Category Archives: Student life

Given reports that fewer recently minted life-sciences Ph.D.’s are landing full-time academic jobs while more are spending an increasing number of years as postdocs, it may be time to consider some alternatives. One alternative is to create your own job. If you are a graduate student or a postdoctoral fellow working on a project that has potential commercial value (i.e., it could result in a product that someone will buy), consider turning the project into your first job. How?

First, disclose your idea to your university’s technology-transfer office (Technology Licensing Office at MIT]. The personnel there can help you determine whether your idea has merit, and whether it can be protected by patents, trademarks, or copyright. If you are conducting your research at a university, the university probably has ownership rights; and if your idea is a good one, the university may file for intellectual-property protection on its own dime. Fortunately for you, it is obligated by U.S. law (under the Bayh-Dole Act, aka the Patent and Trademark Law Amendments Act) to share the proceeds with inventors, who typically receive 25 to 35 percent. To read more about these strategies, take a look at the Chronicle of Higher Education’s page on creating your own job here. Photo by Brian Taylor for The Chronicle.

MIT staff, graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, and retirees, as individuals or groups, are eligible to apply for CSF grants to support their personal public service initiatives, which include programs that they run or would like to start, or projects that they want to work on that enhance the public service work of an existing organization or school.  Apply now for summer/fall funding by Tuesday, April 30th, 2013.  Contact csf-staff@mit.edu for more information.

“In Between” is a semi-autobiographical one man show that portrays the complexities and contradictions inherent in Palestinian-Israeli identity.  On the precipice between two cultures stands Ibrahim Miari, son of a Palestinian Muslim father and Jewish Israeli mother.  During an interrogation by Israeli airport security, he recalls his childhood in Acco, memories of his Jewish and Palestinian grandmothers, of war. Questions surrounding his identity become even further complicated by his imminent marriage to a Jewish American woman. This fascinating intrsopective look into a unique culture will be shown at the Bartos Theatre, E15-070 at 7:30pm on Wednesday, April 24, and is free and open to the public! Presented by the Addir Fellows-MIT Interfaith Dialogue, MIT Hillel Foundation, MIT Muslim Student Association. Technology and Culture Forum at MIT, and Chaplain to the Institute Robert M. Randolh.

Social and developmental psychologist and author Lynn Phillips explores the line between consent and coercion in this thought-provoking look at popular culture and the ways real girls and women navigate their heterosexual relationships and hookups.

Featuring dramatizations of interviews that Phillips conducted with hundreds of young women, the film examines how the wider culture’s frequently contradictory messages about pleasure, danger, agency, and victimization enter into women’s most intimate relationships with men. The result is a refreshingly candid, and nuanced, look at how young women are forced to grapple with deeply ambivalent cultural attitudes about female sexuality. Join the MIT’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month discussion on April 24, 7-9pm in 3-133. For more information, feel free to take a look at the website at http://whiteelephant.scripts.mit.edu/saam/big-movie-night/.

Learn Salsa with the MIT Casino Rueda Group on Sunday, April 21st, 2013 from 12:00pm to 3:00pm in the Coffeehouse Lounge on the 3rd floor of the Student Center.  Lessons are given at different levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) from 12:00pm to 2:00pm.  The final hour is reserved for social dancing.  No partner or prior experience is required and the event is free for MIT students.  Contact rueda_performers@mit.edu.

Whether you’re at work, at home, or traveling, on a desktop computer or a mobile phone, there are a few good measures you can take to help keep your data secure. Think of it as hygiene – just don’t take your device into the shower with you!

Anyone can benefit from implementing basic security practices on the devices they use – you don’t have to be a system administrator or know secret codes. Mike Halsall, of the IS&T Security Team, recommends three basic practices for secure computing.

See the three practices on the IS&T website.

Come to a community open house celebrating the historic restoration of MIT’s Great Dome, and the opening of Barker Library’s 24-hour reading room on Wednesday, April 10th, 2013, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm in the Barker Library Reading Room.  President L. Rafael Reif will make remarks; refreshments will follow.

Read more

Experts from Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PWC) conducted a tax workshop on Monday, April 1, 1-2 pm in the Wong Auditorium (E51-115) for domestic graduate students.  The presentation covered general guidelines for reporting RA, TA, and fellowship stipends, and will include information on possible educational tax credits and available resources.  Unfortunately, the presenters were not be be able to sit one-on-one with students. PWC representatives have made their slides available. Sponsored by the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education.

