Volume 51 – Number 15 Wednesday – January 24, 2007 TechTalk S ERVING T HE M I T C OMMUNITY Ethanol study shows biofuel benefits Nancy Stauffer whether ethanol ends up a net energy winner or loser. gasoline. But most U.S. ethanol is now made from corn, MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment Regardless of the energy balance, replacing gasoline and growing corn and converting the kernels into eth- with corn-based ethanol does significantly reduce oil con- anol consume a lot of energy—comparable to what is sumption because the biomass production and conversion contained in the ethanol produced. Making ethanol from Controversy over the benefits of using corn-based eth- process requires little petroleum. And further MIT analy- corn stalks, other agricultural wastes and wild grasses anol in vehicles has been fueled by studies showing that ses show that making ethanol from cellulosic sources would consume less energy, but the technology for con- converting corn into ethanol may use more fossil energy such as switchgrass has far greater potential to reduce verting them to ethanol may not be economically viable than the energy contained in the ethanol produced. Now fossil energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. a new MIT analysis shows that the energy balance is The Bush administration is pushing the use of ethanol See ETHANOL actually so close that several factors can easily change as a domestically available, nonpetroleum alternative to Page 4 Geothermal energy may help meet U.S. electricity demand A comprehensive new MIT-led study of the poten- tial for geothermal energy within the United States has found that mining the huge amounts of heat that reside as stored thermal energy in the Earth’s hard rock crust could supply a substantial portion of the electricity the United States will need in the future, probably at com- petitive prices and with minimal environmental impact. An 18-member panel led by MIT prepared the 400- plus page study, titled “The Future of Geothermal Ener- gy.” Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, it is the first study in some 30 years to take a new look at geothermal, an energy resource that has been largely ignored. The goal of the study was to assess the feasibility, potential environmental impacts and economic viability of using enhanced geothermal system (EGS) technol- ogy to greatly increase the fraction of the U.S. geother- mal resource that could be recovered commercially. Although geothermal energy is produced commer- cially today and the United States is the world’s biggest producer, existing U.S. plants have focused on the high- grade geothermal systems primarily located in isolated regions of the west. This new study takes a more ambi- tious look at this resource and evaluates its potential for

PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY See GEOTHERMAL MIT professor Jefferson Tester headed a panel studying the potential of geothermal energy. Page 3 Jeffrey L. Newton is appointed vice Pamela Dumas Serfes is new executive president for resource development director of news and communications Jeffrey L. ment as one that “positions us to maintain P a m e l a of MIT she has gained during her years Newton, cur- the strong momentum established during Dumas Serfes, here, as well as enthusiasm and high pro- rently dean the Institute’s recently completed cam- currently inter- fessional standards,” Kolenbrander wrote. for resource paign and to move our fundraising efforts im director of As executive director of news and com- development to even greater levels of achievement.” the MIT News munications, Dumas Serfes will “plan and and alumni rela- For his part, Newton said, “I am enor- Office, has been coordinate the dissemination of MIT news tions at Harvard mously excited to join MIT. The Institute’s appointed to to the campus, the media and the broader Medical School, development staff has a well-deserved a newly estab- community. As one of the Institute’s chief will join MIT as reputation for excellence, and it is a privi- lished leader- communications strategists, she will be vice president lege to have the opportunity to work with ship position, charged with advancing proactive news for resource them in support of programs of teaching executive direc- and communications efforts to increase development on and research that have an impact around tor of news and the visibility of MIT and its programs of March 19. the world.” c o m m u n i c a - teaching and research,” Kolenbrander Jeffrey L. Newton P r e s i d e n t Newton has led fundraising activities Pamela tions, effective wrote. Susan Hockfield at Harvard Medical School since 2003. Dumas Serfes Jan. 1. Dumas Serfes said, “I am excited to announced Newton’s appointment in an e- His accomplishments there have included Kirk D. work in tandem with my colleagues in mail letter to the MIT community on Jan. reorganizing the development staff to max- Kolenbrander, vice president for Institute the News Office and across campus to 17. imize return on investment and preparing affairs and secretary of the Corporation, enhance public awareness of the Institute In her letter, Hockfield noted that the school to participate in a projected uni- made the announcement in an e-mail on and increase understanding of the extraor- MIT’s strength in teaching and research versity-wide campaign. His efforts to pro- Thursday, Jan. 18. dinary work that goes on here.” depends critically on private support, and Dumas Serfes brings to her new role she characterized Newton’s appointment See NEWTON “extensive prior experience in university See DUMAS SERFES to the leadership role in resource develop- Page 2 communications and the deep knowledge Page 2 NEWS RESEARCH ARTS

CELEBRATING MLK AS THE WORM TURNS FRIEND OR FOE? Diversity executive Ted Childs Jr. will deliver the C. elegans reveals new RNAs. IAP seminar probes U.S.-Russian relationship. keynote speech. Page 4 Page 7 Page 2 DISCO NEVER DIES HEART OF MIT SHASS DEAN Nanocomposite materials lead to stretchier Lycra®. Photography exhibit opens. Deborah Fitzgerald, U.S. agricultural historian, will Page 5 Page 8 lead SHASS. Page 3 PAGE 2 January 24, 2007 NEWS MIT Tech Talk Ted Childs Jr. will give keynote talk at DIGITALK: WHERE IT’S AT IS&T Community Forum Information Services Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast and Technology (IS&T) will host its annual community Ted Childs Jr., the former IBM vice versity’s board of directors. He is a mem- forum on key strategic ini- president whom Fast Company called “the ber of the Executive Leadership Coun- tiatives on Tuesday, Feb. 27 most effective diversity executive on the cil, the Conference Board’s Work Force from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in W20-306. This forum planet,” will be the guest speaker at MIT’s Diversity Council, and the NAACP Legal will give community members an oppor- 33rd annual Martin Luther King Jr. break- Defense and Educational Fund Board of tunity to hear about IS&T’s FY08 strate- fast to be held in Walker Memorial at 7:30 Directors. gic and operational plans, ask questions, a.m. on Friday, Feb. 16. He has been highly involved in child- and provide input. Among the planned The annual celebratory breakfast, orga- care and aging issues: In 1995, he served topics of discussion are recent organiza- nized by the Martin Luther King Jr. Plan- as a delegate to the 1995 White House tional changes, including IS&T’s role in ning Committee, features a keynote speak- Conference on Aging, and in 1997, he was providing academic computing services, er, remarks by President Susan Hockfield, appointed an advisor to the U.S. Treasury IT governance, and the future of the MIT student speakers and music by the MIT Secretary’s Working Group on Child Care. network, with an update on Voice Over Gospel Choir. Past keynote speakers have In 1998, the National Association of Internet Protocol services. For more infor- included Coretta Scott King, Tavis Smiley, Child Care Resource and Referral Agen- mation, check the IS&T web site at web. Gwen Ifill and Donna Brazile. cies presented him with its Lifetime mit.edu/ist/ later this month. A native of Springfield, Mass., Childs Achievement Award. In 2003, the Human Grant Submissions via CoeusLite™ was responsible for IBM’s worldwide Rights Campaign presented Childs and workforce diversity programs and policies; IBM with its Corporate Leadership Award, Grants.gov is dramatically changing the he oversaw a campaign to increase the and the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship way research applications are submitted number of woman and minority executives Fund awarded Childs its Alumni Leader- for federal support. Online submissions at IBM during his tenure. ship Award. via the Grants.gov portal are replacing Between January 1996 and December Childs was installed as a fellow in the paper applications. 