EAPS 54-100 Lecture Hall Naming Contest Phase 1 Consolidated Nominations with Narrative Rationales

1 54-1.5 1.5 degrees C is the ambitious target of the Paris Agreement, limiting global temperature increase.

The name both reflects the typical use of numbers for lecture halls at MIT, and serves as a reminder of the magnitude of the climate challenge. It also follows closely upon “54-100” which is what everyone calls that room -- referring to fifty- four-one-point-five would be an easy transition. 1.5 degrees is an ambitious (and some would say impossible) goal, but is a level at which the risks and impacts of climate change would be significantly reduced. Even when (if) 1.5 is in the rear view mirror, the name would also serve as a reminder of the human impact on the planet, the collective goals to mitigate this impact, and the universality of people across the globe working together towards a common ambition.

2 Room 417.07 417.07 ppm is the monthly average CO2 concentration at Mauna Loa, for May 2020.

In keeping with MIT’s institutional naming traditions, which honor our collective numeric bent, naming the lecture hall Room 417.07, which is the monthly average CO2 concentration in ppm at Mauna Loa in May 2020 (could be changed to reflect CO2 at time of building or dedication) reflects the specific time and climate we live in, and is a prescient reminder of how we got here, where we’re going, and what we can do about it.

3 Tanya Atwater Tanya Atwater - pioneer in plate tectonics, inspirational woman geophysicist.

In the 1970s & 80s Tanya Atwater was a pioneer geophysicist and marine geologist during the time when plate tectonics was a major issue of scientific debate. In addition to being an outstanding scientist, renowned for her research on the San Andreas fault system and the plate tectonic history of western North America, elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1997, she was devoted to science communication and teaching students at all levels. She was active in the public debate, speaking on TV and showing the evidence in the field around the world. She began her studies at MIT and was a Professor in Course XII before joining the faculty of UCSB in 1980.

I am one of many, many young women who saw her on TV and thought: “So maybe it is possible for me to be a geophysicist, too.” I was honored to meet her when I came to MIT for graduate school in 1976.

4 Bacon-Bercey Hall June Bacon-Bercey was the first African-American woman to receive a degree in meteorology and to be a televised meteorologist. She was the first woman, as well as the first African-American, to be awarded the AMS’s Seal of Approval.

June Bacon-Bercey worked at NOAA, NWS and AEC during her career. She was the first woman, as well as the first African-American, to be awarded the AMS’s Seal of Approval. She dedicated time to increasing the gender and racial diversity in meteorology. In fact, she dedicated money from an award she won to founding a scholarship for women interested in atmospheric sciences, under the auspices of the AGU. She served on several committees for women and minorities including for the AGU and AMS. She was named as a Minority Pioneer for Achievement in Atmospheric Sciences by NASA.

5 Basement It’s Earth-science and nerd humor.

The 18 floors of the Green building are like sedimentary layers, so the basement would be the deepest, lowest rock layer. And also it’s funny because if you literally try going to the basement, you’ll just find tunnels and elevators leading elsewhere, and one of the elevators will have a sign pointing UP (Basement that way!) 6 Samuel A. Bowring Hall As a Professor of Geology at EAPS for 28 years with a passion or teaching and an innovative, enthusiastic, and inclusive approach to STEM education, Sam Bowring, who recently passed away, was one of the most beloved EAPS faculty members to undergraduates in EAPS and beyond, and it is fitting to memorialize his contributions to the EAPS undergraduate community in a lecture hall primarily used for undergraduate classes.

Samuel A. Bowring’s career was sadly cut short by illness, but he leaves a legacy of cutting-edge science, advancing the state of the art in geochronology and geochemistry and integrating the results from those fields into broader knowledge of the Earth in space and especially time, and educating and mentoring a large number of students at EAPS and across MIT. He was the leading light in convincing his colleagues in academia and at federal research agencies to take a new, more collaborative approach to the pursuit of precisely understanding time from the oldest rocks to the processes shaping the world today. He brought the same unselfish instincts to his teaching and his service to the Institute for which he was recognized as a MacVicar Faculty Fellow and earned the MIT Everett Moore Baker Memorial Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.

He inspired countless students towards careers in the Earth Sciences by teaching classes, leading field trips, and mentoring undergraduate and graduate research. He believed that everyone should understand how the planet worked and he was willing to put in the effort to teach as many people as he could. From 12.102, to 12.120, to Terrascope, to numerous graduate classes, Sam was always looking for ways to help students experience and learn about their world. Many of these classes involved field experiences that were fully paid for, allowing students from diverse economic backgrounds to experience camping, travel, and field geology. Although Terrascope students are not allowed to vote on this, there is a large number of undergraduate alumni who feel that naming 54-100 after him is an appropriate memorial for his lasting impact on the MIT undergraduate population both within EAPS and beyond at MIT.

In addition to his dedication to teaching, Sam rooted for the underdog. He was one of the rare professors who was willing to help students who needed a second chance, a recommendation, a new computer, or a job. Sam exemplified some of the best qualities of MIT; he was an excellent researcher who was not only passionate about science but also passionate about sharing science. 54-100 isn’t a lecture hall just for geologists, or astronomers, or atmospheric scientists, or geophysicists. It’s for all of MIT. Naming the hall after Bowring would represent his unwavering dedication to undergraduate education throughout his career at MIT, and would wonderfully represent the inclusive spirit of Sam’s tenure at MIT.

