentors selected to participate in the 2009-2010 InvenTeam initiative. The teams will pursue year-long invention projects and be provided with hands-on access to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.
The Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam initiative is a national grants program designed to excite the next generation of inventors and problem solvers through hands-on learning, while encouraging an inventive culture in schools and communities. Each InvenTeam will receive up to $10,000 in grant funding to create a technological solution to a real-world problem of their choosing. InvenTeam projects this year include a portable, human-powered UV water filtration device, a physical therapy chair designed to reduce muscular atrophy, and a temperature-sensitive color-changing roof to combat global warming.
"This year's projects show an increased focus on invention as a way to improve the world," says Leigh Estabrooks, the Lemelson-MIT Program's invention education officer, who manages the InvenTeam initiative. "It's encouraging that teens recognize the power of invention in solving real-world problems; they'll be able to translate the skills learned through their InvenTeam experience into careers that focus on inventive thinking while improving society."
InvenTeam students will work through the various stages of design and development to create invention prototypes. In June, they will showcase these prototypes at EurekaFest, a multi-day celebration of the inventive spirit, presented by the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in Cambridge, Mass.
To read more about the program or the teams receiving grants, see the full release at http://web.mit.edu/invent/n-pressreleases/inventeams10.html
The Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam initiative is a national grants program designed to excite the next generation of inventors and problem solvers through hands-on learning, while encouraging an inventive culture in schools and communities. Each InvenTeam will receive up to $10,000 in grant funding to create a technological solution to a real-world problem of their choosing. InvenTeam projects this year include a portable, human-powered UV water filtration device, a physical therapy chair designed to reduce muscular atrophy, and a temperature-sensitive color-changing roof to combat global warming.
"This year's projects show an increased focus on invention as a way to improve the world," says Leigh Estabrooks, the Lemelson-MIT Program's invention education officer, who manages the InvenTeam initiative. "It's encouraging that teens recognize the power of invention in solving real-world problems; they'll be able to translate the skills learned through their InvenTeam experience into careers that focus on inventive thinking while improving society."
InvenTeam students will work through the various stages of design and development to create invention prototypes. In June, they will showcase these prototypes at EurekaFest, a multi-day celebration of the inventive spirit, presented by the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in Cambridge, Mass.
To read more about the program or the teams receiving grants, see the full release at http://web.mit.edu/invent/n-pressreleases/inventeams10.html
» The easy way to go green
At last Friday's Energy Night at the MIT Museum, Dr. Keith Collins described his approach to fighting global warming with all the gusto of a really good insurance salesman. But Collins, who graduated from MIT in 1970 with a degree in political science, wasn't actually selling anything. He was just proclaiming to anyone who would listen just how easy it is to go green.
As one of the dozens of presenters at the annual event, which showcases the best in energy research, education and entrepreneurship from around MIT, Collins described a 700-square-foot house he built last year in Rockport, Maine, without any kind of a furnace, or even a fireplace. That might seem like madness or masochism in a place like New England, but Collins has data that show otherwise: Last year, the house not only used no additional energy beyond the sunlight that fell on its roof, but Collins actually was able to sell 5,094 kilowatt-hours — about what a typical house that size would consume over six months — back to the Central Maine Power company.
"I want to let people know that solar energy is practical and affordable today, with normal construction," he told one of the many Energy Night guests who stopped to chat with him.
The key to the house's energy efficiency is super-insulation. With walls built to R-40 insulation standards, the heat given off by the people inside the house is enough to keep it warm on all but the coldest days, and then it's supplemented by a fan blowing over coils of water heated by the solar panels on the roof, which provide all the house's hot water year round. Photovoltaic panels provide all of its electricity. The extra costs of these measures, Collins explained, will be paid back through energy savings over the next 30 years. And none of it is rocket science, he explained: the idea was to use "state of the shelf" technology — that is, almost everything used in its construction is readily available on the shelves of any large building-supply store.
