Office of the Dean for Graduate Education

Narges Kaynia (MechE) is developing a blueprint for reversible wrinkling in composite materials

sguitron — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:33:52 +0000

Many natural composite materials have evolved to wrinkle in response to certain stimuli: The eye of the squid is lined with wavy layers of silvery reflectors that give it a silvery sheen. In the cell walls of many plants, wrinkles allow expansion without strain. Finally, the inner lining of arteries contain wrinkled lamellae that can be indicators of coronary heart disease, and can serve as markers for the condition.

Given these examples from nature, scientists say that understanding the mechanisms by which materials internally wrinkle could help in creating new, responsive materials for use in chemical sensing, medical diagnostics and optical and acoustic wave control.

Now researchers at MIT have identified the mechanics involved in the wrinkling of thin interfacial layers within soft composite materials, and developed a model based on material properties and geometry to predict how wrinkled an internal layer may become, given its stiffness and width. The researchers also fabricated composite materials using multi-material 3-D printing, and observed the wrinkling and instability pattern — results that were correctly predicted by their model.

Narges Kaynia, a graduate student in mechanical engineering at MIT, says the model may serve as a blueprint for developing new composite materials with reversibly wrinkling interfaces. Continue reading the article on MIT News. photo courtesy of Narges Kaynia and Yaning Li

Canadian BBQ Night on May 21

sguitron — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:20:02 +0000

Meet other Canadian MIT students and friends of Canada over a BBQ dinner on Tuesday, May 21st, 2013, beginning at 6:30pm in the Sydney Pacific courtyard. Experience the tastes of Canadian snacks imported directly from Canada, including ketchup chips, Nanaimo bars, Smarties (chocolate candy), Rockets, and more. Discuss and learn about the cultural differences experienced by Canadians in the USA, such as having milk in bags, the word choice of “zee” vs. “zed” and “washrooms” vs. “restrooms,” etc. Contact canadians-owner@mit.edu for more information.

Global Fellows Program: Spots Still Available!

sguitron — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:16:03 +0000

MIT and Imperial College London are jointly offering an intensive 4 ½ day Global Fellows Program for PhD students. Through presentations, interactive work and hands-on activities, PhD students from Imperial (20) and MIT (20) will develop professional skills required to launch and manage a successful research career. Emphasis will be on creating and sustaining successful international research collaborations. The program will take place from Monday, June 24th through Friday, June 28th, 2013 in Sharon, Massachusetts. Morning programs will begin at 9:30am, and evening programs should be completed by 9:00pm. Participants must commit to the entire program, which includes full day events and some evenings. The Fellowship covers the cost of travel, the program, and some meals. Topics covered will include building successful working relationships and global collaborations, team and project development, global intercultural skills and communication. Participants will work in small groups with either an MIT or Imperial facilitator. Faculty members from each university will present on the topic of developing and managing international collaborations as an integral part of a research career. Eligibility is restricted to PhD students with a preference for students who have passed their qualifying exams and have a few years remaining before completing their PhD program. Apply soon! Application available here. For more information, contact Kim Benard in the GECD at globalphd@mit.edu.

BioEngineers take a different view of cancer cells

sguitron — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:10:24 +0000

Most cancer deaths are caused by metastatic tumors, which break free from the original cancer site and spread throughout the body. For that to happen, cancer cells must undergo many genetic and physical changes.

Many of those genetic changes have been studied extensively, but it has been more difficult to study the physical changes. Now, MIT researchers have developed a way to study three key physical properties of cancer cells — their mass, stiffness and friction — on a large scale.

Authors from the paper include lead author and MIT postdoc Sangwon Byun, grad student Josephine Shaw, MIT postdoc Sungmin Son; Stanford University postdoc Dario Amodei; MIT grad students Nathan Cermak, Joon Ho Kang and Vivian Hecht; former MIT postdoc Monte Winslow; Tyler Jacks, the David H. Koch Professor of Biology at MIT and director of the Koch Institute; and Parag Mallick, an assistant professor of radiology at Stanford.

The rest of the article is available on MIT News. photo courtesy of Sangwon Byun and Josephine Shaw

Moving out Info for MIT students

sguitron — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:36:12 +0000

Are you moving out soon? Arrange a free pickup of your good-condition furniture! Visit cambridgeMA.gov/furniture for an interactive list of organizations and details on pickup and drop-off options. These groups taking living, dining and bedroom furniture…and put them to good use. Groups with a star (*) also take mattresses in good condition. Plus, they’ll pick up your stuff for free!

Salvation Army* 1-800-SA-TRUCK or use their online form
MA Coalition for the Homeless* 781-595-7570 x13 or albenny@mahomeless.org
Aid to Incarcerated Mothers* 617-536-0058
Boomerangs 617-309-7220 or use their online form
MIT Furniture Exchange 617-253-4293 or fx@mit.edu (free pickup for large donations only)
Epilepsy Foundation 888-322-8209 or use their online form

Call at least a week or two ahead to arrange a free pickup.