1999, the number of women executives at Ted Childs Jr. National Academy of Human Resources in MIT’s preferred mechanism for sub- IBM soared from 185 to 508, and the num- 2001, and he has received honorary doc- mission to Grants.gov is Coeus, a grants ber of minority executives increased from gays and lesbians, Hispanics, Native Amer- torates from Pace University, West Virgin- management system developed at MIT 117 in 1995 to 270 by the end of 1999. icans, white males and women. That work ia State University and Our Lady of the and used at more than 40 universities. The “I’m intensely proud of that,” Childs focused on developing employee talent Elms College. He holds life membership in Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), in told Fast Company in June 2000. and strengthening recruiting and mentor- the NAACP, the National Council of Negro collaboration with IS&T, is now providing Childs, 61, is currently principal of his ing strategies. Women, the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, the training on CoeusLite, a web-based version own diversity consulting company. He has Childs approaches diversity as a National Organization of Women, the Sier- of Coeus. Using CoeusLite, individuals can also served as executive assistant to Ben- requirement for global competitiveness. ra Club and the Bass Anglers Sportsmen create proposals, route them for approval jamin L. Hooks, executive director of the “We’ve moved beyond the moral impera- Society. and ultimately submit them to any of 26 NAACP. He served on the New York State tive to the strategic imperative,” he told Topics of Childs’ talk will include the federal funding agencies via Grants.gov. Governor’s Advisory Council on Child Fast Company. “What I want most is what’s link between diversity and global competi- MIT has submitted almost 100 applica- Care and co-chaired the Jewish Women’s hardest to get: for business to see the link tiveness, the business case for diversity, tions using Coeus during the Grants.gov Work Family Advisory Board. between diversity and competitiveness. the promise of diversity and changes in ramp-up process, as sponsors convert to During his time at IBM, Childs took Because if we don’t understand that, we’re the American marketplace, and success in paperless submission standards. The next an approach of “constructive disruption,” not going to win.” the global workplace. major submission, on Feb. 5, will be for organizing task forces to look at IBM from Childs, who grew up in Springfield, For more information please go to: NIH’s funding mechanism, now a required the perspective of different groups—Afri- Mass., is a graduate of West Virginia State http://web.mit.edu/mlking/www/event_ Grants.gov application. To learn more, can-Americans, Asians, disabled people, University and is now a member of the uni- index.html. visit coeus.mit.edu. Xgrid@MIT The Laboratory for Nuclear Science (LNS) is using an Apple Xgrid cluster for NEWTON DUMAS SERFES high-energy and nuclear calcula- Continued from Page 1 Continued from Page 1 tions. With Xgrid—a distributed comput- ing architecture built into Mac OS X— mote the school’s strength in basic science to attract the support She will also “continue to oversee the activities of the News LNS researchers can run computationally of non-alumni and institutions have led to record levels of support. Office while working to coordinate communications activities intense queries across multiple computers Newton, who holds degrees in history from Kenyon College across campus to ensure a common vision and a team approach at once. Over the past year, LNS has har- and Brown University, began his career in resource development in presenting MIT news and messages to diverse constituencies nessed the spare cycles of 30 PowerPC at The Johns Hopkins University, where he was associate director and audiences. She will continue to convene both the Communi- and Intel machines, including its own and for foundation and corporate relations from 1989 to 1993. During cations Operating Group and the Information Group, which bring some in the Department of Urban Studies a decade working at the University of Miami, he served as execu- together stakeholders in communications roles from throughout and Planning. Since Xgrid is preinstalled tive director of corporation and foundation relations, assistant vice the Institute,” Kolenbrander wrote. on new Macintoshes, adding machines to president for development and alumni relations, and assistant vice Dumas Serfes joined MIT in May 2003 as director of commu- the cluster is a cinch. president for medical development and alumni affairs at the uni- nications and donor relations in Resource Development. Since If you’d like to run your own queries versity’s school of medicine. December 2005, she has served as interim director of the MIT on Xgrid@MIT or donate computer cycles, Throughout his career in development, Newton has “demon- News Office, while maintaining her involvement in developing check out deltag5.lns.mit.edu/xgrid/. You strated superb abilities in crafting development strategy, appeal- communications strategy for Resource Development. can even download a Dashboard widget ing to principal donors, training and deploying a strong staff, and Prior to joining MIT, she served for 10 years as the communi- tachometer with real-time cluster stats. working as a member of institutional leadership teams. He brings cations director of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynch- an exceptional range of skills that will enable him to lead our out- burg, Va. Prior to that, she worked at her alma mater, the Univer- New books at the Libraries standing development staff to even greater levels of accomplish- sity of Maine, where she served in a number of roles, including Now you can get up-to-date information ment,” Hockfield wrote. director of marketing for enrollment management, assistant dean by e-mail, RSS feed, or on the Libraries’ In her letter, Hockfield thanked Stephen A. Dare for his “exem- of students and director of new student programs. She was instru- web site about the newest books, music plary service” as interim vice president for resource development. mental in developing the university’s first women’s center and was CDs and DVDs arriving at the MIT Librar- “Under his leadership,” she wrote, “our remarkable Resource named co-chair of U. Maine’s Council on Women. Dumas Serfes ies. New titles are posted weekly at librar- Development team has continued to make important progress on is a native of Bangor, Maine. ies.mit.edu/help/rss/barton/ for more new initiatives in areas including cancer, energy, and student life Dumas Serfes’ “successful leadership of the News Office, than 60 subjects, from “graphic novels and and learning throughout this period of transition, serving MIT emphasizing an integrated approach to the promotion of major manga” to “nanoscience and nanotechnol- with extraordinary enthusiasm and dedication.” institutional initiatives, has reflected a deep commitment to MIT ogy.” You can choose to subscribe to RSS Hockfield also thanked the advisory group of faculty and staff and a consistent commitment to excellence in media relations,” feeds by subject or browse through sub- who provided “essential input to the search process”—Professors Kolenbrander wrote. ject areas on the web site. Links to cata- Sallie (Penny) Chisholm, Charles L. Cooney, Tyler E. Jacks, Marc log records in Barton, the Libraries online A. Kastner and Philip S. Khoury, and staff members Monica L. catalog, are provided for each title. Ellis and Elizabeth M. Ogar. Tenants return to One Broadway For humanities titles, also check out After receiving all necessary approvals from city and state offi- the Humanities Library’s virtual brows- cials, tenants began moving back into One Broadway on Jan. 12. ery at libraries.mit.edu/browsery/. A They had been temporarily displaced by an electrical fire caused new blog format lets you browse online No Tech Talk next week by a transformer explosion on Dec. 8. The building is now fully for books in the “physical” browsery, link There will be no Tech Talk on Wednesday, Jan. 31. The re-occupied. to book reviews, see other books by the next Tech Talk will be published on Feb. 7. For ongoing MIT is grateful to the many members of the Cambridge com- same author and comment and discuss munity whose round-the-clock assistance allowed for a safe and books with others in the MIT community. MIT news updates, please go to the News Office web site, quick return to the building. web.mit.edu/newsoffice/. For more information regarding One Broadway, please go to Digitalk is compiled by Information www.mitimco.org/onebroadway.html. Services and Technology.

