February 8, 2006 Techtalk S ERVING T HE M I T C OMMUNITY

Volume 50 – Number 16 Wednesday – February 8, 2006 TechTalk S ERVING T HE M I T C OMMUNITY

Researchers fired up over new battery New sensor Deborah Halber and associate director of the Laboratory for Electro- News Office Correspondent magnetic and Electronic Systems; John G. Kassakian, EECS professor and director of LEES; and Ph.D. can- makes splash didate Riccardo Signorelli are using nanotube struc- Just about everything that runs on batteries — tures to improve on an energy storage device called flashlights, cell phones, electric cars, missile-guidance an ultracapacitor. systems — would be improved with a better energy Capacitors store energy as an electrical field, counting fish supply. But traditional batteries haven’t progressed making them more efficient than standard batter- far beyond the basic design developed by Alessandro ies, which get their energy from chemical reactions. Anne Trafton Volta in the 19th century. Ultracapacitors are capacitor-based storage cells that News Office Until now. provide quick, massive bursts of instant energy. They Work at MIT’s Laboratory for Electromagnetic and are sometimes used in fuel-cell vehicles to provide an Electronic Systems (LEES) holds out the promise of extra burst for accelerating into traffic and climbing the first technologically significant and economically hills. Researchers at MIT have found a new way of look- viable alternative to conventional batteries in more However, ultracapacitors need to be much larger ing beneath the ocean surface that could help definitively than 200 years. determine whether fish populations are shrinking. Joel E. Schindall, the Bernard Gordon Professor of See BATTERY A remote sensor system developed by Associate Pro- Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) fessor Nicholas Makris of mechanical engineering, along Page 5 with others at MIT, Northeastern University and the Naval Research Laboratory, allows scientists to track enormous fish populations, or shoals, as well as small schools, over a 10,000-square-kilometer area — a vast improvement over conventional technology that can survey only about 100 square meters at a time. “We’re able to see for the first time what a large group of fish looks like,” said Makris, who compared the dramat- ic improvement to the difference between seeing everything on a television screen and seeing only one pixel. The new sensor system, described in the Feb. 3 issue of Science, could allow government agencies to figure out what’s really happening to fish populations, which many environmentalists and scientists believe are in rapid decline. “The world’s fish stocks are being depleted at a hor- rible rate,” said Makris, who attributed declining populations to overfishing, a problem that has been abetted by inaccurate fish counts. “One of the reasons (for the inaccurate counts) is the darkness in the ocean. You don’t know what’s going on.” Current surveying methods depend on highly localized observations taken from slow-moving research vessels, which provide only a small amount of data about a large shoal, Makris said. “It would be like watching ‘Casablanca’ and you’re seeing one pixel moving across the screen, and that’s all you get. You can’t figure out what’s going on, it’s way too slow,” he said. Both the new and old methods rely on sonar, which locates objects by bouncing sound waves off of them. With the old technique, survey vessels send high-frequency PHOTO / MATT GRUND sonar beams into the ocean, where they dissipate much Treasures of the deep like the light from a flashlight shining into a darkened room. MIT researchers were among a team of scientists who used an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to take In contrast, the new system uses low-frequency sonar images of an ancient shipwreck off the coast of Chios, Greece, last July. Pictured recovering the AUV are, from that can travel much greater distances and still return use- left, Kostas Katsaros and Aggellos Malios from the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research and Chris Roman from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Story, additional photos on Page 4. See FISH Page 5 New images capture virus in extraordinary detail Anne Trafton never see the details of that aspect of it,” said To create the detailed images, the News Office Jonathan King, an MIT professor of biology researchers photographed about 15,000 and one of the authors of the paper. virus particles and ran them through a com- The researchers, led by Wen Jiang and plex computer program that compared the Fifty years after MIT researchers pio- Wah Chiu of the National Center for Mac- photographs and constructed a 3-D model neered the use of electron microscopy to romolecular Imaging at Baylor College of based on common features shared by the study viruses, MIT scientists have helped Medicine, focused on viruses that infect bac- images. produce the most detailed images yet of the teria, known as bacteriophages. Their paper The researchers also improved image tiny infectious agents. diagrams the structure of a virus that infects quality by rapidly freezing the viruses before The images, which show for the first time Salmonella bacteria. photographing them. The amorphous ice a virus poised to inject its genetic material The