If you need to dispose of stuff quickly, then you can sell or give things away through boston.craigslist.org or freecycle.org. Postings are free, most do better with a photo and it’ll be gone in no time. If it’s a ripped, torn, stained, about-to-fall-apart mess…unfortunately it probably is trash! City trash crews will pick up ONE piece of furniture per week from residences served by the Cambridge Department of Public Works. Remember, it’s heading to the landfill or incinerator if you choose this route, so, if it’s usable and is in good condition, please see what you can do to arrange a rescue!

If you are cleaning out your closet, visit here to see where to donate your stuff in Cambridge, including clothing drop boxes, thrift stores, consignment shops, and secondhand stores. These groups take clothing, shoes, belts, purses, hats, linens, stuffed animals, and fabric scraps. Just no dirty rags, nothing wet, nothing soiled, no carpets, no rugs, and no mildewed items. If it’s not wearable, damaged clothing is recycled into wiping rags and everything else is processed back into fibers used to make paper, yarn, insulation, carpet padding, and sound proofing.

Present at the Grad Alumni Poster Session on June 8!

heatherf — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:28:01 +0000

Practice your presentation skills to a non-expert audience, to network with alumni, and even find someone who can give further insights on your projects! The Grad Alumni Poster Session will take place Saturday, June 8, 2013, from 5:30pm-8:00pm in MIT Building E15, first floor hallway. All presenters will get feedback from attending alumni and students. Prizes will be given to best presenters. Free appetizers and open bar for all presenters and attendees. Register as a presenter here.

Particpate in UP: The Umbrella Project on May 19

sguitron — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:18:03 +0000

MIT students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in the second performance of UP: The Umbrella Project on the evening of Sunday, May 19th, 2013, at 7:45pm in Jack Barry Field. A collaboration between CSAIL’s Distributed Robotics Lab and internationally acclaimed dance company Pilobolus, UP will bring together members of the MIT community to participate in a large-scale live performance piece using umbrellas outfitted with LED lights. Each UP participant will be provided with an umbrella equipped with red, green and blue LED lights. Using hand controllers, participants will be able to independently change the color of their umbrella. Guided by the Pilobolus creative team, UP participants will traverse the field and manipulate the hue of their umbrellas, creating a colorful and ever-changing display of live art. All members of the MIT community, including students, faculty and staff, are invited to participate. Those willing to participate must be at the field by 7:45pm. The performance will be photographed and filmed for promotional purposes. Participants must be at least 18 years of age and must be affiliated with MIT. Visit this site for more information on UP.

Sean Collier Cook Out! on May 17

sguitron — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:17:48 +0000

Celebrate the life of Sean Collier by doing what he enjoyed to do so often…cooking out! Come to the Sean Collier Cook Out on Friday, May 17th, 2013, from 12:30pm to 2:30pm in the North Court between the Stata Center and Koch Institute. Gather with others to share memories and stories of Sean among friends, food, and country music!

Tang Hall Egg Drop on May 18

sguitron — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:17:47 +0000

Come to the Tang Hall Egg Drop on Saturday, May 18th, at 2:00pm (MIT Building W84, 24th floor). Materials, snacks, and drinks will be provided, so join Tang Hall for this epic egg drop competition. Design your own contraption in a team of up to 4 students to keep the egg in one piece as it falls down the facade of Tang Hall. Gift cards for the winners will be awarded. This contest is open to graduate residents and is sponsored by the Tang Hall Residents Association as well as the GSC Funding Board. For more information, contact the Tang Hall Residents Association at sreoshyb@mit.edu.

Graduate Fellow Sumit Dutta “Tells His Story”

sguitron — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:16:16 +0000

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program celebrated its 60-year anniversary at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciencec (AAAS) in Boston in February. NSF Graduate Fellows have a unique and important place in America’s STEM research enterprise. Students were encouraged to take the opportunity to step inside a booth at the meeting and chat for a few minutes about their stories so that they could be captured by video. These videos help us to celebrate the 60-year anniversary recognizing NSF Graduate Research Fellows whose impact on research and teaching will last for years to come. One of these fellows was Sumit Dutta, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, who talked about his research into making computers more (energy) efficient. View his video here.

Katherine Buckingham and Devin Helfrich announced as Presidential Management Fellows finalists

sguitron — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:46:35 +0000

Congratulations to Katherine Eleanor Buckingham, Master in City Planning degree candidate in the department of Urban Studies and Planning, and Devin Helfrich, Master of Science in Technology and Policy graduate, who have both been named finalists in the Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF). The PMF Program is a flagship leadership development program at the entry level for advanced degree candidates, designed to develop a cadre of potential government leaders by providing sustenance during the first years of employment and encouraging development of leadership capabilities.

Katherine has shown her commitment to public service through her volunteer work at Northeast Community Challenge Coalition, the Oberlin Student Cooperative Association, the Spanish in the Elementary Schools (SITES) program, and the Harmony Project. Outside of community service, she has directed her studies and career towards public service by researching at the Greater Ohio Policy Center and working in the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development. She is a strong believer in “creating sustainable, resilient communities.”