News Office Staff Tech Talk is published by the News Office on Wednesdays during term time except for HOW TO REACH US Executive Director ...... Pamela Dumas Serfes most Monday holiday weeks. See Production Schedule at http://web.mit.edu/news- News Office Interim News Manager ...... Sarah H. Wright office/techtalk-info.html. The News Office is in Room 11-400, Massachusetts Institute of Editor Senior Communications Officer ...... Patti Richards Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Telephone: 617-253-2700 Sarah H. Wright Senior Science and Postmaster: Send address changes to Mail Services, Building WW15, Massachusetts E-mail: [email protected] Engineering Editor ...... Elizabeth Thomson Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Photojournalist Assistant Director/Photojournalist ...... Donna Coveney Subscribers may call 617-252-1550 or send e-mail to [email protected]. http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice Donna Coveney Web Developer/Editor ...... Lisa Damtoft Reporter/Writer ...... Sash a Brown Tech Talk is distributed free to faculty and staff offices and residence halls. It is also avail- able free in the News Office and the Information Center. Office of the Arts Production Operations/Financial Administrator ...... Myles Crowley Anne Trafton Administrative Assistant II ...... Mary Anne Hansen Domestic mail subscriptions are $25 per year, nonrefundable. Checks should be made http://web.mit.edu/arts Administrative Assistant II ...... Patti Foley payable to MIT and mailed to Business Manager, Room 11-400, MIT, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Computer Support Assistant ...... Roger Donaghy Editorial/Production Assistant ...... Anne Trafton Periodical postage paid at Boston, MA. Permission is granted to excerpt or reprint any Printed on recycled paper Communications Assistant ...... Heather Manning material originated in Tech Talk. MIT Tech Talk NEWS January 24, 2007 PAGE 3 Graduate dean search committee formed Deborah Fitzgerald is named Chancellor Phillip L. Clay has include Professors Diane E. Davis, Thom- announced the formation of the commit- as J. Greytak, Roger G. Mark, Melissa tee that will advise him in the search for a Nobles and Christine Ortiz, as well as Kenan Sahin Dean of SHASS new dean for graduate students. The cur- Elizabeth M. Hicks, executive director of rent dean, Isaac M. Colbert, is stepping Student Financial Services. Additionally, Deborah K. Fitzgerald, those on academic per- down at the end of June. the Graduate Student Council will nomi- professor of the history formance, discipline and Clay said, “Dean Colbert has been vig- nate a student member of the committee. of technology in the Pro- graduate school policy. orous in lead- Clay noted that the office coordinates gram in Science, Tech- As a member of the Task ing our efforts the activities of a number of offices across nology, and Society, has Force on the Educational to strengthen campus with respect to graduate students. been appointed Kenan Commons, she chaired graduate stu- The GSO itself plays an important role in Sahin Dean of the School the subcommittee that dent life. The recruitment and support of minority stu- of Humanities, Arts and developed the recom- next dean will dents and is the liaison with foundations Social Sciences (SHASS). mendations for changes be able to build and agencies that provide support to MIT Provost L. Rafael Reif to the HASS requirement on those accom- for graduate students. The dean, who is a made the announcement that appeared in the task plishments.” member of the Institute’s Academic Coun- in an e-mail to the MIT force’s recent report. The Gradu- cil, manages the review of new programs community on Jan. 24. In A leading historian ate Students and enforces relevant rules regarding his letter, he noted that of American agriculture, Office plays a graduate students. Fitzgerald will continue Fitzgerald is the author “critical role for MIT and the Graduate Student Office to lead the 56-year-old of “Every Farm a Fac- graduate stu- “look to the next dean to continue these School of Humanities, tory: The Industrial Ideal Phillip L. Clay dents. While roles and to work with faculty, students, Arts and Social Sciences, in American Agriculture” departments departments and others even more close- having served “with dis- Deborah K. Fitzgerald (2003). Educated at Iowa play the central role in managing gradu- ly to strengthen support for graduate stu- tinction” as its interim State University and the ate education, the GSO manages the grad- dents and to enhance graduate commu- dean since former Dean Philip S. Khoury University of Pennsylvania, she was on the uate commons—from housing and non- nity,” Clay said. was appointed associate provost in July faculty in the history of science at Harvard departmental scholarships to counseling The new dean, who is expected to be 2006. University before coming to MIT in 1988. and international student support,” Clay a member of the faculty, will also partici- Fitzgerald said of her new role, “I am From 1996 to 2001, she chaired the Ph.D. said. pate in the recently launched Campaign deeply honored to be asked to serve as program in history, anthropology and sci- The committee that will advise Clay on for Students. dean of SHASS. It is a tremendous privi- ence, technology and society, which is the search for a new dean will be chaired The advisory committee is expected to lege to represent my colleagues in the administered by the Program in Science, by Stephen C. Graves, the Abraham Siegel submit a short list of candidates in mid- school and to chart a course that both Technology and Society jointly with the Professor of Management, and will also April. honors our scholarly traditions and history faculty and the anthropology pro- embraces new ideas and practices in our gram. Before her appointment as interim disciplines and our school. I very much dean, she had served as associate dean of CEHS hosts gene-environment symposium look forward to the challenges and oppor- SHASS since April 2005. tunities ahead.” Reif also praised the “careful search The MIT Center for Environmental sor Forest White of the Division of Biologi- Fitzgerald’s appointment will “contin- process,” chaired by Pauline R. Maier, Health Sciences (CEHS) will host a Gene- cal Engineering and on infectious disease ue a tradition of strong leadership in the the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Environment Interaction Symposium fea- and responses to environmental exposures school. I look forward to working with her History, and including faculty representa- turing talks by MIT experts on Jan. 26 in by David Schauer, professor of biological to further strengthen our exceptional pro- tion from across the school. He thanked the Stata Center (Room 32-141). engineering and comparative medicine. grams in the humanities, arts and social Maier and her colleagues on the advisory The symposium will run from 8:45 Associate Professor Bevin Engelward sciences,” Reif wrote. committee for their service: Professors a.m. to 4 p.m., starting with remarks of Biological Engineering will speak on Reif described Fitzgerald as an “extraor- Stephen Ansolabehere, Jonathan Gru- from Claude Canizares, vice president for genetic and environmental causes of dinarily committed member of the school ber, Sally Haslanger, Diana Henderson, research and associate provost. genomic rearrangements. Later, Profes- and MIT communities.” She has chaired James Howe, Henry Jenkins III, Helen Speakers include Eric Lander, director sor Linda Griffith, director of the MIT Bio- the Gender Equity Committee in the Elaine Lee, Richard K. Lester, David A. of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, technology Process Engineering Center, school and has been involved with a vari- Mindell, Janet Sonenberg, Donca Steri- who will speak on genomics and human will speak on cell and tissue engineering ety of Institute-wide committees, including ade and Jing Wang. health, as well as Leona D. Samson, direc- for toxicology. tor of CEHS. To register for the symposium please The afternoon portion features lectures visit cehs.mit.edu/symposium/registra- on cell signaling networks and biological tion.pdf. Science writer receives physics prize activity relationships by Assistant Profes- —Sasha Brown, News Office Marcia Bartusiak, a visiting professor cessful in transmitting physics and astron- in MIT’s graduate program in science writ- omy to the public. Her reputation for detail ing, joins venerable physicists in receiving and accuracy coupled with her clear writ- Sengupta wins $4M breast cancer award the American Institute of Physics’ Gemant ing and thorough understanding of the Shiladitya Sengupta, assistant profes- leagues announced in the journal Nature Award. The Gemant Award annually rec- science and personalities behind the topic sor of medicine at the Harvard-MIT Divi- their creation of an anticancer drug-deliv- ognizes the accomplishments of a person has made her an eloquent spokesman for sion of Health Sciences and Technology ery device dubbed the nanocell. This novel who has made significant contributions to what is important in science.” and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, has technology has the potential to eliminate cultural, artistic or humanistic dimensions Bartusiak received the 2006 Gemant won one of three 2006 Era of Hope Scholar the devastating systemic toxicity caused of physics. award on Sunday, Jan. 7, at this year’s Awards from the Department of Defense by chemotherapy by directing drugs to act Bartusiak is the author of numerous American Association of Physics Teachers Breast Cancer Research Program. only where they are needed. popular books on