The Graduate is looking for submissions for its next issue, “AFTER LIFE,” and is holding a competition open to the MIT community! If you have any interest in journalistic writing, want an article to be published in your name, and have tips to help graduate students transition into life after MIT, write an article for The Graduate! One submission is chosen for publication, and the author will receive a $15 gift card! For ideas and details, see The Graduate webpage here. Articles must be around 600 words. Please submit a photo with your article, if possible!

The MIT community is invited to two free events on March 14 (Thursday) sponsored by the MIT Cool Japan research project. First, Ian Condry is having an author talk and discussion for his new book, “The Soul of Anime,” starting at 4:00pm in room E151-149. Afterwards, join Director Mamoru Hosoda for the New England premiere of his new award-winning anime “Wolf Children,” followed by a Q&A. There will be one show only, 7pm in room 26-100. Both are free and open to the public, and they look forward to welcoming all participants! Keep reading for plenty of details.

Read more

The Graduate Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics is hosting a Pi Day celebration with as many different kinds of pie as possible! Bake your favorite recipe for a pie-baking contest, bring your appetite for some pie-eating contests, and sharpen your mind for the pi-recitation contests. Celebrations begin at 11am, March 44 in the AeroAstro Grad Lounge in Building 33.

Just as an important reminder, PE Registration for the fourth quarter opens online today, Monday at 8AM! Try to register as soon as possible to reserve your spot. Offerings for this quarter include SCUBA, Kayaking, Stand-Up Paddleboard, Golf, Tennis, Flag Football, Floor Hockey, Zumba, Yoga, and Boot Camp for Athletes. Registration is first come first serve, so try to catch your favorite sport as early as possible! Feel free to contact MITPE for any questions at mitpe@mit.edu. Photo by the MIT Department of Athletics, Physical Education & Recreation.

This year on March 10, join the MIT community to celebrate diversity with several events dedicated to cultures from around the world. Several cultural groups will be providing traditional food, music, performance and games. Spend the day traveling and experiencing the world, all on MIT campus! Click more for additional details. Photo by the American-Turkish Association of Washington DC.

Read more

Master in City Planning (MCP) and the Special Program for Urban and Regional Studies (SPURS) students will share stories about their 2013 IAP trip in an African country during the DUSP IAP in Africa Showcase on Wednesday, March 13th, 2013 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm in MIT Room 10-401.  Panelists will include Sarah Dimson (Tanzania), Anna Gross (Ghana), Abel Managni (Ghana), and Sofia Lopez (Egypt).  The panel will be moderated by Gabriella Carolini, Assistant Professor, Department of Urban Studies and Planning.  Light dinner will be served.

Graduate Women of Excellence is an event meant to honor graduate women who exemplify leadership and outstanding accomplishment.  Nominate a graduate woman for this honor by Friday, March 15th, 2013.  A nominated graduate woman should be a leader among her peers in her example and her actions, dedicated to serving the MIT community to improve the graduate student experience, a provider of thoughtful and constructive feedback when asked for advice, and a catalyst for change when challenges arise.  A celebration event will be held on Tuesday, April 23, and posters created by selected nominees detailing their life journey, including their path to MIT and aspirations, will be displayed.  To nominate a graduate woman, fill out the online form.  If you are interesting in joining the planning team for Graduate Women of Excellence or have any questions, please contact agerman@mit.edu.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” is a big question for children, and knowing of only a few options can limit their future aspirations. The Telling Your Story (TYS) Workshop seeks to change that, offering children the opportunity to hear the life stories of scientists and engineers in their very own classroom. At the very least, it helps them know that scientists and engineers are interesting people with whom they might like to be friends. And some might just get that inspirational spark to pursue a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) career.

Sarah Rosengard, a graduate student in chemical oceanography at Woods Hole, and Leilani Roser, a biology teacher from Charlestown High School, shared their tips on how to plan ahead so that the visit satisfies everyone’s expectations. The pair showed highlights from Rosengard’s story and explained how their partnership developed into a rich project including a water sampling field trip to the Charlestown navy yard.

Kyle Delwiche, a graduate student in environmental engineering at MIT, who attended the workshop, believes that scientists have an obligation to society. “It’s not this foreign scary thing, and it is accessible even if you don’t end up doing it. You can still understand and appreciate it and understand that it touches all aspects of our lives.” Delwiche says.