Helfrich always wanted to pursue a career in public service, and eventually left the private sector to begin working careers in Washington D.C. He also executing a speaking tour concerning blocking expansion of the US nuclear weapons complex. Helfrich focuses on environmental and energy policy, desiring to “improve the welfare of all, and not the welfare of a few at the expense of many others.”

We wish him the best in the final round of selection!

Acoustic BBQ on May 17

sguitron — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:40:50 +0000

Come celebrate the end of classes with fellow graduate students at the GSC Acoustic BBQ, on Friday, May 17th, 2013 from 4:30pm to 7:30pm in the Stata Amphitheater. There will be free food and beverages, as well as a live band; don’t forget your 21+ ID! This event is open to all graduate students. Sign up here to volunteer, meet new friends, and skip the line. Contact gsc-ac@mit.edu for more information.

Join the GWAMIT Mentoring Program

sguitron — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:43:01 +0000

Interested in helping women graduate students connect to faculty and alumni mentors? Excited about applying your technical and organizing skills to creative projects? Come and join the GWAMIT Mentoring Program Committee; apply by contacting either Ricarose (ria@mit.edu) or Xuwen (xwzhu@mit.edu). The mentoring program is a yearlong program where GWAMIT matches mentors and mentees during the summer, and groups meet individually every month. Events during the year include a kick-off dinner, February social, spring reception, and more informal events during the summer. GWAMIT is also holding monthly dinner meetings, and all are welcome to join (committee members get to choose their own mentors).

Yoga Remix, Mind-Body Dance Party on May 16

sguitron — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:39:48 +0000

Yoga Remix, Mind-Body Dance Party, is a revolutionary new way to celebrate while connecting deeply with your self, and on the last day of classes, Thursday, May 16th, 2013, you can experience this fresh combination of live music, dance, yoga, and meditation in the Walker Memorial (Morss Hall, MIT Building 50). Come to Happier Hour with Organic Snacks and Drinks from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. Afterwards until 9:30pm, pursue connective partner yoga and dance-rock chant fusion with live band Butterthief. Also, enjoy guided meditation. Reserve tickets here; MIT students receive free admission. Contact artofliving-officers@mit.edu for more information.

MIT alum Thad Starner to discuss wearable computing on May 20

sguitron — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:39:14 +0000

MIT Alum Thad Starner will be speaking at the Coolidge Corner Theatre on Monday, May 20th, 2013 at 7:00pm as part of the Science on Screen series. This event will feature a rare 35mm print of director James “King of the World” Cameron’s 1991 blockbuster Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Before the screening, Starner will discuss how the Terminator films influenced his work in wearable computing and augmented reality; he will also share some of his exciting research. Starner is an Associate Professor at Georgia Tech and a Technical Lead on Google’s Project Glass. He received a B.S. in Brain and Cognitive Science and Computer Science (1991), an S.M. in Media Arts and Sciences (1995) and a Ph.D. in Media Arts and Sciences (1999) from MIT. You can purchase tickets online or at the theatre at 290 Harvard Street in Brookline. Prices are $10 for general admission and $8 for students, seniors, and Museum of Science members. Coolidge Corner Theatre members get free admission. With Science on Screen, the Coolidge Corner Theatre shows a feature film or documentary paired with lively presentations by notable experts from the world of science and technology.

Documentary Screening of Glass Band on May 15

sguitron — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:38:33 +0000

Come to a special screening and discussion of Glass Band on Wednesday, May 15th, 2013 at 6:00pm in the MIT Chipman Room, 6-104. The Glass Band documentary is about the glass instrument band created by Mark Stewart, multi-instrumentalist, composer and instrument designer during his residency at the MIT Glass Lab in partnership with director Peter Houk. Read about the Glass Lab’s Glass Band. This discussion will feature Pablo Correa (Editor, MIT Knight Science Journalism Program) and Peter McMurray (Music Department, Harvard University). Glass Band was filmed at the MIT Glass Lab.

Currency ~ Revolution: Spacial Strategies of Resistance on May 14

sguitron — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:38:01 +0000

On Tuesday, May 14th, 2013 at 7:00pm in the act cube (E15-001), join thresholds 41 REVOLUTION! editor Ana María León and Scapegoat: Architecture/Landscape/Political Economy: 04 CURRENCY issue editor Adrian Blackwell for short presentations on the overlapping contents of their journals’ latest issues and the objectives that inform their respective structures. Both will talk about the spatial strategies that have been deployed to resist the political and economic repressions of past and present, as well as the methods by which journals can function as research vehicles. The ensuing discussion will be moderated by Rebecca Uchill and introduced by Gediminas Urbonas Antoni Muntadas. Ana María León is an architect, a teacher, and a historian. Adrian Blackwell is an artist, designer, and urban theorist. Rebecca Uchill is an activist, writer, and curator.