and cosmol- and American Astronomical Association Sengupta will receive $4.1 million in The Era of Hope award will allow Sen- ogy, including “Einstein’s Unfinished Sym- joint meeting. In addition to receiving a funding over five years. gupta to continue work on inventive solu- phony,” “Thursday’s Universe,” “Through $5,000 cash award, Bartusiak will also des- The award recognizes scientists early tions to breast cancer. It will also further a Universe Darkly” and most recently, ignate an academic institution to receive a in their careers “who have shown a strong the efforts of the HST-BWH Center for “Archives of the Universe.” grant of $3,000 to further the public com- potential for leadership in the breast can- Biomedical Engineering, which is commit- The citation for her award reads, “The munication of physics. cer research community as well as a vision ted to using novel technologies to improve Andrew W. Gemant Award is presented to Other members of the MIT faculty for the eradication of breast cancer, par- medical diagnostics and therapeutics, Marcia Bartusiak for a body of work that who have received the prize include the ticularly through innovative projects and especially focusing on global health. has won high praise from critics, scientists late Institute Professor Emeritus Philip multi-institutional collaborations,” accord- and general audiences alike. Her books Morrison and Professor Alan Lightman of ing to the DOD. —Elizabeth Dougherty, Harvard-MIT have been widely read, translated into four the Program in Writing and Humanistic Earlier this year Sengupta and his col- Division of Health Sciences and Technology languages and have been especially suc- Studies. GEOTHERMAL Continued from Page 1 and other pollutants into the atmosphere. Finally, heat and extraction is contained entirely underground, and mining has the potential to supply a significant amount the surface equipment needed for conversion to electric- much larger-scale deployment. of the country’s electricity currently being generated ity is relatively compact,” Tester said. “We’ve determined that heat mining can be economi- by conventional fossil fuel, hydroelectric and nuclear The report also notes that meeting water require- cal in the short term, based on a global analysis of exist- plants. ments for geothermal plants may be an issue, particu- ing geothermal systems, an assessment of the total U.S. The study shows that drilling several wells to reach larly in arid regions. Further, the potential for seismic resource and continuing improvements in deep-drill- hot rock and connecting them to a fractured rock region risk needs to be carefully monitored and managed. ing and reservoir stimulation technology,” said panel that has been stimulated to let water flow through it cre- According to panel member M. Nafi Toksöz, pro- head Jefferson W. Tester, the H.P. Meissner Professor of ates a heat-exchanger that can produce large amounts of fessor of geophysics at MIT, “geothermal energy could Chemical Engineering at MIT. hot water or steam to run electric generators at the sur- play an important role in our national energy picture “EGS technology has already been proven to work face. Unlike conventional fossil-fuel power plants that as a noncarbon-based energy source. It’s a very large in the few areas where underground heat has been suc- burn coal, natural gas or oil, no fuel would be required. resource and has the potential to be a significant con- cessfully extracted. And further technological improve- And unlike wind and solar systems, a geothermal plant tributor to the energy needs of this country.” ments can be expected,” he said. works night and day, offering a noninterruptible source Toksöz added that the electricity produced annually The expert panel offers a number of recommenda- of electric power. by geothermal energy systems now in use in the United tions to develop geothermal as a major electricity suppli- Tester and panel member David Blackwell, profes- States at sites in California, Hawaii, Utah and Nevada is er for the nation. These include more detailed and site- sor of geophysics at Southern Methodist University comparable to that produced by solar and wind power specific assessments of the U.S. geothermal resource in Texas, also point out that geothermal resources are combined. And the potential is far greater still, since hot and a multiyear federal commitment to demonstrate the available nationwide, although the highest-grade sites rocks below the surface are available in most parts of concept in the field at commercial scale. are in western states, where hot rocks are closer to the the United States. The new assessment of geothermal energy by ener- surface, requiring less drilling and thus lowering costs. Even in the most promising areas, however, drilling gy experts, geologists, drilling specialists and others is The panel also evaluated the environmental impacts must reach depths of 5,000 feet or more in the west, and important for several key reasons, Tester said. of geothermal development, concluding that these are much deeper in the eastern United States. Still, “the First, fossil fuels—coal, oil and natural gas—are “markedly lower than conventional fossil-fuel and nucle- possibility of drilling into these rocks, fracturing them increasingly expensive and consumed in ever-increas- ar power plants.” and pumping water in to produce steam has already ing amounts. Second, oil and gas imports from foreign “This environmental advantage is due to low emis- sources raise concerns over long-term energy secu- sions and the small overall footprint of the entire geo- See GEOTHERMAL rity. Third, burning fossil fuels dumps carbon dioxide thermal system, which results because energy capture Page 6 PAGE 4 January 24, 2007 RESEARCH MIT Tech Talk Biologists identify 5,000 new RNA molecules in C. elegans genome

David Cameron the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Whitehead Institute Research and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. “Combining these predictions with the 5,000 (21U-RNAs) The last few years have been very that we experimentally identified, we good to ribonucleic acid (RNA). Decades suspect that there are more than 12,000 after DNA took biology by storm, RNA different 21U-RNA genes in the genome.” was considered little more than a link in Because each gene typically produces a chain—no doubt a necessary link, but a unique 21U-RNA, a very large diver- one that, by itself, sity of molecules is had little to offer. made. But with the dis- “There are so coveries of RNA many 21U-R NA interference and genes spread out microRNAs, this over such a wide meager molecule swath of the genome, has been catapult- but they all share ed to stardom as common require- a major player in ments for expres- genomic activity. sion and common Now, a team of structural features,” scientists led by says Bartel lab Ph.D. David Bartel, a student J. Graham professor in MIT’s Ruby, lead author on Department of the paper. Biology, has dis- A lthough the PHOTO COURTESY / NASA covered an entirely researchers haven’t new class of RNA yet identified a par- Star power molecules. ticular function for R e p o r t i n g these molecules, Jeffrey Hoffman, a professor of the practice in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics in the journal they believe that this and Astronautics, will be inducted into the U.S. Hall of Fame on May 5. Cell, the team uniform structure Hoffman was a project scientist at the Center for Space Research in 1978 when describes identi- strongly indicates an he was among the first group of chosen for NASA’s new fying more than important role. program. 5,000 of these new MIT Institute Pro- This year’s other two inductees— and Steven Hawley—were also molecules, termed The dirt-dwelling C. elegans, just one milli- fessor and Nobel lau- members of NASA’s 1978 astronaut class. That class, nicknamed the “Thirty-Five 21U-RNAs, in the meter long, is useful for biological research: reate Phillip Sharp, a New Guys,” was the first selected to fly shuttle missions. C. elegans worm. Forty percent of its genes match those of biologist who was not Hoffman, 62, is a veteran of five shuttle flights, including a make-or-break mission These new RNAs humans. part of the research to repair the myopic in 1993. are named after team, supports this Hoffman and three other astronauts staged an unprecedented five spacewalks in their distinctive features: Each molecule hypothesis. The fact that 21U-RNAs five days to fix the four-story telescope, which now is responsible for more than 40 contains 21 chemical building blocks share this “common structure and origin percent of the scientific discoveries made by NASA researchers. (or nucleotides), and each begins with suggests an important function,” he says. Hoffman’s first flight, aboard Discovery in April 1985, included the first contin- the chemical uridine, represented by the “It requires function to conserve speci- gency space walk in shuttle program history and a brake failure and blown tire during letter U (the only RNA nucleotide not ficity.” the landing at . also found on DNA). In addition, each of Other members of the research team He also flew two flights to test the Italian-made Tethered Satellite System. The the 5,000 different 21U-RNA molecules are affiliated with the Broad Institute of highly experimental missions ultimately proved that electricity could be generated by comes from one of two chromosomal MIT and Harvard and Pennsylvania State dragging a tethered satellite through Earth’s magnetic field. regions. University. This research was supported In 1997, Hoffman moved to Paris to serve as NASA’s prime liaison with the Further, “we can predict where addi- by the Prix