photographs clearly show a long coil that forms as a result of the rapid freezing into a host cell, grace the cover of the Feb. 2 of DNA dangling inside the viral shell, wait- protects and preserves the virus structure, issue of Nature. ing to be ejected via a protein channel just unlike regular crystallized ice, King said. IMAGE COURTESY / WAH CHIU Scientists have known for decades that inside the shell exterior. This project builds on a long legacy of Structure of a virus that infects viruses infect cells by injecting their genetic “Now you can see the end of the DNA. Salmonella. One end of the DNA material, either DNA or RNA, into host cells, You can see the cylinder holding it, poised to See VIRUS genome (blue) is poised for injection but even with electron microscopy, “we could go into the cell,” said King. Page 6 into a host cell. PEOPLE NEWS RESEARCH

NEW VICE PRESIDENT IN THE SWIM FUEL FROM GRASS Kirk D. Kolenbrander, senior advisor to the president, The colorful fish An Energy Research Council talk explores the has been named vice president for Institute affairs. mobiles in the Stata potential for biomass as an energy source. Page 2 Center carry serious Page 4 TOP SCHOLAR messages about water ENERGY OPTIONS quality. Grad student John Velasco is the first MIT student to Students research biodiesel and wind projects receive the George J. Mitchell Scholarship. Page 5 during an IAP seminar on climate change policy in Page 3 Cambridge. Page 4 PAGE 2 February 8, 2006 PEOPLE MIT Tech Talk Kirk Kolenbrander named VP for Institute affairs President Susan Hockfield yesterday to our community has been the administration of the tion, and it is an honor to succeed her in announced that Kirk D. Kolenbrander, recognized by Institute-wide full range of its operations these roles.” senior advisor to the president, has been awards for distinction in including membership, quar- Hockfield has also announced that a named vice president for Institute affairs. undergraduate teaching and terly meetings, standing search will soon begin to fill a new posi- He has also been nominated to become for contributions to student committees and the activities tion in the administration: vice president the new secretary of the Corporation, life.” of 30 visiting committees. He for external relations. “This individual will replacing Kathryn A. Willmore, who will Kolenbrander has served is also expected to serve as take a leading role in coordinating MIT’s step down from that post and from the as senior advisor to the presi- secretary of the Executive communications with external constituen- vice presidency at the end of the academic dent, acting as chief of staff Committee, and in that role cies and audiences including government year. and policy advisor, since manage the flow of issues and the media,” she said. The Executive Committee of the Cor- December 2004. and decisions between the Kolenbrander, who came to MIT poration last week unanimously approved As vice president for administration and trustees. as a faculty member in the Department Kolenbrander’s appointment and voted to Institute affairs, Kolen- “Over the course of my of Materials Science and Engineering in recommend his election as secretary to brander will have overall time here, I have truly fallen 1990, moved into the chancellor’s office in the full Corporation. His nomination will responsibility for MIT’s in love with MIT,” Kolen- 1998, serving as associate dean and then be brought to the trustees’ quarterly meet- internal communications Kirk Kolenbrander brander said. “It is a great interim dean for student life. He became ing in March. activities and for coordina- privilege to have this new special assistant to the president and the He is slated to assume both positions tion of policy issues within the senior opportunity to serve the Institute, and to chancellor in 2001, before taking on his on July 1. administration. work with President Hockfield and the present position. “Kirk has demonstrated a deep com- Conference Services, Special Events, chairman of the Corporation, Dr. Dana Kolenbrander holds a B.A. in chemistry mitment to MIT during his 16 years the Information Center, the Publishing G. Mead. The shared focus of these new from Central College in Pella, Iowa, and here,” Hockfield said in her announce- Services Bureau and the Reference Publi- responsibilities is the wonderful people received the Ph.D. in chemistry from the ment, which was sent to the community cations Office will report to him. of the MIT community — trustees, fac- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign by e-mail. “He draws on wide-ranging As secretary of the Corporation, he ulty, students and staff alike. I have been in 1988. experience as both an administrator and would be ex officio a member of the fortunate to learn much from Kathryn Kolenbrander and his wife, Terri, and a member of the faculty, and his service board of trustees. He would oversee Willmore since I joined the administra- their two daughters live in Belmont. Ambassador SHASS names from Saudi 31 students as Burchard scholars