A Spring BBQ to Honor DUE Dean Dan Hastings on May 13

sguitron — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:47 +0000

Come celebrate Dan Hastings’s seven years of dedicated leadership as Dean of Undergraduate Education at a picnic barbeque on Monday, May 13th, 2013, from noon to 1:30pm in Killian Court. There will be delecious food, soaring voices, and high-spirited fun … Continue reading →

The Future of Science and Technology in International Development; keynote on May 13

sguitron — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:00:47 +0000

The Future of Science and Technology in International Development, a keynote by Dr. Alex Dehgan (Science and Technology Adviser to the Administrator at USAID), will take place on Monday, May 13th, 2013 from 5:30pm to 8:00pm in MIT Room 34-101. This keynote will explore science and technology’s role in alleviating international development’s greatest challenges and will be moderated by Eric Grimson (Chancellor of MIT), with a question and answer session from 7:00pm to 8:00pm. Can’t attend in person? Live stream this event! You can also tweet your questions for Dr. Dehgan to #DEHGANMIT. Contact nai@mit.edu for more information.

Two BBQs on May 11

sguitron — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:09:17 +0000

The MIT Muslim Students Association and the MIT Arab Students Organization will be hosting a BBQ and Volleyball fundraiser on Saturday, May 11th, 2013, from 11:00am to 4:00pm at the MIT Kresge BBQ Pits. Registration is $5 per person for the volleyball tournament. All proceeds will go to UNICEF in Syria. Contact msa-ec-current@mit.edu for more information.

Later in the day, there will be another BBQ from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Kresge BBQ Pits organized by Christians on Campus. Enjoy a relaxing time of singing, bible reading, games, food, and snacks. Attendees will have the opportunity to share their experiences of Christ and encourage each other to pursue God together at MIT. All are welcome to attend, regardless of faith; contact christiansoncampus-info@mit.edu for more information.

Hidden Heroes: The Genius of Everyday Things

sguitron — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:54:09 +0000

Light bulbs, paper clips and even tea bags are catching the attention of the media and the arts community. Come to this new exhibition through September 1, 2013 at the MIT Museum which explores every day objects and shines a light on their inventors. Learn more and view photos in this WBUR/NPR review. Admission to the MIT Museum is always free for MIT students.

Brahms Requiem with the MIT Concert Choir on May 11

sguitron — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:29:54 +0000

MIT Concert Choir is going to be at Kresge Auditorium in MIT with Conductor William Cutter, Assistant Conductor and Pianist Joseph Turbessi, Soprano Kerry Deal, and Baritone Robert Honeysucker on Saturday, May 11th, 2013 beginning at 7:30pm. Music includes Vaughan Williams’s Toward the Unknown Region and Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem. Free advanced tickets are available here, or they are $5 at the door.

Start a Company, Create Your Own Job! – Advice on Managing the Academic Career

Jacovie Rodriguez — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:00:37 +0000

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.

MSMS student taps MIT Sloan to power energy research

sguitron — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:35:20 +0000

Vikalp Sabhlok, MSMS ’13, grew up in a small city in India where the electricity supply was notoriously unreliable. Now, as a student in MIT Sloan’s Master of Science in Management Studies (MSMS) program, he is exploring ways to improve the energy distribution system for the next generation. “I have always had an interest in going back to India to make things better,” he said. “If you provide electricity, productivity levels go up, and incomes increase.” To read the rest of the article, visit the Sloan webpage.

Turkish Faculty Dinner on May 10

sguitron — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:33:38 +0000

The Turkish Student Association organizes a Turkish Faculty Dinner every year, giving the MIT community a chance to meet and chat with Turkish Faculty. This year’s dinner will be held on Friday, May 10th, 2013, beginning at 7:00pm in MIT Room W20-407. They will be serving delicious Turkish dinner, free of charge. There are limited seats, so RSVP here; priority will be given to those who sign up the earliest. Please note that you don’t need to be fluent in Turkish to be able to participate in this event.

Learn about D-Lab student research on May 10

sguitron — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:32:05 +0000

Always popular, the D-Lab Second Fridays showcase provides visitors with the chance to see what the creative and compassionate students are working on in the labs upstairs. The event will take place on Friday, May 10th, 2013 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, with free admission. Founded by MacArthur award winner Amy Smith (who once was the Regional Beekeeping Officer for the Okavango River Delta in Botswana) the D-Lab’s mission is to improve the quality of life of low-income households through the creation and implementation of low cost technologies. Learn more about D-Lab.

Radius Ensemble concert May 11, featuring MIT’s Harbison and Southworth

sguitron — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:22:49 +0000

Come to the Radius Ensemble concert on Saturday, May 11th, 2013 at 8:00pm in Pickman Hall at the Longy School of Music of Bard College, 27 Garden Street in Harvard Square. This concert features Mozart (String duo in B-flat major, K.424), Morrison (Lonesome Whistle for solo flute), and MIT’s own Harbison (Woodwind Quintet) and Southworth (JAMU for ensemble and Balinese Gamelan World Premiere). When Michael Haydn, younger brother of Franz Joseph, found himself in hot water with the Archbishop of Salzburg for not completing a commission, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart quickly stepped in as an ally for his friend. He composed two duos for violin and viola, sent them to Haydn, and sanctioned plagiarism by instructing Haydn to include them in the collection as his own. John Harbison’s Wind Quintet is embroidery in sound, “mixtures rather than counterpoints,” to quote the composer. A single strand of melody winnows from a flute in John Howell Morrison’s Lonesome Whistle—exploring the intricate tie between performer and instrument. The concert will close with a world premiere, Christine Southworth’s alchemic Jamu for ensemble and Balinese Gamelan. Student admission is $10; general admission is $20. Buy tickets here.