7 Dixie Lee Bryant Class of 1891 Hall In 1891 Dixie Lee Bryant received the very first degree from MIT’s Course XII, in 1904 the first PhD in geology from Erlangen awarded to a woman, and taught science for 40 years; MIT’s recognition of her trailblazing role is overdue.

The first recipient of an MIT degree in Course XII, in 1891, Dixie Lee Bryant, is the perfect person after whom to name 54- 100. Dr. Bryant was an accomplished, pioneering geoscientist and STEM educator, professionally active for 40 years.

Dr. Bryant came to MIT from Tennessee as no Southern university would admit women to science degree programs. After graduating from MIT (studying the Charles River), she became an inaugural faculty member at the normal school in North Carolina (now UNC Greensboro), where she led the science department, establishing what we would now call a STEM curriculum and teaching geology and chemistry. In 1901 she took a leave from her position to pursue graduate study. In 1904 she was the first woman to receive a PhD, in geology, from the university in Erlangen, Germany (on the petrography of Spitzbergen). That year, when she returned from leave, an acknowledged expert on science teaching and curriculum and the school’s first PhD-holder, neither her status nor salary (less than that of male colleagues) were changed. The next year she moved to Chicago, where she taught secondary school science until her 1931 retirement. Her accomplishments are well-documented and are all the more impressive in light of women’s status at that time (source: Wikipedia; source: Shrock’s departmental history).

There is not a single room or building at MIT named for an alumna! The naming of 54-100 in recognition of the achievements of Dr. Bryant, the department’s first graduate, would change this.

8 Katherine Woodley Carman Lecture Hall This name is fitting because Dr. Katherine Woodley Carman was the first woman to graduate with a PhD from EAPS and she went on to work in the petroleum geology field as an accomplished micropalaeontologist.

Dr. Katherine Woodley Carman was the first woman to earn a PhD in EAPS at MIT and went on to be an accomplished micropalaeontologist. She worked in the petroleum geology field and was a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists for 82 years, until she passed away at the age of 102 in 2008. Women in science, and particularly in the geosciences and petroleum geology, are underrepresented and many of their contributions aren’t known by the public; Dr. Carman doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page. I think it would be fitting to honor Dr. Carman, who made significant contributions to both EAPS and petroleum geology, by naming the Shell-funded lecture hall after her. 9 Jule Charney Hall In honor of a leading EAPS researcher, teacher and mentor in Climate Science and lead author of influential NAS Climate Change Report

Jule G. Charney, a leading figure in the Atmospheric, Oceanic and Climate Sciences, was an inspiring faculty member of EAPS for many years. He revolutionized our understanding of the fluid envelope of our planet and was a pioneering leader in establishing the fundamentals of the physics of both weather prediction and climate change. He was the lead author on the influential 1979 Charney Report on carbon dioxide and climate, including climate sensitivity, and an inspiring teacher and mentor to many young people in the MIT community. Unselfish, supportive of his colleagues and students he left us an example of scientific integrity.

10 Claerbout Hall Jon Claerbout (MIT SB physics, MIT MS and PhD geophysics) has pioneered imaging methods used worldwide to study Earth’s crust for scientific research and hydrocarbon exploration.

Jon Claerbout, Cecil Green Professor Emeritus of Geophysics at Stanford University, pioneered the use of computers in processing and filtering seismic exploration data, making major advances in time series analysis and seismic wave propagation. His publications, and those co-authored with his students, on the application of the wave equation to seismic data processing have been imaginative and revolutionary, leading to now-standard methods used worldwide. He is the youngest recipient of the Maurice Ewing Medal of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, and founder of the Stanford Exploration Project, the first geophysical research consortium funded by the oil and gas industry. He has been a doctoral advisor to many influential geophysicists. His books, providing his incredibly deep and creative insight, are among the most read and cited in geophysical research, have been translated into Chinese and Russian among other languages. He has made all his books available for free download from his website.

11 Charles C Counselman Lecture Hall For research and advances in understanding the form and dynamics of the Earth and planets

Prof. Counselman has a deep understanding of astrodynamics, geodesy, and electrical engineering. In the sense that ‘luck is the union of preparation and opportunity,’ when the Global Positioning System (GPS) came along, Charles knew how to harness GPS signals to enable precise positioning. This was a game-changer; it’s now hard to think of a time when millimeter-level monitoring of the Earth’s crust wasn’t expected. Given that, it would be inspiring to name the lecture hall after him, to show students the nature of the innovation that came from within this building.

12 Earth (Hall) Our mission is to understand the Earth and other planets.

Earth Hall will be accessed via the new Earth and Environment Pavilion. As one walks past the stunning new structure, we expect to have an iGlobe on prominent display in the atrium, featuring changing projections of planet Earth (climate, ice, clouds, ocean currents, terrain etc.) and other planets. Everyone on campus (even casual passers-by) would know exactly where to find Earth Hall, while also being reminded of the purpose of our vital research to understand and sustain our planet and to explore our solar system and beyond. The overlapping missions of EAPS, Environmental Solutions Initiative, Earth Resources Lab, the Center for Global Change Science and the MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography will all be represented by this memorable and simple new name. I would also propose that Earth Hall be decorated with images of Earth, and that the color scheme would reflect its new identity.