In one way or another, nearly every one of the several dozen posters, models and machines on display at Energy Night was, like Collins, also calling attention to some concept, small or large, of what's possible to aid the world's efforts to meet or curb its voracious appetite for energy, or to reduce or eliminate its environmental impact. Some were as modest as a replacement for a hearing-aid battery, others as large as an offshore drilling platform devoted to energy storage.
To help disseminate his message, every detail of the house's construction, and even a real-time display of its actual energy use and production, is available online. "This is my hobby and my passion," explained Collins, who, though he graduated nearly four decades ago, is an active member of the MIT Energy Club.
Why is he so eager to share the details of his house? "My goal," he said, "is that my grandchildren grow up in the same climate that I did."
As one of the dozens of presenters at the annual event, which showcases the best in energy research, education and entrepreneurship from around MIT, Collins described a 700-square-foot house he built last year in Rockport, Maine, without any kind of a furnace, or even a fireplace. That might seem like madness or masochism in a place like New England, but Collins has data that show otherwise: Last year, the house not only used no additional energy beyond the sunlight that fell on its roof, but Collins actually was able to sell 5,094 kilowatt-hours — about what a typical house that size would consume over six months — back to the Central Maine Power company.
"I want to let people know that solar energy is practical and affordable today, with normal construction," he told one of the many Energy Night guests who stopped to chat with him.
The key to the house's energy efficiency is super-insulation. With walls built to R-40 insulation standards, the heat given off by the people inside the house is enough to keep it warm on all but the coldest days, and then it's supplemented by a fan blowing over coils of water heated by the solar panels on the roof, which provide all the house's hot water year round. Photovoltaic panels provide all of its electricity. The extra costs of these measures, Collins explained, will be paid back through energy savings over the next 30 years. And none of it is rocket science, he explained: the idea was to use "state of the shelf" technology — that is, almost everything used in its construction is readily available on the shelves of any large building-supply store.
In one way or another, nearly every one of the several dozen posters, models and machines on display at Energy Night was, like Collins, also calling attention to some concept, small or large, of what's possible to aid the world's efforts to meet or curb its voracious appetite for energy, or to reduce or eliminate its environmental impact. Some were as modest as a replacement for a hearing-aid battery, others as large as an offshore drilling platform devoted to energy storage.
To help disseminate his message, every detail of the house's construction, and even a real-time display of its actual energy use and production, is available online. "This is my hobby and my passion," explained Collins, who, though he graduated nearly four decades ago, is an active member of the MIT Energy Club.
Why is he so eager to share the details of his house? "My goal," he said, "is that my grandchildren grow up in the same climate that I did."
» Tish Scolnik ’10 selected as one of Glamour Magazine’s Top 10 College Women
The October issue of Glamour Magazine has named 2009 Truman Scholar Tish Scolnik as one of their Top 10 College Women, recognizing her work on mobility issues for the disabled. Words to live by, according to Tish, quoted in Glamour Magazine, are “‘Haba na haba hujaza kibaba,’ a Swahili proverb that can translate to ‘little by little fills the pot.’”
Tish reflects on her experiences, from her arrival at MIT to her hopes for the future“When I arrived at MIT this fall as a wide-eyed new member of the class of 2010 I never imagined that I would go this far. I knew that MIT emphasized a practical, hands-on education, but I never envisioned myself immersed in the culture of Tanzania, conversing in Swahili, and working to improve wheelchair technology. I hope that when I return to Tanzania I’ll be able to purchase something from a wheelchair user who has set up a business from his chair, and that I can share a seat on the bus with a disabled user who has safely brought his wheelchair on board.”
Disabled entrepreneurs start small businesses with Tish’s helpOver the summer of 2008 and over IAP 2009, Public Service Fellow Tish Scolnik helped four disabled entrepreneurs to start small businesses. She set-up a loan system so that the entrepreneurs could buy the small-business wheelchairs and necessary business supplies, helped the entrepreneurs get started with their businesses, made arrangements with banks to hold their savings accounts, and supported them through their first hurdles. These pilot entrepreneurs began by making and selling batik and beaded jewelry, fixing small electrical goods, and repairing shoes. The entrepreneurs soon branched out and added new elements to their businesses – keeping pigs and chickens or selling used clothes, for instance. Having someone believe in them as business people truly motivated them to reach for more. The shoe-repair man has used some of his business profits to help two other disabled entrepreneurs to set up shoe-shining businesses close to his stall.