Louis D from the Institut de European Space Agency. In 2001, he came to MIT, where he is a professor of aero- tional 21U-RNA genes might reside,” France and a grant from the National space engineering and teaches courses in space operations and spacecraft design. says Bartel, who is also a member of Institutes of Health. ETHANOL Continued from Page 1 able than others. studies do not, one ratory and pilot-scale tests are generat- Based on her example being the ing useful data on processing techniques. for another five or so years. “most likely” out- manufacture of So how do cellulosic sources measure up Does using corn-based ethanol in comes, she conclud- farm machinery. in terms of saving energy and reducing place of gasoline actually make energy ed that traveling His analysis con- greenhouse gas emissions? consumption and emissions go up, as a kilometer using cludes that using Using her methodology, Groode per- some researchers claim? Why do others ethanol does indeed corn-based ethanol formed an initial analysis of switchgrass reach the opposite conclusion? And how consume more ener- yields a significant and, drawing again on Johnson’s work, much better would ethanol from “cellu- gy than traveling net energy loss. corn stover. She found that fossil energy losic” feedstocks such as switchgrass be? the same distance Other studies con- consumption is far lower with these two To answer those questions, Tiffany using gasoline. clude the opposite. cellulosic sources than for the corn ker- A. Groode, a graduate student in MIT’s However, further To determine the nels. Department of Engineering, performed analyses showed importance of the Farming corn stover requires energy her own study, supervised by John B. that several factors system boundary, only for harvesting and transporting the Heywood, Sun Jae Professor of Mechani- can easily change Groode compared material. Growing switchgrass is even cal Engineering. the outcome, ren- her own analysis, less energy intensive. It requires minimal Using a technique called life cycle dering corn-based the study by Pimen- fertilizer, its life cycle is about 10 years, analysis, she looked at energy consump- ethanol a “greener” tel and three other so it need not be replanted each year, tion and greenhouse gas emissions asso- fuel. reputable studies, and it can be grown almost anywhere, so ciated with all the steps in making and One such fac- considering the transport costs can be minimized. using ethanol, from growing the crop to tor is the much- same energy-con- Groode and Heywood now view the converting it into ethanol. She limited debated co-product suming inputs and three ethanol sources as a continuum. energy sources to fossil fuels. Finally, she credit. When corn John B. Heywood no co-product cred- In the future, cellulosic sources such as accounted for the different energy con- is converted into its in each case. corn stover and ultimately switchgrass tents of gasoline and ethanol. Pure etha- ethanol, the material that remains is a “The results show that everybody is can provide large quantities of ethanol for nol carries 30 percent less energy per gal- high-protein animal feed. One assump- basically correct,” she said. “The ener- widespread use as a transportation fuel. lon, so more is needed to travel a given tion is that the availability of that feed will gy balance is so close that the outcome In the meantime, ethanol made from corn distance. enable traditional feed manufacturers to depends on exactly how you define the can provide some immediate benefits. While most studies follow those guide- produce less, saving energy; ethanol pro- problem.” The results also serve to vali- “I view corn-based ethanol as a step- lines, Groode added one more feature: ducers should therefore get to subtract date her methodology: Results from the pingstone,” said Groode. “People can buy She incorporated the uncertainty associ- those energy savings from their energy other studies fall within the range of her flexible-fuel vehicles right now and get ated with the values of many of the inputs. consumption. When Groode put co-prod- more probable results. used to the idea that ethanol or E85 works Following a methodology developed by uct credits into her calculations, ethanol’s Growing more corn may not be the in their car. If ethanol is produced from a recent MIT graduate Jeremy Johnson life-cycle energy use became lower than best route to expanding ethanol produc- more environmentally friendly source in (Ph.D. 2006), she used not just one value gasoline’s. tion. Other options include using corn the future, we’ll be ready for it.” for each key variable (such as the amount Another factor that influences the out- stover (the plants and husks that are left This research was supported by BP of fertilizer required) but rather a range come is which energy-using factors of on the field), or growing an “energy crop” America. of values, along with the probability that production are included and excluded— such as switchgrass. While corn kernels A report on Groode’s work, titled each of those values would occur. In a sin- the so-called system boundary. A study are mostly starch, corn stover and switch- “Review of Corn Based Ethanol Energy gle analysis, her model runs thousands of performed by Professor David Pimen- grass are primarily cellulose. Commer- Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions,” can times with varying input values, generat- tel of Cornell University in 2003 includes cial technologies to make ethanol from be downloaded at lfee.mit.edu/metadot/ ing a range of results, some more prob- energy-consuming inputs that other cellulose are not yet available, but labo- index.pl?id=2234. MIT Tech Talk RESEARCH January 24, 2007 PAGE 5 Nanocomposite research yields strong and stretchy fibers Lycra®-like materials, inspired by spider silk, could make tougher fabrics, packaging materials

Anne Trafton composed of small repeating molecular ter, or a billionth of a meter thick and 25 then dissolved the polymer in the new News Office units). Numerous earlier unsuccessful nanometers in diameter). The discs are mixture and finally removed the solvent. attempts, tackling the same issue, relied naturally arranged in stacks like poker The end result is a “nanocomposite” of on heating and mixing molten plastics with chips, but “when you put them in the right stiff clay particles dispersed throughout a Creating artificial substances that are reinforcing agents, but Liff and Kumar solvent, these ‘nanosized poker chips’ all stretchy matrix that is now stronger and both stretchy and strong has long been an took a different approach: They focused come apart,” said McKinley. tougher. elusive engineering goal. Inspired by spi- on reinforcing solutions of a commercial The researchers developed a process Importantly, the clay platelets are dis- der silk, a naturally occurring strong and polyurethane elastomer (a rubbery sub- to embed these clay chips in the rubbery tributed randomly in the material, form- stretchy substance, MIT researchers have stance) with nanosized clay platelets. polymer—first dissolving them in water, now devised a way to produce a material They started with tiny clay discs, the then slowly exchanging water for a solvent See NANOCOMPOSITE that begins to mimic this combination of smallest they could find (about 1 nanome- that also dissolves polyurethane. They Page 8 desirable properties. Such materials, known as polymer- ic nanocomposites, could be used to strengthen and toughen packaging mate- rials and develop tear-resistant fabrics or biomedical devices. Professor Gareth McKinley, graduate student Shawna Liff and postdoctoral researcher Nitin Kumar worked at MIT’s Institute for Soldier Nano- technologies (ISN) to develop a new meth- od for effectively preparing these materi- als. The research appears in the January issue of Nature Materials. Engineers are already able to create materials that are either very strong or very stretchy, but it has been difficult to achieve both qualities in the same mate- rial. In the last few years scientists have determined that the secret behind the combined strength and flexibility of spider silk lies in the arrangement of the nano- crystalline reinforcement of the silk while it is being produced. “If you look closely at the structure of spider silk, it is filled with a lot of very small crystals,” says McKinley, a profes- sor of mechanical engineering. “It’s highly reinforced.” The silk’s strength and flexibility come from this nanoscale crystalline reinforce- ment and from the way these tiny crystals are oriented towards and strongly adhere to the stretchy protein that forms their surrounding polymeric matrix. Liff, a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering, and Kumar, a former MIT postdoctoral associate, teamed up to figure out how to begin to emulate this nano-rein- forced structure in a synthetic polymer (A PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY polymer or plastic consists of long chains Graduate student Shawna Liff works with new material composed of nanoparticles embedded in a polymer that could be used in fuel cells. MIT develops measures to predict Discovery could lead to new therapies performance of complex systems for diabetes, lupus and arthritis Michelle Gaseau Thirteen ways of looking at a system David Cameron cells. Regulatory T cells prevent biologi- Lean Aerospace Initiative Whitehead Institute cal “friendly fire” by ensuring that the T The 13 leading indicators defined by cells do not attack the body’s own tissues. the MIT team include risk-handling trends. Failure of the regulatory T cells to control Taking a cue from the financial world, This indicator would be used by manage- Autoimmune diseases