13 John Marmion Edmond Oceanarium John set an example for all STEM and MIT students to follow - into the ocean of knowledge.

To quote from an obituary: “John Edmond was a geochemist the unifying theme of whose research was a quantitative understanding of the processes involved in the transfer of the chemical elements into and out of the oceans; in short, what controls ocean chemistry.”

John had a quest to identify every element in hydrothermal fluids, He was an inspiring teacher and tireless worker. I was heartbroken to hear of his passing in 2001. ‘Why is the ocean salty?’ is a question every school child asks. John answered. 14 James L. Elliot Lecture Hall For the example he set in engaging his students deeply in his research.

Jim was my Course XII advisor. While he was a noted researcher and discoverer of the rings of the planet Uranus, he always had time for his students. As an undergraduate, he not only showed me what a research career entailed, he also made it easy to see what graduate research was an a steppingstone to that end. Since his heart was into his students, it seems fitting to name a lecture hall for undergraduates and graduate students in his honor.

15 Anthony W. England He graduated from MIT, became a NASA astronaut who helped students.

Mr. England became an astronaut at NASA and was the ground astronaut who aided the geologist for the last moon mission from the Earth. He influenced me to apply to the Teacher In Space program. I think he would be a good example of the type of people produced by EAPS.

16 Eoarchean Lecture Hall I propose to name 54-100 and all the classrooms in Building 54 after geological eras

I think that it would be educational to name all the classrooms in Building 54 after geological eras so that students would be exposed to those names on a daily basis. 54-100 being on the bottom would be named for the first era in the history of the Earth when there was a solid crust.

An alternative would be to name 54-100 for the geologic era from which Shell Oil obtains most of its petroleum.

17 The Eunice Foote Auditorium Eunice Foote was the first scientist to perform experiments demonstrating the greenhouse effect, in 1856.

While the accolades for discovery of the greenhouse effect typically go to John Tyndall, Eunice Foote’s work predates his by several years, as she presented her work on the warming effects of greenhouse gases, circumstances affecting the heat of the sun’s rays, at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in 1856.

18 The Inez Fung Lecture Hall An alum of MIT EAPS (1971, 1977) Inez Fung has always focused on students, especially supporting the success of young women in science while she herself has attained leadership in the fields of climate and Earth-biosphere systems.

Professor Inez Fung (UC Berkeley) is an inspiration to her peers and to students of all ages. She graduated MIT with the C.G. Rossby Award for her outstanding PhD thesis and has continued on that pace ever since. After a mid-career election to the National Academy of Sciences, she was recently elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Fung has been named Fellow by her professional societies (AGU and AMS) and has received prominent achievement and mentorship awards throughout here career. She has given inspiration to young middle school students – profiled by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: “Women’s Adventures in Science” and profiled by GRIST.org in a series entitled: “Meet the minds behind all that climate change data”. She has published exceptional scientific research on climate modeling, carbon cycle and atmospheric tracer transport, as well as atmospheric dust, iron, and marine productivity. She has made many contributions to education receiving many mentorship awards – all this reflecting her commitment to a better world.

Contributing more than “a name for a lecture hall”, Fung is in a strong position to actively contribute to the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative. As a member of the MIT Corporation’s Visiting Committee for EAPS, she also has the direct opportunity to focus The Corporation and the Department’s attention on improving the experience and success of the students and faculty – especially women.

19 Geo Home We study the environment from this department — our “home.”

The interaction of the atmosphere with rocky planets, the interplay between the planets, our ever-expanding home front is specified by EAPS. As we learn and understand we are more “at home” in the solar system and the borders of our home territory literally expand. 20 Mack Gipson, Jr. The first African-American man to earn a PhD in Geology, Mack not ony taught, he worked in industry on high profile projects such as Prudhoe Bay equity redetermination, and was the founding advisor of the National Association of Black Geologists and Geophysicists.

Mack grew up on a southern farm. He developed a love of geology through observation & reading. He was a careful petrographer and observationalist when I worked with him at Exxon. His career spanned decades in the petroleum industry as well as decades in academia. He was even involved with NASA in describing planetary geology. He was a tremendous role model, always civil, and always unafraid to take on new challenges.

21 Green Planet Hope for mankind to study Earth and the Solar System without harm or contamination leading to a better understanding of our human environment.

Earth atmosphere and planets—intermingled and studied—hoping to understand and refrain from causing any man-made deleterious changes. Hope for mankind, Earth and the Solar System.

22 Hamilton-Gille Hall (or Hamilton-Fetter Hall) Both Ellen Gille and Margaret Hamilton contributed to work that came out of EAPS, in particular that which has been mostly credited to Lorenz, but neither has been adequately showcased seemingly because they were 1. women and 2. ‘computers’.

Currently, when we walk the halls of EAPS there are a number of white men’s images and biographies who are detailed and described outside of different halls and rooms. This does not make the women and POC feel like they could ever be a part of history at EAPS. This is 1. completely not true, and 2. the fault of the department for not properly showcasing past women (in this case) and their contributions. Both Ellen Gille (Fetter at the time) and Margaret Hamilton had extremely important contributions to the work of Lorenz, and should have been what we consider co-authors on his work. They were given small acknowledgements, as was the practice with women computers at the time. Now is a chance for us to 1. make it clear that women do have a place in this department, and 2. give credit to two of the most influential women that have worked at our department. More on their contributions can be found in this article. It would be appropriate to ask Ellen Gille if she would prefer her maiden name of Fetter or not.