The Future of MIT (and education)

sguitron — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:20:27 +0000

On Wednesday, February 6th, 2013, President L. Rafael Reif announced the creation of the Institute-Wide Task Force on the Future of MIT Education and requested that its members work to “reinvent the residential campus model and perhaps redefine education altogether.” Technology has changed very rapidly in the past decade, especially with the advent of the Internet and the omnipresent communication it entails. However, the institution from which the Internet grew out of has failed to fully adopt the potential of these emerging technologies to change a model of education that has been relatively the same for hundreds of years. In support of the initiative, MIT launched the website future.mit.edu in early April designed to engage the MIT community in a larger conversation about where education is headed. It also serves as a resource for the Task Force’s three working groups: Education and Facilities for the Future, The Future Global Implications of edX and the Opportunity it Creates, and A New Financial Model for Education.

James Dashow, Electronic Music Pioneer, at the Media Lab on May 6

sguitron — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:10:24 +0000

Composer and electronic music innovator James Dashow will give a special presentation (The Dyad System) about his musical compositions and theories on Monday, May 6th, 2013 at 4:00pm in the MIT Media Lab (E14-244). “The Dyad System” will focus on the integration of pitch structures into electronic sounds. This system describes the basis and methods for embedding specific pitches into electronic sounds that are generated by the pitches themselves through various techniques that James Dashow will feature. There will also be an excursion into the spatialization of sound, for which Dashow has a double approach: movement IN space, and movement OF space. A variety of audio examples and a couple of pieces will be played. For further information about this program, please contact Simone Ovsey at sovsey@media.mit.edu.

“It’s Alive!” presents: The Rest I Make Up on May 6

sguitron — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:06:32 +0000

Come view The Rest I Make Up, a reading of “Fefu and her Friends” with original video footage of Michelle Memran, a homage to the work of Maria Irene Fornes, Cuban playwright, feminist, and activist. This is directed by Anna Kohler, MIT Music and Theater Arts, and is presented as part of “It’s Alive.” This event will take place on Monday, May 6th, 2013 at 7:30pm in Killian Hall, MIT.

Ezeozue (TPP/EECS) devotes energy to his fellow Nigerians

sguitron — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:07:30 +0000

Like many Nigerians, MIT graduate student Chidube Ezeozue grew up frustrated by his nation’s erratic electrical grid. “Electrical outages are a huge problem in Nigeria,” says Ezeozue, who is pursuing dual master’s degrees in MIT’s Technology and Policy Program and in electrical engineering and computer science. “The outages really interrupt everyday life.”

Nigeria’s supply of electricity is severely limited, resulting in rolling outages: Power is cut off every few hours and redirected to neighborhoods that were previously in the dark. While Nigerians know to expect these power cuts, they rarely know when the outages will happen, or how long they will last. Read the rest of the article on MIT News. photo by Allegra Boverman

Inspirasian: Boston Asian Performance Arts Festival on May 5

sguitron — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:08:57 +0000

At Inspirasian, student organizations aiming to promote Asian performance arts to MIT and the Greater Boston Area will perform both traditional (Tibetan, Xinjiang) and hip-hop (K-pop pieces by DBSK, EXO, T-ara, Wondergirls) dance performances with collaborators, including MIT Syncopasian, MIT Ohms, MIT Lion Dance, Harvard AADT, Dance Revelasian, the Wang YMCA, and Yo-Yo Generation. The event will take place on Sunday, May 5th, 2013 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm in Kresge Auditorium. Tickets will be $5 for MIT affiliates, $7 for general admission, and $10 at the door. Ticket sales will take place from Monday, April 29th to Friday, May 3rd, 2013 in Lobby 10. Contact adt-exec@mit.edu for more information.

MIT Clean Energy Prize Showcase on May 6th

sguitron — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:05:39 +0000

Come to the MIT Clean Energy Prize Award Showcase on Monday, May 6th, 2013 from 3:00pm to 6:30pm at the Sheraton Boston (39 Dalton Street, Boston, MA 02199). Connect with CEP Contestants and Alumni as they show off their businesses at the showcase, including the eighteen semifinalists of this national competition. At 5:00pm, join for the award ceremony, where you’ll hear about the challenges and opportunities in clean energy from a panel of experienced entrepreneurs including Frank van Mierlo (CEO and Founder of 1366 Technologies), Joel Moxley (Founder of Foro Energy), Stanley Kowalski (Chairman and Founder of FloDesign), and Chris Knittel (MIT Professor on Energy and Economics Policy). Visit the Clean Energy Prize website for more information.