such as type 1 the frontline fighters leads to autoimmune MIT researchers along with experts in ment to determine whether a project team diabetes, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis disease. industry and government have developed is proactively handling potential problems occur when the immune system fails to Scientists previously discovered that a list of 13 measures that engineers can (or risks) at the appropriate times with regulate itself. But researchers have not regulatory T cells are themselves con- use to predict how well a system—or the goal of minimizing or eliminating their known precisely where the molecular trolled by a master gene regulator called project—will perform before it is even fin- occurrence. If the actions to address a given breakdowns responsible for such failures Foxp3. Master gene regulators bind to ished. project risk are not taken, then there is a occur. specific genes and control their level of Known as leading indicators, analogous higher probability that the risk will be real- Now, scientists from MIT, the White- activity, which in turn affects the behavior measures are regularly used by econo- ized, resulting in negative impact to project head Institute and the Dana-Farber Cancer of cells. mists, investors and businesses to help cost, schedule, performance or customer Institute have identified a key set of genes In fact, when Foxp3 stops functioning, predict the economy’s performance. satisfaction. The insight gained through the that lie at the the body can no longer produce working The idea behind the new set of leading use of this indicator can help identify where core of autoim- regulatory T cells. When this happens, the indicators is to improve the management additional effort may be needed to avoid mune disease, frontline T cells damage multiple organs and performance of complex programs preventable problems or reduce impacts. findings that and cause symptoms of type 1 diabetes before they are delivered, in a more pre- Several major aerospace companies may help sci- and Crohn’s disease. However, until now, dictive way than simple business metrics. worked to validate the 13 indicators in pilot entists develop scientists have barely understood how “Leading indicators can provide impor- programs during 2006, which helped refine new methods Foxp3 controls regulatory T cells because tant insights for managers of complex them. Then, working in collaboration with for manipulating they knew almost nothing about the actual programs, such as those in the aerospace the International Council on Systems Engi- immune system genes under Foxp3’s purview. industry, and can allow them to make real- neering (INCOSE), the leading professional activity. Researchers in Young’s lab, work- time adjustments to project activities, staff- society for systems engineering practi- “This may ing closely with immunologist Harald ing and schedules to ensure a project stays tioners, the MIT team published a guidance shorten the path von Boehmer of the Dana-Farber Cancer on track,” said Donna Rhodes, a principal document about the work. That document to new thera- Institute, used a DNA microarray technol- researcher for MIT’s Lean Aerospace Ini- has been made available to the larger sys- pies for autoim- ogy developed by Young to scan the entire tiative (LAI). tems engineering community. Richard Young mune disease,” genome of T cells and locate the genes The MIT leading indicators project, According to Rhodes, “The leading indi- said Whitehead controlled by Foxp3. There were roughly co-led by Rhodes and industry colleague cators project is an excellent example of member and MIT professor of biology 30 genes found to be directly controlled by Garry Roedler of Lockheed Martin, began how academic, government and industry Richard Young, senior author on a paper Foxp3 and one, called Ptpn22, showed a in 2004 following an LAI/U.S. Air Force experts can work together to perform col- that appeared online in Nature on Jan. 21. particularly strong affinity. workshop on systems engineering that laborative research that has real impact on “With this new list of genes, we can now “This relation was striking because established the groundwork for the proj- engineering practice.” look for possible therapies with far greater Ptpn22 is strongly associated with type ect. Systems engineering is an interdisci- The other leading indicators identified precision.” 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus plinary approach to creating successful by the team are: system definition change; The immune system is often described and Graves’ disease, but the gene had systems by focusing on variables includ- backlog trends; interface trends; require- as a kind of military unit, a defense net- not been previously linked to regulatory ing customer needs, system requirements, ments validation trends; requirements verifi- work that guards the body from invaders. T-cell function,” said Alexander Marson, design synthesis and system validation, all cation trends; work product approval trends; Seen in this way, a group of white blood an M.D.-Ph.D. student in the Young lab while considering the complete problem. review action closure trends; risk exposure cells called T cells are the frontline sol- and lead author on the paper. “Discover- A leading indicator may be an individu- trends; technology maturity trends; techni- diers of immune defense, engaging invad- ing this correlation was a big moment for al measure, or collection of measures, that cal measurement trends; systems engineer- ing pathogens head-on. is predictive of future system performance ing staffing and skills trends; and process These T cells are commanded by a See DISCOVERY before the performance is realized. compliance trends. second group of cells called regulatory T Page 6 PAGE 6 January 24, 2007 NEWS MIT Tech Talk

PHOTOS / DONNA COVENEY Inside the Institute ‘The Heart of MIT,’ an exhibit of two decades of photography by Donna Coveney, MIT News Office, opens to the public on Monday, Jan. 29, in the Compton Gallery. Left: Frank Stella, in front of his artwork, ‘Loohooloo,’ 1995; right: MIT Glass Lab, 1988. See story on page 8.

IAP class finds greatness in GEOTHERMAL Continued from Page 3 years at several sites should be done to grainy cell-phone photos demonstrate commercial-scale engi- been shown to be feasible,” Toksöz said. neered geothermal systems. Stephanie Schorow He specializes into taking pictures of Panel member Brian Anderson, an —The shallow, extra-hot, high-grade News Office Correspondent pictures. He has enlarged his photos until assistant professor at West Virginia Uni- deposits in the west should be explored the subjects were almost unrecogniz- versity, noted that the drilling and res- and tested first. able. “I thought they got really interest- ervoir technologies used to mine heat —Other geothermal resources, such Someday, perhaps, a Pulitzer Prize com- ing.” He remains fascinated photos that have many similarities to those used as co-produced hot water associated with mittee will add a category for cell-phone contain “just enough pixels to tell what’s for extracting oil and gas. As a result, oil and gas production and geopressured photographs. But for now, photographer there.” He doesn’t hold back from the the geothermal industry today is well resources should also be pursued as and new-media artist Gary Duehr has a shutter trigger: “I tend to take (photos) connected technically to two industry short-term options. message for would-be digital shutterbugs: like candy.” giants in the energy arena, oil and gas —On a longer time scale, deeper, Accept the medium for what it is. And The ubiquity of cell phones—most with producers and electric power genera- lower-grade geothermal deposits should what it is may seem awful. cameras—has turned many callers into tors. With increasing demand for tech- be explored and tested. Yet, what makes cell-phone photogra- would-be snap-shooters. Electrical engi- nology advances to produce oil and gas —Local and national policies should phy so terrible—the grainy, muted colors, neering junior Gabriel Lopez was asked more effectively and to generate electric- be enacted that encourage geothermal the blurry, off-kilter shots of friends, fam- directions to the cell-phone workshop, ity with minimal carbon and other emis- development. ily or strangers on the street—is also what then thought, “Oh, cool,” and decided to sions, an opportunity exists to acceler- —A multiyear research program make them so great, Duehr insists. participate himself. ate the development of EGS by increased exploring subsurface science and geo- “Open yourself to the world of really Retired University of Massachusetts investments by these two industries. thermal drilling and energy conversion crappy cell-phone photos,” Duehr told a professor of mechanical engineering Tur- Government-funded research into should be started, backed by constant group of about 10 people at the Compton gay Erturk wanted to explore the pos- geothermal was very active in the 1970s analysis of results. Gallery as part of the (paradoxically titled) sibilities of a recent phone purchase; he and early 1980s. As oil prices declined Besides Tester, Blackwell, Toksöz and Independent Activi- captured an evoca- in the mid-1980s, enthusiasm for alterna- Anderson, members of the panel include: ties Period work- tive portrait of a stu- tive energy sources waned, and funding geomechanics expert Anthony Batchelor, shop, “Take Better dent eating alone. for research on renewable energy and managing director of GeoScience Ltd. in Pictures With Your ❞ “This is a good energy efficiency (including geothermal) the United Kingdom; reservoir engineer Cell Phone (And I want you to learning