23 The Irreversible Energy Transition Lecture Hall This name is appropriate because of its dichotomous meaning: on the one hand, it refers to the irreversible burning of fossil fuels that drives climate change; on the other, it refers to the ongoing push away from these fuels and towards clean energy.

I propose this name because it very concisely presents the inevitable solution to climate change, an ongoing crisis that will define the 21st century.

The word “irreversible” refers to the uni-directional trajectory of energy transition imposed by the catastrophic damages of unmitigated fossil fuel emissions. It also invokes thermodynamic irreversibility, a central concept to both energy and climate system dynamics, both of which are fields pioneered by MIT research (both in EAPS and other departments).

The phrase “energy transition” can be thought of both in terms of the ongoing transition FROM fossil fuels towards clean energy but also in terms of the transition TO fossil fuels during the industrial revolution. It is simultaneously a nod towards the quality of life improvements offered by fossil-fueled industrial development and the recognition of the past, present, and future harm of fossil fuels due to increased air pollution and climate change impacts.

The name is inspired by President Barack Obama’s 2017 article in Science Magazine, titled “The irreversible momentum of clean energy”. It is a nod towards his—and, more generally, the United States of America’s—leadership in negotiating the Paris Agreement, which was a major inflection point in the energy transition and climate change trajectory.”

24 The Shirley Ann Jackson Auditorium Dr. Jackson was the first African American woman to earn a doctorate at MIT.

Shirley Jackson was the first African American woman to earn a PhD at MIT, and both the first woman and African American to serve on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. She has received numerous awards for her contributions to both research and promoting and teaching STEM. While she is a physicist, not a geoscientist, the interdisciplinary nature of the 54-100 auditorium means that it is an ideal space for many undergraduates to learn about her trailblazing accomplishments. She has also been very involved in science and energy policy through both the NRC and President Obama’s President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which is quite topical for our department. 25 Mae Carol Jemison Lecture Hall Mae Jemison is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut, becoming the first Black woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

As a doctor, engineer, and NASA astronaut, Mae Jemison has always reached for the stars. In 1992, Jemison became the first African American woman to travel in space. She has also written several books and appeared on many television programs including an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. In addition to her many awards, Jemison has been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame. She also served in the Peace Corps.

Jemison was selected for NASA Astronaut Group 12, which was the first group chosen after the Challenger explosion. After being selected, Jemison trained with NASA and worked on projects at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory. She received her first mission on September 28, 1989 when she was selected to join the STS-47 crew as a Mission Specialist. On September 12, 1992 Jemison and six other astronauts went into space on the space shuttle Endeavor. This voyage made Jemison the first Black woman in space.

Jemison is an exemplary physician and engineer, embodying the “Mind and Hand” motto of MIT, and continues to serve as a role model for the rest of us long after her astronaut career.

26 Kalnay and Bryant Hall Eugenia Kalnay was the first woman to graduate from the meteorology department with a PhD and first female faculty member, and Dixie Lee Bryant was the first person to graduate with a degree (BS) in Earth sciences from MIT!

Eugenia Kalnay has clearly made outstanding contributions to the field of meteorology, both at MIT and at NASA. She is well known for her contributions to the NCEP reanalysis as well as ensemble forecasting. Dixie Lee Bryant was actually the first person (and woman) to graduate from MIT Course XII with a BS. She went on to teach at a number of institutions in the US and abroad, and when her credentials did not earn her adequate pay for her position because she was a woman, she transitioned to teaching at public high schools. Naming after both (or one) of these women would be very impactful and give credit to the women who paved their way through the precursors to EAPS.

27 Inge Lehmann Lecture Hall Lehmann’s discovery of the Earth’s solid inner core will inspire all Earth scientists.

Lehmann is one of the most notable seismologists. She went to a school where girls and boys were treated equally, which was a progressive notion at that time. Her extraordinary discoveries--most notably, the discovery of the solid inner core and the Lehmann discontinuity beneath the continents--suggest that this fair treatment was all that was necessary to allow her natural abilities to flourish. Hopefully, the name ‘Inge Lehmann Lecture Hall’ will inspire all students to trust in their abilities, and show them the power of Earth science to understand the world around us.

28 Waldemar Lindgren Former MIT Professor and Head of the Department of Geology Waldemar Lindgren was a great scientist in the field of Economic Geology and his achievements and theories about the origin of ore deposits are still the basis for exploration of most metals that are the framework in the energy field.

Waldemar Lindgren was a geologist specialized in Economic Geology. Born in Sweden, graduated at the Royal Mining Academy at Freiberg, Saxony. He was graduated as a mining engineer in 1882 and spent the next year in graduate work. He moved to America in 1883 and later received honorary degrees from Princeton in 1916 and Harvard in 1935.

He worked as a field geologist of the US Geological Survey from 1884 to 1912 when he started teaching at MIT and became the first and only occupant of the William Barton Roger Professorship, and at the same time assumed the position of Head of the Department of Geology until his retirement in 1935. Waldemar Lindgren’s forward-thinking, field observations, innovation, and teaching throughout his long career were progressively molding a consistent theory of ore deposition, what is now known as the hydrothermal theory. Lindgren’s paper “The Relation of Ore-Deposition to Physical Conditions” was the first clear recognition that the assemblage of minerals present in a vein could serve as an index to the temperature and pressure at which the deposit formed. His theory for the formation of ore deposits, based on this principle, is presently used in exploration of most metals. Lindgren’s findings and theory paved the way for the successful discoveries of copper, silver, cobalt, and nickel deposits, that are the fundamental elements for the energy industry development.