Read the complete article on MIT news.  photo by Anique Olivier-Mason

Join biblical scholar Professor Jon D. Levenson (Harvard Divinity School, Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies) for the Addir Fellows Interfaith Dialogue on Tuesday, March 5th, 2013 at 7:15pm in MIT Building W11 (the Main Dining Room).  Dessert will be avaliable; all are welcome.  Visit the website at http://studentlife.mit.edu/content/addir-interfaith-program.  Email ora@mit.edu or call (617) 610-1060 for more information.

Nominations are now open for the 2013 MIT Awards Convocation.  The nearly 30 awards that encompass the MIT Awards Convocation recognize excellence in academics and teaching, public service, community building, achievements in the arts and athletics, leadership, and entrepreneurship.  The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 15th, 2013 at 5:00pm.  The 2013 MIT Awards Convocation will take place on Thursday, April 25th at 4:00 pm in MIT Room 10-250.  You can also nominate undergraduate students, student organizations, faculty, staff, and community members.  Awards specifically for graduate students include the Edward L. Horton Fellowship Award (presented to any student group that fosters fellowship within the graduate student community) and the Goodwin Medal (presented to a graduate student whose performance of teaching duties is “conspicuously effective over and above ordinary excellence”).

Dr. Heather McGregor, also known as Mrs. Moneypenny, entrepreneur, pilot, columnist for the Financial Times, and author of the new book Mrs. Moneypenny’s Careers Advice for Ambitious Women visited the Sloan Women in Management club (SWIM) earlier this month. Moneypenny offered career advice and tips to the club’s members in an hour-long talk. She told students in attendance to take control of every aspect of their careers from managing human and social capital (networking) to learning to say “no,” learning to delegate, and building teams. She advised SWIM members to spend time learning and understanding their own financial literacy. Read the rest of the article on News@MITSloan.  photo by Sarah Foote

Be regaled by the mystery and glamour of this year’s Grad Gala, the premier event for MIT grad students! The theme this year is Masquerade Ball, and the first 200 guests to register are eligible for discounted ticket prices! As an added bonus, gift vouchers will be available for the first three full tables to register. Join the fun on Saturday, April 13 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel; all MIT graduate students and Post-Docs are welcome and may bring one guest. Contact gsc-gradgala@mit.edu for more information.

The Third Annual Graduate Art Soiree will be held on March 15th, 2013 on the top floor of the New Media Lab. Student artists will have a chance to exhibit fine art pieces to fellow peers. Dance and music groups should feel free to show off their talents by performing at the event! Art of all types, shapes, sizes, and forms are welcome, including architectural models, toy lab projects, and even DNA structures. To take advantage of this great exposure of your work to the MIT community, contact gsc-arts@mit.edu to RSVP by March 7th.

Philip Berger, a Master Tax Advisor and Enrolled Agent from H&R Block, will be hosting a seminar about the complexities of filing a tax return as a non-resident alien. The seminar will run approximately 45 minutes with a 15 minute Q&A session afterward. Philip will also be arriving early and will be available, before the talk, for questions. The talk will be held in 26-100, on Feb. 25 at 12:00 pm. For any questions, please contact danielle@mit.edu. Sponsored by the International Students Office.

At the start of her first semester at MIT Sloan, Yscaira Jimenez, MBA ’14, an avid athlete, wanted to create a Capoeira martial arts club for MIT Sloan students interested in learning more about the sport. With the help of classmate Lior Paritzky, MBA ’14, she broadened the scope of her plan, and the two resurrected the Health and Fitness Club for all MIT students. The club is now co-lead by Jimenez and Paritzky and started with just 30 students. Word quickly spread and by the end of the fall semester, 50 students had joined. The pair hopes to offer a variety of activities and events to the community and turn unhealthy habits into healthy and fit lifestyle changes that students will sustain the rest of their lives. Continue reading the article on News@MITSloan.  photo by Sarah Foote

Come to this make-your-own craft event, using (mostly) recycled materials, for adults and kids on Monday, February 18th, 2013 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at the Eastgate Penthouse (E55-PH).  We will use daily materials such as glass jars and cork to create new products, useful for your house/apartment.  Transform these daily objects that are usually thrown away to new useful items, and use your artistic skills to the max!  All materials and snacks will be provided.  Contact pilgit@gmail.com for more information.