process,” was greatly reduced, making it difficult Roy Baria from the United Kingdom; Win Big).” “I want he declared. John for geothermal technology to advance. geophysicists Maria Richards and Petru you to appreciate the appreciate the virtue MacNeil, a gradu- “Now that energy concerns have resur- Negraru at Southern Methodist Universi- virtue of taking real- ate student in tech- faced, an opportunity exists for the U.S. ty; mechanical engineer Ronald DiPippo, ly bad pictures with of taking really bad nical policy, wanted to pursue the EGS option aggressively to an emeritus professor at the University cell phones.” to learn how to meet long-term national needs,” Tester of Massachusetts at Dartmouth; risk Indeed, Duehr pictures with manipulate colors observed. analyst Elisabeth Drake at MIT; chem- quickly gave partici- and found a dynam- Tester and colleagues emphasize that ist John Garnish, former director of pants assignments. cell phones. ic landscape in the federally funded engineering research geothermal programs of the European Soon the partici- folds of a vacuum and development must still be done to Commission; drilling expert Bill Livesay; pants were capturing Gary Duehr cleaner bag. “This lower risks and encourage investment by economist Michal Moore at the Univer- close-ups ranging is my only camera,” early adopters. Of particular importance sity of Calgary in Canada, former Cali- from wires on the he explained. is to demonstrate that EGS technology is fornia energy commissioner and chief ground to a jacket For oth- scalable and transferable to sites in dif- economist at the National Renewable thrown over a chair to shadows on the ers, the new medium has enhanced, not ferent geologic settings. Energy Laboratory; commercial power wall. They snapped the faces of passersby replaced, the old one. Fourteen-year-old In its report, the panel recommends conversion engineer Kenneth Nichols; in Building 10. They did self-portraits at Emily Whitlow, whose mother works at MIT, that: geothermal industry expert Susan Petty; arm’s length. also loves shooting photos with her Nikon —More detailed and site-specific and petroleum engineering consultant Despite a few technical hurdles and film camera. “I like black and white,” she said. assessments of the U.S. geothermal ener- Ralph Veatch Jr. Additional project sup- glitches, they practiced e-mailing or down- Duehr also discussed legal aspects of gy resource should be conducted. port came from Chad Augustine, Enda loading photos to computers, processing cell-phone photos, including recent court —Field trials running three to five Murphy and Gwen Wilcox at MIT. images with Photoshop and printing them. cases about publishing photos taken in But on the road to bad, something good public places. Yet cell-phone photos have happened. Wonderful images emerged on an aura of the forbidden: “There’s a secret plain paper: intriguing landscapes of light quality about them,” he said. They make and dark, moody portraits of people and the private public; the phone camera video DISCOVERY captivating patterns. of the Saddam Hussein hanging is one Continued from Page 5 drive these conditions, we can migrate Duehr, whose work has been featured example. from treating symptoms to developing in numerous galleries, was delighted. So Raju Patel, co-director of the Massa- us. It verified that we were on the right treatments for the disease itself.” was Jon Bijur, who has helped organize chusetts Space Grant Program, hopes to track for identifying autoimmune-related Other MIT authors of this paper are the Mili-MIT Museum Cell Phone Pho- master enough skills to snap web-site qual- genes.” Garrett M. Frampton, a graduate stu- tography Contest, the museum’s first cell- ity photos. After all, she may not always The researchers still don’t know exact- dent in the Department of Biology; Ken- phone photo contest, which is being held carry a camera, “but I always have my cell ly how Foxp3 enables regulatory T cells zie D. MacIsaac, a graduate student in this month. (That’s the “win big” part of phone.” to prevent autoimmunity. But the list of the Department of Electrical Engineer- the IAP workshop title.) “The goal is to The Mili-MIT Museum Cell Phone the genes that Foxp3 targets provides ing and Computer Science; and Ernest have as many people enter as possible,” Contest is open to the MIT community an initial map of the circuitry of these Fraenkel, an assistant professor in the said Bijur, the museum’s educational ser- through Jan. 29. Prizes include photo print- cells, which is important for understand- Division of Biological Engineering who vice coordinator. ers and gift certificates; an award ceremo- ing how they control a healthy immune is also affiliated with MIT’s Computer Duehr, an award-winning artist and ny will be held Feb. 2. For information, go response. Science and Artificial Intelligence Labo- manager of the Broomfield Art Gallery, is to: poq.csail.mit.edu:3333/. “Autoimmune diseases take a tre- ratory. himself new to the cell-phone medium. In “Take Better Pictures With Your Cell mendous toll on human health, but on This work was supported by a dona- February he started taking photos with Phone” will be repeated Jan. 26 from 2 to a strictly molecular level, autoimmunity tion from E. Radutsky and by the Whita- his cell phone. “I’ve loved it,” he told work- 4 p.m. in the Compton Gallery. Duehr’s is a black box,” said Young. “When we ker Foundation and the National Insti- shop participants. work can be seen at www.garyduehr.com. discover the molecular mechanisms that tutes of Health. MIT Tech Talk HUMANITIES January 24, 2007 PAGE 7 From Russia with—what? Love? Icy indifference? An IAP seminar explores U.S.-Russian relations since the ‘Bill and Boris show’

Stephanie Schorow factors as ideology, domestic agendas, Certainly, security has a different mean- Russia to remain neutral, a few suggested News Office Correspondent business interests, energy policies and ing today, said Peter Watkins, a fellow at supporting President Bush, and a few even national pride. Moreover, noted Saivetz, the Weatherhead Center for International recommended siding with the Taliban. who is writing a book on Putin’s foreign Affairs at Harvard University, who came to Putin chose to support Bush. The question—as posed in the title of policy, if democracies tend not to fight Saivetz’s seminar. In the Cold War, a secu- Certainly, Watkins observed, Sept. 11 the Independent Activities Period semi- other democracies—as is conventional rity threat was something with the ability vindicated what Russia, beset by Chechen nar—was “Putin’s Russia: Friend or Foe?” wisdom—then Putin’s increasing curtail- to “wipe us out,” he said. Now “people are rebels, had been warning about Islamic The answer—as seminar participants ment of civil liberties may have an effect developing a broader sense of security, such terrorists. discovered on Jan. 17—may depend on the on U.S.-Russian relations. as economic security, energy security.” Subsequently, however, the United definitions of “friend” and “foe.” However, she asked, does the United For Russians, Saivetz said, “having an States has abrogated the Anti-Ballistic Whatever the definitions, exploring the States need friends? Are all our allies our empire was part of the national psyche.” Missile Treaty and invaded Iraq against friend-foe question is not only crucial to friends? Today, leaders want a seat at the table in the wishes of Putin. This may lead him to the United States and Russia but also “cru- “Right now, friendship means sharing a setting world policy, and Putin seemed believe that he’ll never be a member of the cial to world stability,” said Carol Saivetz, a mutual enemy,” said Daniel L. Mokrauer- willing to play by the rules of democratic club and might as well shrug off democrat- visiting scholar at MIT’s Center for Inter- Madden, a junior majoring in math and nations because adherence to such policies ic rule, Saivetz said. national Studies and the seminar leader. physics. But he also said, “If we call Russia is donning the “school tie” that makes him Thus, Russia, too, is deciding whether From the violence in the Persian Gulf to our friend, then what is our friend doing to part of the club of world powers. the United States is a friend or foe. the radiation poisoning of former Rus- our other friends?” Recall, Saivetz said, that on Sept. 12, The second half of “Russia: Friend or sian spy Alexander V. Litvinenko in Lon- Perhaps, Saivetz suggested, Russia and 2001, Putin assembled his top advisors to Foe?” will be held Wednesday, Jan. 24, from don, shifts in the relationship between the the United States interpret friendship dif- determine Russian policy after the terror- 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Center for International United States and Russia can have ripple ferently. ist attacks of Sept. 11. A majority wanted Studies. effects throughout the globe. How then, she asked, “do we measure our friendship or enmity with Russia?” Saivetz began the seminar by read- ing a headline in a Russian newspaper: “Russians Sold Defensive Missiles to Iran.” Rather than use that as an answer, Saivetz peeled back the layers of history that have formed Russia’s foreign policy since the collapse of the Soviet Union and probed whether the United States has cor- rectly interpreted and responded to those policies. Saivetz, a research associate at Har- vard’s Davis Center for Russian and Eur- asian Studies, noted that in the chaos after the Soviet collapse in the 1990s even Russians admitted their lack of a foreign policy. Later, Russia-watchers referred to the “Bill and Boris show,” reflecting the working relationship between Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin.