Grad students develop new technique that could enable a major boost in solar-cell efficiency

sguitron — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:04:32 +0000

Throughout decades of research on solar cells, one formula has been considered an absolute limit to the efficiency of such devices in converting sunlight into electricity: Called the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit, it posits that the ultimate conversion efficiency can never exceed 34 percent for a single optimized semiconductor junction.

Now, researchers at MIT have shown that there is a way to blow past that limit as easily as today’s jet fighters zoom through the sound barrier — which was also once seen as an ultimate limit.

Their work appears this week in a report in the journal Science, co-authored by graduate students including Daniel Congreve, Nicholas Thompson, Eric Hontz and Shane Yost, alumna Jiye Lee ’12, and professors Marc Baldo and Troy Van Voorhis.

Continue reading the article on MIT News. illustration by Christine Daniloff

Two Easter Celebrations on May 5

sguitron — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:02:33 +0000

Celebrate the Orthodox Easter Greek or Bulgarian style this Sunday, May 5th, 2013:

The Hellenic Student Association will be hosting their Easter celebration from 1:00pm to 5:00pm at the Sydney Pacific BBQ Grill (NW-86). There will be traditional and tasty Greek cuisine, including rotisserie lambs, mousaka, sausages, souvlaki, tzatziki, and much more. Greek music and dance will also be performed. Tickets will be sold at the door at rates of $15 per student and $20 per non-student. Cash bar will be available with ID. Contact proedreio@mit.edu or visit the website for more information.
There will also be a Bulgarian Easter party starting at 2:00pm in Ashdown house. Cuisine includes roaster lamb, Easter bread, and other traditional Bulgarian treats. Those wanting to help cook should show up at around 12:00pm. Please RSVP here. Contact bg-club-officers@mit.edu for more information.

Sequester Panel Discussion on May 6

sguitron — Thu, 02 May 2013 12:59:30 +0000

Come to The Sequester: The Future of Science Funding and its Impact on MIT – Students, Faculty, Postdocs, and Research, a panel discussion that will serve as the beginning of a conversation on how the recent sequestration cuts to federal science and the research financial environment will impact students. The event will take place on Monday, May 6th, 2013 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm in MIT Room 56-114. As budgets decrease across the board, most students at MIT, and especially future students at MIT, will be affected. How is this likely to impact universities? How is it likely to impact grants to faculty and support for graduate students and postdocs? What is MIT considering to address these problems? What has already affected MIT researchers? What is the impact likely to be on academic career prospects? Panelists include Dr. Maria Zuber (MIT’s Vice President for Research), Bill Bonvillian (Director, MIT Washington Office), and Samuel Brinton (MIT Student and Executive Director of Stand With Science). Registration is encouraged via CareerBridge.

Mech E grad students research high-impact exercise’s effects on osteoarthritis

sguitron — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:42:48 +0000

Osteoarthritis, which affects at least 20 percent of adults in the United States, leads to deterioration of cartilage, the rubbery tissue that prevents bones from rubbing together. By studying the molecular properties of cartilage, MIT engineers have now discovered how the earliest stages of arthritis make the tissue more susceptible to damage from physical activities such as running or jumping. Hadi Tavakoli Nia, the lead author of the paper, and Iman Soltani Bozchalooi, both graduate students in mechanical engineering, are working to answer this question. Visit MIT News to continue reading the article.

“Freedom Rising” Event on May 2-4

sguitron — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:41:23 +0000

In commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, several Greater Boston educational, historical, and cultural organizations are collaborating to present Freedom Rising: The 150th Anniversary of The Emancipation Proclamation and African American Military Service in the Civil War from Thursday through Saturday, May 2nd through 4th, 2013. RSVP here. The sequence of events are as follows:

Thursday, May 2
Museum of African American History
African Meeting HOurse
8 Smith Court
Boston, MA 02114
6:00pm – 7:30pm

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Eric Foner will open symposium with public address at the restored African Meeting House.

Friday, May 3
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
Harvard University
10 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
9:00am – 5:00pm

This day-long symposium will focus on the Emancipation Proclamation and its hemispheric impact, recruitment of black troops, black communities, black women, and legacy in art.

Saturday, May 4
Tremont Temple Baptist Church
88 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02138
5:00pm – 7:00pm

Roots of Liberty: The Haitian Revolution and the American Civil War. A performance celebrating the Haitian revolution hero Tossaint Louverture and the impact of the Haitian Revolution on the American Civil War – the antislavery movement and African American soldiers, set in Boston’s historic Tremont Temple, where the Emancipation Proclamation was read in 1863. Special guests include Danny Glover, author Edwidge Danticat, and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Advanced Research and Technology Symposium (ARTS) on May 3

sguitron — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:52:56 +0000

The Advanced Research and Technology Symposium (ARTS) will occur on Friday, May 3rd, 2013 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm in the Stata Center (32-123). This event provides a tremendous yet time-efficient opportunity to learn more about MIT Lincoln Lab’s research, its collaborations with the MIT campus, and the diverse pathways Lincoln Lab provides for participation in exciting and rewarding scientific and engineering research including opportunities for internships, research assistantships, and full-time employment. The posters and research presentations will focus on:

Optical and Quantum Devices
Electronic and Electromagnetic Technologies
Data Analytics and Cyber Security

There will also be poster presentations by MIT students, including William Loh, Greg Steinbrecher, Katia Shtrykova, Cheryl Sorace-Agaskar, Thomas Bischof, and Karan Mehta. More information is available on the Symposium website.

