Saudi Crown Prince Visits MIT Media Lab, Secrecy and Rigid Security
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WEATHER, p. 2 MIT’s Oldest and THU: 44°F | 27°F Largest Newspaper Sunny FRI: 46°F | 37°F Chance rain and snow thetech.com SAT: 40°F | 28°F Chance rain and snow Established 1881 Volume 138, Number 8 Th ursday, April 5, 2018 Saudi crown prince visits MIT Media Lab, secrecy and rigid security surround his arrival Protesters call for MIT, Reif to cancel visit, citing Saudi involvement in Yemeni humanitarian crisis By Jessica Shi 24 as part of an “ongoing collabora- development of sustainable energy,” NEWS EDITOR tion” between MIT and several Saudi Allen continued. “Saudi Aramco is a Arabian entities, specifi cally King Ab- founding member of the MIT Energy Mohammed bin Salman, the dulaziz City for Science and Technol- Initiative.” crown prince of Saudi Arabia, visited ogy, King Abdullah University of Sci- Leaders at the forum included MIT March 24 as one of the stops on ence and Technology (KAUST), and MIT President L. Rafael Reif and his fi rst offi cial tour of the U.S. the General Authority of Small and Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry, “His Royal Highness Crown Medium Enterprises. and Mineral Resources Khalid Al- Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s “Saudi Arabia and MIT have a Falih. Collaborative agreements on visit today in Greater Boston focused longstanding collaborative relation- various research initiatives, such as on nurturing ties between the private ship focused on subjects of mutual those Allen listed, were signed by sector and academia of the two na- interest,” Kimberly Allen, director of the participants and “inaugurated tions,” according to a press release by media relations and deputy director by the Crown Prince,” according to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia’s of MIT News, wrote in an email to the press release. Information Offi ce. Th e T ech . Th e Saudi Embassy also tweeted Th e prince’s visit was in conjunc- Th is includes “creating oppor- that the prince toured an innovation tion with the second annual Innova- tunities for post-doctoral Saudi exhibition at MIT that showcased COURTESY OF MALTE AHRENS tion to Impact forum, which was held women scientists and engineers to Many Media Lab event attendees accompanied Mohammed bin at the Samberg Center in E52 March study at MIT” and “supporting the Saudi, Page 2 Salman as he exited the building. Bertschinger to step down as ICEO Food insecurity working group Ed Bertschinger, the Institute the quality of and access to data Community and Equity Offi cer, around many measures of di- proposes low-cost grocery store is stepping down after fi ve years versity at MIT. A search has be- in the role. As ICEO, Bertsch- gun for a replacement, who will inger fostered discussions about be selected from current MIT Other recommendations include improving Costco shuttle sensitive issues and improved faculty. system, establishing contracts with grocery delivery services By Kaitlyn Hennacy gry at least once in the previous week and work rather than get food.’” Da- due to a lack of money for food. vid Randall, chair of the FISWG, said IN SHORT Th e Food Insecurity Solutions However, the FISWG found that in an interview with Th e T ech . Ty Dolla ign will perform at SpringFEST April , the UA Events Working Group (FISWG) proposed the fi nancial barrier is just one part Lack of education about cooking Committee revealed Tuesday night. Tickets are now available at tickets. a low-cost grocery store as one solu- of a complex issue.Th e report states aff ordable, healthy meals is another mit.edu. tion to aid students who face food in- that “some students miss meals be- problem that contributes to food security in a recent report posted on cause they are working or involved in insecurity, according to the report. CPW is ursday, April through Sunday, April . the Division of Student Life website activities and do not have the time to “When you talk to students and you in late March. seek out aff ordable food options on ask them, ‘Do you know how to cook Drop date is April . Chancellor Cynthia Barnhart PhD or around campus.” for yourself?’ and then ‘Do you know ’88 and Vice President and Dean for Th e FISWG also noted that the how to cook for yourself economi- Summer housing applications opened March . Students who submit Student Life Suzy Nelson created the distance between dining halls and cally and nutritiously?’ students say after April will automatically be placed on a waiting list. FISWG to investigate the issue of food main campus is another factor that that’s hard for them. So you hear insecurity on campus. Th e group met limits accessibility to food. about students who cook ramen or Send news and tips to [email protected]. throughout the fall semester and IAP “[Students are] making a choice. mac-and-cheese. Th ey cook less to review survey data, consult mem- Do I take 15 minutes to take a break nutritious food options because bers of the MIT community, and fi - from work to get food, or do I con- they’re cheaper,” Randall said. nally come up with a proposal. tinue working? And because many of Th e report suggested a low- An update on Designing In the 2017 Student Quality of Life the food options are on the west side cost grocery store located on cam- Survey, about 10 percent of students of campus, students are making the the First Year course indicated that they went to bed hun- decision that ‘I’m just going to stay Food, Page 2 Waitz: student input critical to this ‘really MIT launches task force to address the future of work di cult organizational change process’ MIT’s new Task Force on of today’s jobs potentially be- Th is conscious shaping of the the Work of the Future seeks to ing outsourced to machines and future of work will also involve By Jocasta Manasseh-Lewis along the way,” Vice Chancellor Ian understand and shape the job computers due to advances in adjusting educational tech- STAFF REPORTER Waitz said in an interview with Th e market for the next generation of artifi cial intelligence. niques to prepare students for Tech . employees. Th e task force also aims to the new kinds of jobs they may In Designing the First Year Last fall, Waitz organized a team Th e task force is a research help shape the interconnected encounter in the future, accord- (DFY) at MIT, a new class this se- of 20 people who met twice a week team of over twenty students development of technology and ing to their website. mester, students and faculty are in order to design the class. Waitz and faculty members from both the workplace, explained task Th e initiative is projected to tasked with restructuring the fi rst- commented that he focused on engineering and social science force Chair David Mindell. Th ey last two and a half years, MIT year experience. incorporating student input into fi elds. Th eir research is intended not only want to predict how News reports. Th e task force Th e aims of the class are to “un- this “really diffi cult organizational to address the changing nature the job market may change with plans to provide updates to the derstand the needs for the fi rst change process.” of the job market due to rapid new technologies, but also help Institution through periodic con- year and what should we change Waitz compared the class’s ef- technological development, ac- to shape their development in a ferences and presentations, as to make it better; to apply rigorous forts with the eff orts of a typical cording to a press release from way that preserves the value of well as publish a book when the design frameworks to help gener- faculty committee — the usual way MIT News. Th is is in response human input and allows for so- research has concluded. ate really good ideas for change, of approaching this kind of institu- to public concerns about many cially conscious job evolution. —Christina Warren both big and small; and to engage the community in that discussion First Year, Page 3 SELECTIVE YAAS QUEEN GREAT SCOT! COMMITMENT SECTIONS Opinion . .4 “With drag, you can be who you want to be. Craig Thorburn ’18 MORALIZING ISSUES? Campus Life . .5 You can create your own narrative.” ARTS, p. 6 on starting Burns MIT’s silence on war and Look no further. Auntie Arts . .6 Supper and more. exploitation reveals that WHO LET THE DOGS OUT? Matter on polyamory. Fun Pages . .9 convenience is central to CAMPUS LIFE, p. 5 CAMPUS LIFE, p. 5 its ethics. OPINION, p. 4 Wes Anderson’s take on the ruff life. ARTS, p. 8 2 The Tech Thursday, April 5, 2018 WEATHER 130°W 125°W 120°W 115°W 110°W 105°W 100°W 95°W 90°W 85°W 80°W 75°W 70°W 65°W 60°W Winter still holding on 40°N By Jordan Benjamin ing east through the mid-Atlantic STAFF METEOROLOGIST states and offshore could bring several inches of snow to either After a period of several beau- the mid-Atlantic or the North- 35°N tiful, warmer days, the weather east. However, as it is April, it has again taken a colder turn. A would be difficult to get accumu- strong cold front pushed through lating snow during the daytime. the eastern U.S. yesterday, bring- It may not seem like it yet, but 30°N ing yet another cold airmass spring is certainly on our door- 1010 down from Canada into the con- step.