Arabia set Thirty-one sophomores and juniors have been selected as Burchard Schol- ars in the School of Humanities, Arts and to give talk Social Sciences (SHASS) for 2006. The awards, named after the school’s Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s first dean, John Ely Burchard, are given ambassador to the United States, will pres- to students who demonstrate unusual ent a talk, “Saudi Arabia and the Global abilities and academic excellence in the Community,” at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. areas embraced by the school. According 16, in Bartos Theater. to Kenan Sahin Dean Philip S. Khoury, The event is a special Starr Forum, co-founder of the Burchard Program and hosted by the Center for International chair of the selection committee, the stu- Studies and moderated by Institute Profes- dents selected in the 20th year of competi- sor John Deutch. tion for the awards “are from exciting and Prince Turki, 61, has held several diverse backgrounds and are a remarkable national and international leadership and group of gifted young scholars.” diplomatic roles. PHOTO / L. BARRY HETHERINGTON The Burchard Scholars and a rotating A member of the Saudi royal family, group of faculty will be invited to a series he was appointed an advisor to the Royal On plane to Spain of dinners, beginning this month, at which Court in 1973. He advanced to serve as an MIT faculty member or visiting scholar The first five students to participate in the new MIT-Madrid Undergraduate Program director general of the kingdom’s main will present work in progress, followed by sponsored by the Study Abroad Office left for Spain on Sunday, Feb. 5, to begin foreign intelli- a discussion. their semester overseas. They are, from left, sophomore Nicole Koulisis, junior Maria gence service, This will allow students and faculty mem- Elisa Rossi, junior Heather Coffin, sophomore Manisha Manmohan and junior Devan the General bers to mix and will give students an oppor- Kestel. Intelligence tunity to engage in the kind of intellectual Directorate, exchange that characterizes scholarship in from 1977 to the humanities, arts, and social sciences. 2001. In addition to Khoury, the selection Prince Turki committee consisted of Professors Mar- received wide Carter to lead Engineering Outreach gery Resnick of foreign languages and lit- media attention eratures and the new director of the Bur- in 1998 when he Anne Trafton experience in business and informa- chard Scholars Program; Deborah Fitzger- sought unsuc- News Office tion technology, said Dean of the School ald of science, technology and society and cessfully to of Engineering Thomas Magnanti, who associate dean of SHASS; John Hildebidle have Osama bin announced the appointment in late January. of literature; Thomas Levenson of writing Prince Turki Laden, whom Dedric A. Carter has been named the Carter participated in the 1993 MITES and humanistic studies; Lowell Lindgren he had met in new executive director of the School of summer program, which is part of the of music and theater arts; Roger Petersen the 1980s, extradited from Afghanistan to Engineering’s Engineering Outreach Pro- Engineering Outreach Program. The out- of political science; and Janet Sonenberg Saudi Arabia. gram, effective April 1, 2006. reach program also includes the Saturday of music and theater arts. In 2002, he was appointed ambassador Carter will replace Karl Reid, who Engineering Enrichment and Discovery The Burchard Scholars are: to the United Kingdom, and in 2005, he became director of the Office of Minority (SEED) Academy and Science Technology Juniors: Dhruvatej Boddupalli, Kimber- was appointed ambassador to the United Education and assistant to the chancellor Engineering Math (STEM), a program for ly K. Boddy, Tabitha F. Bonilla, Waseem S. States. and associate dean for undergraduate edu- Boston middle school students. Daher, Jacqueline J. Greene, Daphne Hao, Prince Turki speaks frequently on cation last fall. “Dedric’s experience in developing edu- Lori B. Huberman, Minyoung Jang, Silpa relations between Saudi Arabia and other Carter was a member of the MIT Cor- cational training programs, his deep under- Kaza, Sophie F. Rapoport, Lyel L. Resner, nations, on terrorism and on developments poration from 2000 to 2005 and currently standing of the issues, and his passion for Earl Taylor Roan, Shyamli Sinha, Gerardo within Saudi Arabia. serves on the visiting committees for the improving K-12 education in the U.S. will Trejo, Xiaolu (Erin) Wei, Stella D. Young. In a major 2005 speech, he described Engineering Systems Division and for be critical as we grow and improve our Sophomores: Jean Chang, Gayle J. oil as a “strategic global commodity, vital music and theater arts. He is also a mem- outreach activities,” Magnanti said. Denman, Irene Fan, Michael S. Fleder, to world economic stability. The kingdom’s ber of the board of directors of the MIT Magnanti also thanked Reid for his work Molly M. Jabas, Itamar Kimchi, Erqi Liu, commitment to maintaining balance in this Club of Washington, D.C. in the outreach program. “We are grateful Sean C. Morton, Caroline E. Rubin, Ellen market is an intrinsic part of its commitment Carter, who holds an S.B. and M.Eng. that Karl plans to maintain a strong connec- E. Sojka, Marie Y. Thibault, Samantha F. to fairly playing its part in world affairs.” (1999) in electrical engineering and com- tion to the school and our students, advis- Weiss, Ali S. Wyne, George S. Zaidan, Eliz- — Sarah H. Wright puter science from MIT, has 10 years of ing, motivating and inspiring us all,” he said. abeth R. Zhang.