One Day I Too Go Fly is a four year chronicle of how five students from Tanzania, Nigeria, Rwanda and Zimbabwe become engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  As they arrive from varied African backgrounds and immerse themselves in the challenge of rigorous academics and navigating a new world, they receive an elite education and grow into their adult selves.  Director/Producer Arthur Musah, also an MIT Alum, recently acquired the funding necessary to produce this film as well as strong, enthusiastic Institute support.  Musah, who holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from EECS (2002, 2004), has been given unprecedented permission to film extensively on campus.  Supported by former President Paul Gray and the International Students Office as well as by many Kickstarter donors.  See the teaser for the film below.

Read more

Enjoy a delicious Shabbat dinner with an awesome community of MIT graduate students!
The theme of this Shabbat dinner will be faculty Shabbat, as several MIT Faculty members will join and speak about their academic career path. Receive the location with your RSVP to oderberg@mit.edu. The dinner will take place Friday, February 8, 7:30 – 10pm. Photo by MIT Graduate Hillel.

Join the celebration presenting the GradRat with fruits, pastries, crackers and wine in the Bush Room (10-105). Any grad students that ordered a GradRat can pick it up here; the even will be at 5-7pm, February 6. Photo by MIT Alumni Association.

The Multicultural Conference (MC^2) is hosting a conference to connect students across the lines of cultural identities such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, nationality, socioeconomic status, ability, and sexual orientation. Entitled Second Thoughts on First Impressions, the day of workshops, speakers, and community building come together to facilitate open and honest communication about the cultural climate at MIT. Join the discussion by registering by Feb. 1 here; the conference is held February 8 and 9 in the MIT Endicott House. Photo by the Multicultural Conference.

Join the Science Policy Initiative in advocating for science in Washington, DC on March 12-13 with the 18th Annual Congressional Visits Day. Participants engage with their members of Congress and other leaders in the science policy field on a broad range of pressing scientific issues, and establish long-term connections to key influencers in their field. To apply, please send the following materials by Friday, March 1 to Michael Davidson (michd@mit.edu) and Jesse Jenkins (jessedj@mit.edu): a 1-2 paragraph statement of interest including a short bio, research areas or major, and any policy interests; your home district, current voting district and other districts where you have lived previously (e.g., undergraduate institution); and your availability during the week of March 11. International students are also encouraged to apply. Supported by the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education.

Two campus groups are inviting the MIT community to join and celebrate the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 3. First, get in the game spirit 6:30 pm at the Ashdown House Hulsizer Room (NW35) with wings, nachos, fries, quesadillas, and more! Alcohol is available for purchase with 21+ government photo ID, and vegetarian options will also be provided. Ashdown Associate Housemaster Yuriy Roman will explain the rules of the game with a special presentation Intro to Football at 6 pm. Second, the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education is sponsoring a party at Moksa (450 Mass Ave), beginning at 6:30 pm. They will be projecting the game on three screens in a private area just for MIT grad students with free food, a cash bar, and a DJ starting at 9 pm. Significant others are welcome to join, but please RSVP here (a raffle prize is included)!

MIT Medical is offering a new, seven week quit smoking group class starting on Thursday, February 14th and meeting weekly 12pm-1pm in E23-274. The class is limited to 12 people, and open to all members of the MIT Community. Email helpmequit@med.mit.edu or call 617-253-1316 for registration and more information.

Feminists@MIT is screening Eggsploitation, a documentary exploring the egg-donation industry and the risks involved for women undergoing the procedure. This film screening is in response to recent egg donor advertisements in the Tech, and calls into question the exploitation of women. After the screening, there will be a brief discussion concerning issues of race, gender, and exploitation which affect students on campus. The film is playing Monday, January 28 at 8 pm in 6-120.

The MIT Women’s Chorale, directed by Kevin Galiè, is currently looking forward to adding talented singers from the MIT community in preparation for their upcoming spring concert. In May, they will be performing Four Sacred Pieces by Verdi in honor of his 200th birthday, and will also include work from Porpora’s Lauda Jerusalem, Rachmaninoff, and even traditional pieces from South America. Rehearsals are held every Wednesday at 7:15 pm in Room 10-340 (the Emma Rogers Room) at MIT. New singers can join as late as February 13th. Now is the perfect time to join as the Chorale reaches their 80th anniversary. Further information can be found on their website: web.mit.edu/womensleague/womenschorale. Photo by MIT Women’s Chorale.