Grad students Shih and Paulus are patterning graphene with DNA

sguitron — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:41:06 +0000

DNA’s unique structure is ideal for carrying genetic information, but scientists have recently found ways to exploit this versatile molecule for other purposes: By controlling DNA sequences, they can manipulate the molecule to form many different nanoscale shapes.

Chemical and molecular engineers at MIT and Harvard University have now expanded this approach by using folded DNA to control the nanostructure of inorganic materials. After building DNA nanostructures of various shapes, they used the molecules as templates to create nanoscale patterns on sheets of graphene. This could be an important step toward large-scale production of electronic chips made of graphene, a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon with unique electronic properties.

Peng Yin, an assistant professor of systems biology at Harvard Medical School and a member of Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, is also a senior author of the paper, and MIT postdoc Zhong Jin is the lead author. Other authors are Harvard postdocs Wei Sun and Yonggang Ke, MIT graduate students Chih-Jen Shih and Geraldine Paulus, and MIT postdocs Qing Hua Wang and Bin Mu.

Continue reading the article on MIT News.

Learn about The Neighborhood’s Story on May 1

sguitron — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:38:21 +0000

Come hear about how Boston Globe jounalists undertook a year-long effort to understand the Bowdoin-Geneva neighborhood of Dorchester at The Neighborhood Story event on Wednesday, May 1st, 2013 at 6:00pm in the Media Lab, MIT Room 15-525. For decades, journalists have been reporting shootings and homicides there – rushing to crime scenes and then leaving to file their articles on time. The Globe wanted to tell a more complete story of the neighborhood.   Two journalists – one of them originally from Dorchester – moved into an apartment in Bowdoin-Geneva in the Summer of 2012. With the help of videographers, photographers, data journalists, multimedia producers, editors, and fellow reporters, they spent a year learning this neighborhood. If you cannot attend in person, follow the live blog.

A Crisis in Civics? Lecture on May 1

sguitron — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:32:44 +0000

The MIT Presidential Fellows/Sidney-Pacific Distinguished Lecture Series presents A Crisis in Civics? with Ethan Zuckerman, Director of the MIT Center for Civic Media. This lecture will take place on Wednesday, May 1st, in the Sydney-Pacific Graduate Residence Multipurpose Room at 6:30pm (light refreshments will be served at 6:00pm). Is digital media changing what it means to be an engaged citizen? Countless commentators have declared that America is experiencing a crisis in civics, with young people less engaged with civic life than their parents and grandparents. But an intriguing possibility exists: the practice of civics may be changing shape, moving from offline to online spaces and focusing on new targets. Ethan Zuckerman will examine the landscape of this new digital civics and consider whether we should have hope for civic engagement in a Facebook age, or a fear of disaffection and slactivism. RSVP here.

Grad students help create new solar-cell design based on dots and wires

sguitron — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:37:19 +0000

Using exotic particles called quantum dots as the basis for a photovoltaic cell is not a new idea, but attempts to make such devices have not yet achieved sufficiently high efficiency in converting sunlight to power. A new wrinkle added by a team of researchers at MIT — embedding the quantum dots within a forest of nanowires — promises to provide a significant boost.

Photovoltaics (PVs) based on tiny colloidal quantum dots have several potential advantages over other approaches to making solar cells: They can be manufactured in a room-temperature process, saving energy and avoiding complications associated with high-temperature processing of silicon and other PV materials. They can be made from abundant, inexpensive materials that do not require extensive purification, as silicon does. And they can be applied to a variety of inexpensive and even flexible substrate materials, such as lightweight plastics.

The team, which also included postdoc Sehoon Chang and graduate students Patrick Brown, Jayce Cheng and Paul Rekemeyer, was supported by the National Science Foundation.

Read the rest of the article on MIT News.

Enrollment Opens for Technology Childcare Centers

sguitron — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:47:28 +0000

Enrollment is now open for fall spaces in MIT’s five childcare centers, including a new facility expected to be completed late this summer that will nearly double the number of children that can be accommodated on campus.

The David H. Koch Childcare Center, named in honor of lead donor David H. Koch ’62, SM ’63, joins four other MIT facilities known collectively as the Technology Childcare Centers (TCC). TCC also includes Eastgate Childcare Center (with an infant classroom at North Court), Stata Childcare Center, Westgate Cooperative Preschool and Lincoln Childcare Center (near Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington). The latter four facilities are also open for summer enrollment.