Building a new wheelchair workshop in TanzaniaMeanwhile, Tish was also working with one of her community partners in Tanzania to build a new wheelchair workshop and skills training center. Through GlobalGiving.com, Tish won the Global Engagement Summit (GES) Project Challenge and was awarded a $3,500 grant on top of the over $8,000 she raised herself. Over IAP ’09, Tish and her Tanzanian community partner identified a plot of land for the new wheelchair center. They hope to formalize the purchase in the coming months.
To read more about Tish and her small business wheelchair, go to http://web.mit.edu/mitpsc/showcase/stories/scolnik_businesswheelchair.html
» Observations on diversity at MIT: A discussion with the new director of OME
In mid-August, DiOnetta Jones joined MIT as the Associate Dean and Director of the Office of Minority Education (OME). Through programs and initiatives, such as Interphase and Laureates and Leaders, DiOnetta and her staff foster academic excellence and leadership development in students from underrepresented or underserved groups.
In DiOnetta's transition to MIT from Cornell, where she was the Director of Diversity Programs in Engineering, she was asked to share her observations about diversity at MIT and her aspirations in her new role.
What has your transition time been like?
It's been a fast-paced and exciting eight weeks. I've been in individual meetings with students, faculty, and staff. I've also met with teams from various departments throughout the Institute in order to learn more about the internal operations of MIT. I am hopeful that through these meetings, I will also begin to establish great working relationships and explore opportunities for collaboration.
Cornell is a much larger institution, but MIT is definitely equally complex in its organizational structure ... the acronyms and building numbers alone could keep you busy for weeks. Overall, the people have been great, and I am looking forward to a wonderful career at MIT.
During your two months, what observations have you made about diversity at MIT and the work that needs to be done?
MIT is extremely diverse; however, what's most impressive is the diversity of the undergraduate student population. Our peers truly marvel at our success in attracting so many of the most talented underrepresented students in the nation (and in the world, for that matter). Therefore, it is critically important that I truly understand MIT culture. The OME (and the Institute) really needs to know and understand what changes/enhancements might further support the success of all students. We need to know what we are doing (or not doing) to positively impact each student's ability to realize his or her full potential.
I think most people would agree that there is more work to be done in terms of graduate student and faculty/staff diversity. And although my focus will be on the undergraduate experience, the diversity, or the lack thereof, in these areas also impacts the work that I do. Students need to see diversity at all levels of the Institute, particularly in the classroom. I know this is a priority for MIT, so I am look forwarding to supporting these efforts in my new capacity as well.
I think I would be remiss if I didn't mention the diversity of intellectual capital available at MIT. The diversity of thought generated here has and will continue to change the world. Add to that the diversity of opportunities available (for students in particular) through campus-based and global study and research, and you can see why the MIT experience is one of the richest educational experiences that any institution could offer. I'm very glad to be a part of this.
What is your vision relative to the future of OME?
In normal economic times, I may have been prepared to give you a more definitive response to this question. However, given the economic climate and the budget constraints facing the Institute, I am not. I'm really in an "assessment" mode at the moment. I am talking with students, assessing current OME programs, reviewing our current organizational structure, and I am looking for efficiencies and opportunities for improvement. This process will take us at least through the end of the fall semester (and in some areas, it will be ongoing).
The vision will become clearer along the way. However, the future of OME (even in tough economic times) remains bright. The work that we do is vitally important, and the students we serve are integral to the mission and the overall success of the Institute. The work must go on.
What do you see as your greatest opportunity and challenge?
The greatest opportunity: working with these amazing and talented students and the people in OME, DUE, and throughout the Institute who believe in them and support their success.