Adding Waldemar Lindgren’s name to room 54-100 will reflect MIT’s commitment to science. 29 Edward N. Lorenz Hall Ed Lorenz ’48 was a beloved professor of meteorology, whose discovery of chaos is perhaps the most transformative scientific discovery since Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, permeating many scientific and engineering disciplines.

Ed Lorenz graduated from MIT with a masters and a PhD in meteorology and remained as a distinguished researcher and professor for his entire career. Lorenz is widely credited as the founder of modern chaos theory; he also pioneered weather modeling and the use of computers to predict the weather, and made important early contributions to climate science. The 1991 Kyoto Prize stated that Lorenz’s work, “profoundly influenced a wide range of basic sciences and brought about one of the most dramatic changes in mankind’s view of nature since Sir Isaac Newton.” Lorenz’s discovery of chaos was motivated by his attempts to show that the weather is ultimately unpredictable. His work however went much further; it led to a scientific revolution in the branches of mathematics and physics concerned with dynamical systems, and no less of a cultural revolution in the way we all view the world. Even in popular culture, Lorenz’s “Butterfly Effect” is one of the most recognized phrases widely used throughout society.

Lorenz was also an outstanding teacher and mentor. He served the Institute with distinction as the last department head of Course 19 (Meteorology and Oceanography) prior to the merger of that program into Course 12 (renamed to EAPS in the merger). He received the teaching prize from the graduate students for many consecutive years. He was particularly deft at conveying the essence of complex material in simple and articulate means. Accordingly, the American Meteorological Society has named its annual Excellence in Teaching award in honor of Ed. Margaret Hamilton, the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work on NASA’s Apollo missions, credits Lorenz for having introduced her to computing. Hamilton recalls that, “Thinking ‘outside the box’ was a hallmark of [Lorenz], whether it was to do with his work or life itself. His enthusiasm was contagious. No doubt, it is because of Lorenz that I have been in the field I am in, the software field, for almost 60 years. He was one of the nicest and most humble people I have ever known.”

While EAPS has already created the Lorenz Center for Climate Studies in honor of him, Ed’s stature, accomplishments, and impact are worthy of the more permanent accolade of a named lecture hall. Given the combination of Ed’s profound influence on MIT and our sciences, and his excellence in teaching, it is entirely appropriate to honor his legacy by adorning 54-100 with his name.

30 Edward Lorenz and Jule Charney Hall Edward Lorenz (founder of chaos theory, researcher in atmospheric physics, fluid dynamics, and climate modeling) and Jule Charney (researcher in atmospheric and oceanographic fluid dynamics, and numerical weather prediction) should be jointly honored.

Edward Lorenz graduated from MIT with a masters and a PhD in meteorology and remained as a distinguished researcher and professor for his entire career. As the founder of chaos theory, and a researcher instrumental in modern climate modeling, Ed Lorenz trained a generation of scientists in atmospheric physics and fluid dynamics. A beloved professor, he is remembered fondly by alums of the Meteorology Department (now called EAPS). He was a close colleague of Jule Charney, another revered long term professor at MIT, and a giant in the field of meteorology, focused on large scale ocean and atmospheric dynamics, and instrumental in the field of numerical weather prediction. It would seem appropriate to name the hall after both of these educators and researchers (who were also friends and close colleagues) -- the Edward Lorenz and Jule Charney Hall.

31 Mars Curiosity Rover The Mars Curiosity Rover, described by NASA as “Strong, Smart and Curious”, exemplifies the EAPS quest to uncover the evidence of materials and processes that built and sustain a planet we cannot reach in person, yet...

Half a century ago, I wrote a paper -- for which course, I don’t recall -- on the unmanned exploration of Mars. Space exploration was my driving inspiration, and Earth Sciences was my route to the stars. I knew we were unlikely to walk on Mars in my lifetime, but, with our progress toward the Moon, it seemed likely we could land an instrument package a bit farther out. I was very disappointed when the professor returned my paper with a low grade, because it was too far- fetched for its time.

I watched the Apollo 11 landing during my final course at MIT, from the Indiana University Geological Field Station.

I want to hold the dream of exploration and the confidence in our capability to expand our horizons in the structures supporting the students who will follow us. We did this; we can do more. We are strong, smart, and curious.

Sic itur ad astra. 32 Marcia McNutt For outstanding leadership in research, education, and policy.

Dr. McNutt was Griswold Professor of Geophysics at MIT, and served as director of the Joint Program in Oceanography and Applied Ocean Science and Engineering, CEO of the Montery Bay Aquariam Research Institute, Director of the USGS, Editor-in-Chief of Science, and President of the National Academy of Sciences, with attendant contributions to science, to education, and to national policy.