Continue reading the article on MIT news. photo courtesy of the Klopfer Martin Design Group

Marvin Goody Award; application deadline May 17

sguitron — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:36:03 +0000

The Marvin E. Goody Award of $5,000 is awarded to an MIT graduate student in any department at MIT who is expecting to complete his or her Master’s thesis at the end of the fall term 2013 (on the February 2014 degree list). The aims of the award, which was established in 1983, are to extend the horizons of existing building techniques and use of materials, to encourage links between the academic world and the building industry and to increase appreciation of the bond between good design and good building criteria that are intended to reflect the range of Marvin Goody’s interests as a teacher, researcher, and designer. To be appropriate for the Goody Award a thesis proposal must address one or more of the stated aims. The criteria the committee will use in judging applications are the promise of the thesis, in the form of evidence that the work it contains is likely to satisfy the intentions of the prize, and the student’s record, as evidenced by letters of support and the student’s statement. In the last regard, the Committee will look for evidence that the promise of the thesis will be realized. The application consists of the form, a brief resume, a copy of the applicant’s thesis proposal, confidential letters of support from the thesis advisor and at least one other faculty member, a statement on the application form by the student describing the relationship of his or her proposed thesis to the aims of the Goody Award, and a budget indicating proposed use of funds. The submission should be unbound, page numbered, and reproducible by black-and-white copier. Applicants are strongly urged to seek the advice of faculty in the formulation of their statements and applications. The application deadline is Friday, May 17th, 2013 at 5:00pm in MIT Room 7-337. Visit the MIT Architecture webpage for more information.

Filmmaker Simin Farkhondeh Coming to MIT on April 29

sguitron — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:25:42 +0000

Meet Simin Farkhondeh, an award-winning independent filmmaker, artist, educator, and activist, on Monday, April 29th, 2013, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm in the act cube (Wiesner Building, E15-001, Lower Level). This event is free and open to the public. Contact Laura Anca Chichisan (clauraa@mit.edu) for more information. From 1995 to 2003 she produced and directed the acclaimed monthly TV show Labor at the Crossroads. Her films have been screened at the Whitney Biennial, Margaret Mead Film Festival, and MoMA, as well as on PBS and BBC Channel Four. Farkhondeh’s personal work includes Caught Between Two Worlds (2007), a documentary about the Iranian Diaspora in the US, and Who Gives Kisses Freely From Her Lips (2009), a film that combines fact and fiction to discuss temporary marriage in Iran. In addition to teaching film, video arts, and communications theory at the School of Visual Arts, Farkondeh is the Education Director at the news program Democracy Now!

MIT Science Policy Initiative grad students visit Capitol Hill to support funding for research and development

sguitron — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:24:04 +0000

On March 12 and 13, a group of 17 MIT students and postdocs traveled to Washington to sound a warning about the future of science and engineering research in the United States in the wake of cuts to federal programs.

The visit followed an array of budget cuts (known as “sequestration”) that took effect on March 1, cutting funds for basic scientific research and development. In meetings with 34 members of Congress from 11 states, members of the MIT delegation argued that those cuts — following flat funding in most recent years’ budgets — would decrease America’s ability to maintain economic growth and remain globally competitive.

Sponsored by the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education. Visit this site to see a list of SPI members. Continue reading this article here. photo by Charles Haynes

Congratulations to the New 2013-14 GSC Officers

sguitron — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:21:29 +0000

The GSC has elected its new Officers for the 2013-2014 Academic Year:

President is Caleb Waugh, MSc student in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering who previously completed a MSc at MIT in Technology and Policy. Passionate about realizing a sustainable energy future that is informed by the best available science, economics, policy, and business strategies, his research at MIT has ranged from developing advanced integrated energy, economic, policy and environmental models to study energy and climate policy impacts, to plasma physics and inertial confinement fusion energy. Pictured top left.

Vice President is Alex Guo, third year PhD student in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department at MIT. She is currently investigating the physics of breakdown voltage in GaN power electronics. Pictured top right.

Treasurer is Parthsarathi Trivedi, first year S.M. candidate in the department of Aeronautics & Astronautics at MIT. Parthsarathi assesses the most optimum use of scarce renewable resources with respect to environmental and economic trade-offs. Pictured bottom left.

Secretary is Chris Smith, first-year PhD Student in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Chris’s research focus is energy policy and economic development. Pictured bottom right.

Congratulations to the new team! For more information, visit the GSC website.

MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble on April 27

sguitron — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:40:46 +0000

Come to the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble, the 50th Anniversary of Jazz at MIT, on Saturday, April 27th, 2013 at 8:00pm in Kresge Auditorium. This concert features the world premiere of a piece composed for FJE by Chick Corea. This concert is also free and open to the public. Register here.

Hacking Medicine and athenahealth Hack-a-thon May 3-5

sguitron — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:42:14 +0000

Come to the joint hack-a-thon between athenahealth and MIT’s Hacking Medicine all day Saturday and Sunday, May 4th and 5th, 2013 (with a kick-off social event on May 3rd at Mead Hall) at athenahealth, 400 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA (athenahealth is paying for cabs to and from the event). The goal of this event is to bring together inventive, forward-thinking minds to change the status quo and create disruptive solutions to healthcare. If you are an engineer, entrepreneur, physician, designer, or scientist, then come get involved to help drive the much needed change in healthcare. To participate, apply now through this application. 120 people will be selected to attend. Contact akippolito@gmail.com for more information.