Greatest challenge: doing all of this in the middle of a budget crisis.
What are you most excited about?
I think change can be exciting in and of itself, particularly if you do it strategically. I'm already looking forward to seeing the great things that will come out of all of this. The truth is ... I am so blessed, and my faith is so strong, that I can't do anything but look forward to the future!
In DiOnetta's transition to MIT from Cornell, where she was the Director of Diversity Programs in Engineering, she was asked to share her observations about diversity at MIT and her aspirations in her new role.
What has your transition time been like?
It's been a fast-paced and exciting eight weeks. I've been in individual meetings with students, faculty, and staff. I've also met with teams from various departments throughout the Institute in order to learn more about the internal operations of MIT. I am hopeful that through these meetings, I will also begin to establish great working relationships and explore opportunities for collaboration.
Cornell is a much larger institution, but MIT is definitely equally complex in its organizational structure ... the acronyms and building numbers alone could keep you busy for weeks. Overall, the people have been great, and I am looking forward to a wonderful career at MIT.
During your two months, what observations have you made about diversity at MIT and the work that needs to be done?
MIT is extremely diverse; however, what's most impressive is the diversity of the undergraduate student population. Our peers truly marvel at our success in attracting so many of the most talented underrepresented students in the nation (and in the world, for that matter). Therefore, it is critically important that I truly understand MIT culture. The OME (and the Institute) really needs to know and understand what changes/enhancements might further support the success of all students. We need to know what we are doing (or not doing) to positively impact each student's ability to realize his or her full potential.
I think most people would agree that there is more work to be done in terms of graduate student and faculty/staff diversity. And although my focus will be on the undergraduate experience, the diversity, or the lack thereof, in these areas also impacts the work that I do. Students need to see diversity at all levels of the Institute, particularly in the classroom. I know this is a priority for MIT, so I am look forwarding to supporting these efforts in my new capacity as well.
I think I would be remiss if I didn't mention the diversity of intellectual capital available at MIT. The diversity of thought generated here has and will continue to change the world. Add to that the diversity of opportunities available (for students in particular) through campus-based and global study and research, and you can see why the MIT experience is one of the richest educational experiences that any institution could offer. I'm very glad to be a part of this.
What is your vision relative to the future of OME?
In normal economic times, I may have been prepared to give you a more definitive response to this question. However, given the economic climate and the budget constraints facing the Institute, I am not. I'm really in an "assessment" mode at the moment. I am talking with students, assessing current OME programs, reviewing our current organizational structure, and I am looking for efficiencies and opportunities for improvement. This process will take us at least through the end of the fall semester (and in some areas, it will be ongoing).
The vision will become clearer along the way. However, the future of OME (even in tough economic times) remains bright. The work that we do is vitally important, and the students we serve are integral to the mission and the overall success of the Institute. The work must go on.
What do you see as your greatest opportunity and challenge?
The greatest opportunity: working with these amazing and talented students and the people in OME, DUE, and throughout the Institute who believe in them and support their success.
Greatest challenge: doing all of this in the middle of a budget crisis.
What are you most excited about?
I think change can be exciting in and of itself, particularly if you do it strategically. I'm already looking forward to seeing the great things that will come out of all of this. The truth is ... I am so blessed, and my faith is so strong, that I can't do anything but look forward to the future!
» MIT grad has Nobel connection
After graduating from MIT last spring, Tamara Litwin embarked on a three-month internship in Israel with Ada Yonath, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry last week. The award recognizes Professor Yonath's research on protein "factories" in cells.
Organized by the MIT-Israel Program, Litwin's internship project at the Weizmann Institute involved X-ray crystallography of antibiotic-resistant ribosomes. "I had a fantastic experience in Israel this summer, doing world-class science and experiencing a different culture at the same time," she says.
MIT-Israel is one of 10 country programs in the MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives, or MISTI. MISTI matches more than 400 MIT students each year with paid professional internships and research projects around the world, and awards funding to MIT faculty for international projects and collaboration.