33 MIT Hall of Rock Rock Science is a substantial part of what EAPS does.

The name will serve as an acknowledgement to the many rock scientists at EAPS. To the broader MIT community, the name will remind that rocks are the “institutional memory” of all planets and communicate a substantial part of the life and research in our department. Rocks symbolize stability and purity. The humor in the name will bring added value and contribute to the popularity and image of EAPS as a whole. :)

34 Mario Molina Hall Mario Molina, former MIT professor, Nobel laureate, and discoverer of CFCs depleting the ozone.

For his working tying CFCs to ozone depletion, Mario Molina became the first Mexican-born citizen to receive a Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and only the second hispanic person to win the prize for chemistry. Further, he was a professor in EAPS and the MIT Department of Chemistry for 14 years. The name itself is inspiring as well, it is obviously and unapologetically hispanic, a trait that will hopefully go some way to removing the whiteness of the Green building.

35 Pecten Hall This is genus name for scallops and the logo of Shell Oil.

R. R. Schrock, chairman of the department of geology and geophysics from 1949 to 1965 was noted for his work with and indexing of fossils. Pecten is common in the fossil record. It is also sensitive to ocean acidification.

36 I.M. Pei Hall Late architect of the Green Building (and MIT alum!)

Our department building is an immense and powerful structure architecturally: a brutalist masterpiece. The new renovations will (hopefully) not detract from I.M. Pei’s original vision, but we are modifying what is, in my opinion, a perfect building. We can use this opportunity to commemorate the person who gave us this beautiful concrete monolith. I.M. Pei is also an MIT alum of 1940, and the Green Building is among many significant architectural masterpieces, including the Louvre, the Hancock Tower, and the Kennedy Library. EAPS is not the only geoscience building designed by I.M. Pei - Mesa Laboratories at NCAR was also a groundbreaking Pei creation.

Although not a geoscientist himself, Pei had to be intimately familiar with the materials he worked with and conscious of the environment and culture surrounding his structures. I would be proud to take classes in such a space.

37 WIlliam H. Pinson Memorial Lecture Hall Bill Pinson was on the Faculty in Course XII during the 1970s and 1980s.

Bill Pinson taught four Astronomy classes in Course XII for three decades. For almost every planetary astronomer who came through the Institute during those years, Bill’s classes were probably the first formal instruction in Astronomy (planetary and stellar) they received. The long list of today’s Planetary Scientists (Astronomers and otherwise) with an MIT connection is, in part, due to Bill’s care and dedication to the hundreds of students he instructed.

Bill got his PhD from MIT in 1952 (dissertation reference: https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/55021) and, except for a stint at Harvard University, spent most of his professional career at MIT. He retired in 1984, and continued to teach at area colleges and universities including Bentley College, Tufts University, and Bridgewater State College until the mid 1990s.

Dr. Pinson had a life-long commitment to civil rights and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama in 1965. He served the country with distinction as a B17 pilot in The Army Air Corps in World War II and spent two years in a prisoner-of-war camp. Dr. Pinson passed away on 30 October 2008. See his Obituary. 38 Planet Earth Auditorium (PLANETA) The place of marvel we call our home.

The name ‘Planet Earth Auditorium (PLANETA)’ intends to invoke both a sense of majesty and the pristine – reflecting the complexity of the environment we study and the beauty and fragility of the place we all inhabit. Furthermore, the acronym ‘PLANETA’ intends to also invoke the human spirit of exploration which launching from our planet Earth is wandering about the ‘PLANET A’s 1,2,3…’ of the cosmos. In times of division, this name is a reminder of unity: beyond our nationalities, race, and ethnicity we are above all humans living on the same planet Earth. From this derives our mission as a society, as an institution, and as a department to study and preserve what we call our home now and in the future. Under this name the auditorium could purposefully host a variety of events from our department and the wider Institute. If the budget allows, it would be beautiful to add a piece of art to the ceiling illustrating Planet Earth as viewed from space.

39 Preservation Hall We all want to “preserve” our beautiful planet and living creatures for future generations.

I believe it has become so difficult to have truly constructive dialogue with groups who have diverging opinions about how to balance the needs of human beings with the needs of the natural environment.

We need to start with conversations among everyone in a way that we don’t immediately push people into their respective political, ideological, or economic camps.

To me, the name “Preservation Hall” is a theme that I feel individuals from all sides can agree is a worthy goal for our planet and can unify us (even if we have different ideas of how to get there). Thank you for your consideration.

40 Frank William Press Lecture Hall Frank Press was a world leader in geophysics and the founding department head of the modern EAPS department, transforming EAPS from mostly geology to world-class, and was a strong science policy advisor, serving as US Presidential Science Advisor as well as President of the National Academy of Sciences.

Frank Press, who died this year on 29 January, was an MIT eminent Geophysicist, Professor, and EAPS Chairman. Frank came to MIT with a mandate to transform a department that had been in the doldrums for many years and make it into one of first-rank. He did that by shrewd choice of a large number of individuals across all geophysical and geological fields—the role of oceanography at MIT as a whole is a direct result of his specific efforts—while at the same time remaining a kind and caring human being who would greet an undergrad in the hallway by name. He went on to transform American geoscience and the world’s, as a Member of National Science Board, two-term president of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), Member of the President’s Science Advisory Committee during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, and serving as Presidential Science Adviser to Jimmy Carter. He also received the US National Medal of Science, the Japan Prize from the Emperor, and the Lomonosov Gold Medal from the Russian Academy of Sciences. He discovered Earth’s modes of oscillation, designed the long-period seismograph as well as Apollo 11’s seismograph, authored with Siever the ubiquitous textbook ‘Understanding Earth’ and was three times named most influential American scientist in US News & World Report’s annual survey. I can’t think of anyone better to remind students of the giants upon whose shoulders they stand to begin their careers.