But now, particularly with the ascen- IMAGE / AGÊNCIA BRASIL IMAGE / NARA sion of Vladimir Putin, Russia’s foreign policy has become “more opaque,” leaving President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin and former U.S. President Bill Clinton, shown here in scholars wondering about the role of such Federation. Istanbul, had a friendly diplomatic working relationship. LeaderShape calls students to action MIT Sloan grad pushes fashion forward Sasha Brown ing academic year. Patricia Favreau ket segment in intimate apparel—women News Office Over the years, LeaderShape action MIT Sloan School of Management ages 30 through 60—and to having honed plans have produced such innovations as her business skills through the MIT Sloan Alternative Spring Break, a program that program and business experience. Senior Ruth Misener attended Lead- allows students to use their spring break ABC-TV’s “Desperate Housewives” and While her career trajectory is remark- erShape in 2006 because of the passion to do volunteer work projects; the five non- MIT Sloan may not appear to have much able, Lee’s leading role in the style a friend had for the program, but she is academic freshman pre-orientation pro- in common. But that changed late last industry is not unique. In fact, her suc- returning in 2007 to share her own. grams; and varsity women’s ice hockey. year, when one of the characters on the cess reflects a growing trend—M.B.A.s “I’m going back to LeaderShape this The 70 participants attending Lead- show sported a “doorbell friendly” robe and fashion industry executives are col- year because I want to see more people erShape this week applied last October. designed by an entrepreneurial M.B.A. laborating more as supply-chain manage- make the same self-discovery journey I They are coming for a number of reasons. student from ment grows as important as cutting-edge made,” Misener said of the annual six-day Freshman Wendy Chen is hoping to con- MIT’s Sloan designs in the global fashion market. leadership development and community- tinue the leadership experience she had School of Man- MIT Sloan has also taken on the world building program that takes place every in high school. “These activities made me agement. of style. In 2004, a group of M.B.A. stu- Independent Activities Period. This year it a more responsible person who can guide “ D o o r b e l l dents founded the Retail and Consumer runs from Jan. 19 to 24. a group of students,” Chen said. “Leader- friendly” is a Goods Club, which now boasts a mem- MIT LeaderShape is a partnership Shape will supply me with valuable knowl- term coined bership of 60 students and presents such between MIT and LeaderShape Inc., a edge to take leadership to a higher level by Juli Lee high-profile guest speakers as André Leon nonprofit organization in Champaign, Ill. and lead the world in the future.” (M.B.A. 1995), Talley, editor-at-large of Vogue magazine. LeaderShape Inc. provides the complete Senior Nicholas Pearce is hoping to founder and Moria Flynn, an M.B.A. student, serves curriculum for MIT LeaderShape and for take the skills he gains in LeaderShape chief designer as co-president. “Large retailers are start- other campus-based LeaderShape sessions out into the real world next year. “I have of Julianna Rae, ing to appreciate us more. They are offer- nationwide. had a lot of student leadership experiences a women’s inti- ing more attractive packages to recent The program, which came to MIT in with campus organizations as well as with mate apparel M.B.A. graduates.” 1995, is designed to develop a number of student government and the faculty gover- Juli Lee design and Lee’s road was not so linear. She skills in problem solving, professional eth- nance structure,” he said. retail company. earned the S.B. degree in computer sci- ics and decision-making. But it does more “Currently, I am working on the Stu- Julianna Rae ence and electrical engineering in 1989, than that, says program director Tracy dent Leadership Development initiative has grown more then worked in merchandizing and Purinton, from the Division of Student and am interested in learning leadership than 300 percent account management for a private label Life. in the setting that LeaderShape provides,” in Internet sales company whose sole client was Victoria’s “It is about students and faculty learn- Pearce said. alone since Lee Secret. Frustrated with the lack of upward ing and living together,” Purinton said of “I’ve been here almost 50 years, and I’ve launched it in mobility, Lee returned to MIT to earn her the program that takes place at the Won- been almost everything—an undergradu- 2004. M.B.A. at Sloan with a focus on strategy derland Conference Center in Sharon, ate, a Ph.D. student, a professor, president. Lee’s Juli- and operations. Mass. But I never really understood how magnifi- anna Rae gar- Lee’s M.B.A. led to retail and consum- A variety of topics and activities are cent our young people are until now, after ments have also er goods account management, web site covered over the six-day period, includ- having spent six days away with them at appeared in gift content development, data storage and ing action planning, team building, group MIT LeaderShape,” said President Emeri- baskets at Rob- business roles in technology startups. She decision-making and conflict resolution. tus Paul Gray, who formerly participated ert Redford’s then moved to clothier Robert Scott David It is open to all undergraduates. The stu- as a cluster facilitator. Sundance Film Brooks to lead its private label division. dents and faculty work in small clusters “At MIT, they spend all their time Festival, and “The fashion industry was still essentially as well as all together. Over the course of trying to be what we put forward as the one of her robes a traditional, old-fashioned business where the week, many strong bonds are formed, model: the intensely rational, smart, driv- hung visibly in people worked their way up the ranks,” Purinton said. en person. Too often, they don’t get to be Donald Trump’s says Lee. “In 1999 my manager asked me “This is an oasis for them to have time or explore all those other things that are penthouse in why I needed a computer.” to reflect,” Purinton said. “It has really life,” Gray said. “The Appren- Partnering with two business school changed the Institute in a number of posi- Misener hopes that, by returning to tice.” colleagues, Lee next funneled all her tive ways.” LeaderShape this year in a mentoring IMAGE COURTESY / JULI LEE Lee attributes M.B.A. and career experience into fund- Each participant creates an individu- capacity, she can help the new participants her success to ing, building and marketing Julianna Rae. al plan of action designed to bring positive grow. “If I can be of any help to them in A ‘doorbell friendly’ Juli both having “A business school education definitely led change to the campus community. The their quest to learn more about them- Lee design for Julianna identified an to my creating a more efficient product- plan is then carried out during the follow- selves, so much the better,” she said. Rae. untapped mar- development cycle,” she says. PAGE 8 January 24, 2007 HUMANITIES MIT Tech Talk ‘Heart of MIT’ opens in Compton Gallery

Donna Coveney of the MIT News Office has photographed the daily routines, special celebrations, noted visitors and community events of the Institute for the past 20 years. Her images of MIT have appeared in Tech Talk, on the News Office web site and in countless publications around the world. “The Heart of MIT: Twenty Years of Photography by Donna Coveney,” a retrospective showing both black and white and color photographs, opens on Monday, Jan. 29, in the Compton Gallery. “I really like having the opportunity to spend time with some of the most interesting people on the planet and having them invite me to come play in their sandbox,” said Coveney. Faculty, students and staff are doing “great things—designing inex- pensive water filters and better wheelchairs or discovering a way to stop bleeding in 15 seconds. People all over MIT are doing amazing things to make life better for all of us and having fun meeting the chal- lenges in the bargain,” the photographer said. The gallery is located in Room 10-150 and the exhibition will be on view Jan. 29 to Sept. 30. Hours are weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cynthia Breazeal, MIT Media Lab, faces Kismet, a robot that mimics emotion (2000). PHOTOS / DONNA COVENEY

The Dalai Lama poses with members of the MIT Police Department. They are (from left): Journalist Gwen Ifill, who delivered the keynote speech at the annual Martin Luther Sgt. Craig Martin, Sgt. Cheryl Vossmer, Sgt. Richard Sullivan, Det. Sgt. Mary Beth Riley, King Jr. breakfast two years ago, shares conversation with Ayanna Samuels, a Deputy Chief John Driscoll, Patrol Officer Bob Wilcox, Officer Billy Boulter (kneeling), graduate student in aerospace engineering and the Technology and Policy Program Sgt. Janet Colwell-Popp, Lt. Al Pierce (rear) and Det. Jay Perault (2003). (2005).

NANOCOMPOSITE Continued from Page 5 ing a structure much like the jumble that results when you try to stuff matches back into a matchbox after they have all spilled out. Instead of a neatly packed arrangement, the process results in a very disorderly “jammed” structure, accord- ing to McKinley. Consequently the nanocomposite materi- al is reinforced in every direction and the material exhib- its very little distortion even when heated to temperatures above 150 degrees Celsius. In a Nature Materials commentary that accompanied the research paper, Evangelos Manias, professor of mate- rials science and engineering at the University of Penn- sylvania, suggests that “molecular composites” such as those developed by the MIT group are especially suit- able for new lightweight membranes and gas barriers, because the hard clay structure provides extra mechani- cal support and prevents degradation of the material even at high temperatures. One possible use for such barriers is in fuel cells. The U.S. military is interested in such materials for use in possible applications such as tear-resistant films or other body-armor components. The military is also inter- ested in thinner, stronger packaging films for soldiers’ MREs (meals ready to eat) to replace the thick and bulky packaging now used. Fabric companies have also expressed interest in the new materials, which can be used to make fibers similar to stretchy compounds such as nylon or Lycra®. The new approach to making nanocomposites can also be applied MIT engineers have produced a new strong, stretchy nano- A zoomed view of a bright, ordered domain in the nano- to biocompatible polymers and could be used to make composite material. This micrograph shows the results of composite. Upon heating to temperatures above 120 stents and other biomedical devices, McKinley said. tensile stretching: The unstretched region (above grip line) degrees Celsius, the bright domains disappear. But upon The research was funded by the U.S. Army through exhibits bright domains, indicating order and alignment of annealing the material at 60 degrees Celsius for 68 hours, MIT’s Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies and by the the polyurethane and nano-clay. Upon stretching, the dark, the bright domains re-appear. The image width is 0.18 milli- National Science Foundation. McKinley’s team was assist- disorganized polymer chains become aligned and brighten meters. ed by technical staff at the ISN, including research engi- in color due to polymer alignment, while the bright ordered neer Steven Kooi, who helped prepare special samples for domains become disordered or darken (below grip line). transmission electron microscopy. The image width is 0.48 millimeters. IMAGES COURTESY / McKINLEY LABORATORY