41 Nellie’s Hall -- The Ellen Henrietta Swallow Richards Lecture Hall Ellen H. Richards, MIT’s first woman student, was an outstanding scientist, mentor, teacher; and throughout her life studied the Earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences.

Ellen Swallow Richards was the first woman admitted to MIT, and she was a student of geochemistry. She was also the first woman to teach at MIT. This is a part of our history we should celebrate. Teacher. Writer. Scientist. Mentor. Staunch supporter of women in the laboratory. Ellen Swallow Richards has been called “a twenty-first-century scientist who toiled in the realm of nineteenth-century science”. She deserves this recognition. Less well-known are her accomplishments in Earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences:

Astronomy: While a student at Vassar, she became proficient with the telescope, and spent hours in the Observatory. She found new star clusters and nebulae. Meteorology: At Vassar she took daily meteorological readings for the Smithsonian Institution. Limnology, Oceanography: Ellen led a comprehensive survey and analysis of the waters of Massachusetts. She co-founded the laboratory which eventually became Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole. Mineralogy: While a student at MIT, Ellen analyzed the rare mineral samarskite, discovering an insoluble residue which later was determined to be two new elements. She was respected for her laboratory techniques, developing equipment for testing in the field. Her Evaporation Test for volatile oils became a world standard. Her analysis of copper ores single-handedly started the nickel mining industry in Ontario. She was elected the first woman member of AIME. She did research on hydrothermal mineral deposits. Her field studies in aqueous biogeochemistry continued for more than 25 years. 42 “Kenule Beeson “Ken” Saro-Wiwa Memorial Hall Saro-Wiwa led a nonviolent campaign against environmental degradation of the land and waters of Ogoniland, Nigeria by the operations of the multinational petroleum industry.

Kenule Beeson “Ken” Saro-Wiwa (1941-1995) was an award-winning Nigerian environmental activist, writer, and television producer. Saro-Wiwa was a member of the Ogoni people, an ethnic minority in Nigeria whose homeland, Ogoniland, in the Niger Delta has been targeted for crude oil extraction since the 1950s and which has suffered extreme environmental damage from decades of indiscriminate petroleum waste dumping. Initially as spokesperson, and then as president, of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Saro-Wiwa led a nonviolent campaign against environmental degradation of the land and waters of Ogoniland by the operations of the multinational petroleum industry, especially the Royal Dutch Shell company. He was also an outspoken critic of the Nigerian government, which he viewed as reluctant to enforce environmental regulations on the foreign petroleum companies operating in the area. He received the Right Livelihood Award for “exemplary courage in striving non-violently for civil, economic and environmental rights” and the Goldman Environmental Prize.

43 Irwin I. Shapiro Hall Prof Shapiro was an inspiring teacher at MIT.

Prof Shapiro was active in both teaching and research in the geosciences, and particularly in interdisciplinary fields, as exemplified by the course “Planetary Physics and Chemistry” offered simultaneously in Courses V, VIII, and XII. He contributed greatly to the development of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and lunar laser ranging (LLR) as tools for geodesy and investigation of the Earth’s rotation. Although he left MIT three decades ago to become the Director of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, he has maintained contact with colleagues still at MIT. In the meantime, he has demonstrated a passion for teaching, and, though long since retired, he continues to teach (at Harvard) an interdisciplinary course on the history of science.

44 Robert Rakes Shrock Memorial Lecture Hall Dr. Robert Rakes Shrock was a pioneer in Earth Sciences education at the time of the conception and construction of the Cecil and Ida Green Building at MIT and was one of the most significant chairs of our department.

Dr. Robert Rakes Shrock was chair of the Department of Geology and Geophysics (which became Earth and Planetary Sciences, and, since 1983, Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences) for 16 years. If it had not been for Shrock, there would not have been a Room 54-100! He was instrumental in arranging funding for the Green building, and guided its planning. He taught in the department for 38 years and was a leader in the transformation of the department into what it has become today. He oversaw the modernization of our undergraduate curriculum, developed a very popular work- study program in geophysics, and developed the summer-long geology field course in northern Nova Scotia. Dr. Shrock was instrumental in the education of hundreds of students of that time period. He was a personal friend and mentor of each one of them. They have become scientists and educators of another generation of MIT alumni. Naming the room after him would be a fitting tribute to his many contributions.

45 Spark Innovation Hall “The Spark” lecture hall ignites learning for energy and geosciences.

Spark Innovation Hall combines themes of energy and novel research frontiers, plus what MIT-er doesn’t like a pun?

46 Henry Stommel Hall Henry Stommel was the most influential ocean scientist of the last century and a pivotal figure in the MIT-WHOI program.

In addition to being the preeminent ocean scientist of the last century. Hank had the good sense to relinquish the Oceanography chair at Harvard to return to MIT in 1963 and his dry sense of humor permitted him to be the President of the SOSO (look it up). 47 Tera The pun on Terra honors all the EAPS groups and is amenable to metric wordplay.

On first encountering a reference to Tera Hall, the Tera/Terra resemblance will be intriguing. “Mega” used to signify something amazingly great or far-reaching, and this will be on beyond giga. And the puns will proceed. Tera-bytes, tera- flops, terrapins, teradata, teratools.

48 Marie Tharp Lecture Hall This name is appropriate because it recognizes the pioneering acheivements—dismissed by her collaborators and contemporaries—of Marie Tharp in mapping the bathymetry of the oceans and discovering the mid-ocean ridge system.

Over years of research and planning, Marie Tharp created the first detailed global maps of the ocean’s bathymetry—maps which to this day are so iconic that they are plastered all over the halls and offices of Earth Science and Oceanography departments. This enormous mapping project revealed the global mid-ocean ridge system and, most important, the existence of rift valleys at the center of the mid-ocean ridge. Tharpe showed that these rift valleys were co-located with earthquake epicenters, providing solid evidence for the then-controversial theory of continental drift.

Despite Marie Tharp’s extraordinary contributions to the theory of continental drift, and the fact that her collaborator Bruce Heezen ridiculed her scientific ideas as “girl talk”, Heezen would reap all of the credit for the work and was the sole author of his foundational papers on the topic.

49 Hall of Time The theme of time unites all the research and education we do in EAPS.

Time is central to the research and core education goals of EAPS. We have a unique perspective on time in EAPS compared to the rest of MIT. We are at once staring down 4+ billion years of history and at the same time the future ramifications of climate change. This unifying theme can provide an inspiring sense of place for students, instructors, and visitors to the Hall of Time with murals and artwork.

50 M. Nafi Toksöz Hall Professor Emeritus M. Nafi Toksöz has made enormous contributions to geophysics and the study of Earth’s resources, and naming 54-100 after him would be a fitting tribute.

M. Nafi Toksöz has had a distinguished academic career in geophysics, and he is the founder of the Earth Resources Laboratory. He has authored hundreds of technical papers, edited books, and mentored many graduate and post- doctoral students, and has served on advisory committees for universities, industry, and government agencies. For years he served as House Master of Baker House, giving his time and imparting wisdom and good sense to undergraduate students, and I am proud to have benefited from him in that regard. Nafi, as we all called him, is not just a universally recognized educator and researcher, but also an outstanding human being, and one fully deserving of having Room 54- 100 named in his honor.

51 Janice E. Voss Lecture Hall Voss was an American engineer, NASA astronaut, and MIT alum who is tied for the record number of spaceflights by an American woman, and was the Science Director for NASA’s Kepler Space Observatory for three years.

Voss was an American engineer, NASA astronaut, and MIT alum. She received both her MS in electrical engineering and PhD in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT. She is one of only six women to have gone into space five different times. Voss contributed to many scientific endeavours including studying the behavior of fire in space to better understand how heat and fire work on Earth, studied plant behavior in space, and worked on the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission where they produced the most accurate digital topographic map of the Earth at the time. She went on to hold the position of Science Director for NASA’s Kepler Space Observatory for three years. Voss died at the age of 55 in 2012 due to breast cancer, and naming the auditorium after her is a fantastic way to honor an MIT alum and leader who greatly contributed to Earth and space science. 52 Alfred Wegener World class scientist who was a meteorologist and geophysics

Wegener was a scientist who was both a world class geophysicist, meteorologist, and climatologist—representing the fields in EAPS. He was both an experimentalist and a theorist. He is responsible for continental drift, a fundamental theory that explains most of current geophysics.

53 Gladys West Auditorium Devoting a lecture hall to a key mind in the invention of GPS, a tool that almost every Earth/planetary scientist uses directly or indirectly, seems fitting.

Gladys West worked as a project manager for the navy using satellite data and her own algorithms to create an increasingly precise geoid. Geodesy and GPS are a rare overlap of our otherwise disparate department: anybody that collects spatial data or analyses spatial data has Gladys West to thank for its precision. She also happens to be an African-American woman which would be a positive message given the country’s awakening to police brutality. I’m sure Shell uses GPS as well.

54 Dr. Marguerite Williams Auditorium Geographer, Geologist, and Educator. First African-American (of any gender) to earn a doctorate in geology, 1942.

An accomplished educator, Dr. Marguerite Williams (née Thomas) [1895-1991] trained two generations of Black teachers in the Earth sciences, while persisting in her own studies despite systemic obstacles against education for both women and African-Americans. A graduate of Howard University (BA, 1923), Columbia University (MA, 1930), and Catholic University (PhD, 1942), Prof. Williams is primarily associated with Miner Teachers’ College, the preeminent school for black educators at the time, where she ultimately served as Chair of the Division of Geography. Seeking to contribute as broadly as possible, during WWII she also taught enlistees via the Army Specialized Training Program at Howard University. Her scholarship activities are poorly-documented, however her research focus is described as physical and economic geography, erosion, and conservation.

In order to achieve our greatest potential as a global society, it is vital that we recover the lost contributions of groups undervalued by history. Dr. Williams’ story is valuable not only to black women of MIT, but to would-be scholars of any demographic. Harking back to Ellen Swallow Richards, the recognition of female academic achievement is important. Even though Dr. Williams had no MIT connection and spent most of her life in small-time academia, she is worth considering. There wasn’t much open to women in those days, especially, women of color. Her PhD thesis may have been one of the first to tie human activities, including deforestation, agriculture and urbanization to detrimental environmental consequences, in this case, flooding.