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Permission is granted to excerpt or reprint any Printed on recycled paper Communications Assistant ...... Heather Manning Editorial/Production Assistant ...... Anne Trafton material originated in Tech Talk. MIT Tech Talk PEOPLE February 8, 2006 PAGE 3 Professor sizes up competition in new book Sarah H. Wright International Science and Technology elsewhere to conduct 700 interviews. A k i n t u n d e News Office Initiatives (MISTI), is the lead author of “As far as I know, this is the first large- (Tayo) Akin- “How We Compete.” scale analysis of globalization that starts wande, pro- Berger and the MIT team examined with a view from the trenches — the peo- fessor of American companies will find the ave- businesses where technology changes ple under great pressure to respond to electrical nues to success in the global economy rapidly, such as electronics, and more tra- new challenges in hundreds of companies engineering both wider and less dependent on cheap ditional sectors, such as automobiles and around the world. Using this bottom-up and computer labor than media reports suggest, accord- textiles. Their global sample of company approach, we have tried to figure out how science; Rich- ing to a new book based on an MIT study strategies came from Apple, Cisco, Dell, much choice remains in a world under glo- ard K. Lester, of 500 international companies. Liz Claiborne, the Gap, Benetton, Sony balization,” Berger writes. professor of The book, “How We Compete: What and many others; the team visited coun- As for competition through ever- nuclear engi- Suzanne Berger Companies Around the World Are Doing tries throughout the world. decreasing wages, the team found that to neering and to Make It In Today’s Global Economy,” “We wanted to understand how global- be a counterproductive choice, one that director of the Industrial Performance summarizes five years of international ization is changing our society and econ- ends in “competitive jungles where victo- Center; Charles Sodini, professor of elec- research by 13 social scientists and engi- omy and what we can do about it,” Berger ries are vanishingly thin,” the book states. trical engineering and computer science; neers at the MIT Industrial Performance writes in a preview of the five-year MIT “The activities that succeed over time are and Edward S. Steinfeld, associate profes- Center. Globalization Study — a study that took those that build on continuous learning sor of political science. Suzanne Berger, who is the Raphael the 13-member team on a journey through and innovation.” The MIT Commission on Industrial Dorman and Helen Starbuck Professor of the United States, Mexico, France, Ger- Other MIT faculty on the MIT Indus- Productivity produced the “Made In Amer- Political Science and director of the MIT many, Romania, China, Taiwan, Japan and trial Performance Research Team include ica” study in 1989. Student leader Velasco earns Mitchell Scholarship Sasha Brown “He’s a creative thinker, an outstanding News Office communicator and an organized presence in what is often a chaotic business,” said Assistant Dean Sally Susnowitz, director of Political science graduate student John the Public Service Center. Velasco, a well-known campus leader, has “John demonstrates the power of com- become the first MIT student to receive bining humanitarianism and practical the George J. Mitchell Scholarship, which knowledge with exceptional talents,” Sus- will provide him with one year of graduate nowitz said. work in Ireland. Reaching beyond school is what edu- Currently enrolled in the five-year S.B. cation is all about, said Velasco, who and S.M. program in political science at describes MIT as a school that is “not just MIT, Velasco will earn a second master’s about the academics.” degree in international studies at the Uni- Velasco has been involved in diverse versity of Limerick during the 2006-2007 projects. During the 2004 presidential elec- school year. tion, he traveled to Cleveland as part of the The Mitchell Scholarship program “Race at Case,” taking part in a national started in 1998 with an endowment from student debate that aired on CNN and C- the Irish government. The award recog- Span one night before the national vice nizes outstanding young Americans by presidential debate. funding a year of study at universities in In August 2003 Velasco traveled to Scot- Ireland and Northern Ireland. Velasco is land for a month to serve as an MIT stu- one of 12 scholars nationwide to receive dent representative to the Cambridge-MIT the 2006-2007 award. Institute Enterprisers Program. Velasco’s combination of interests and In 2005, he spent two weeks in Haifa, involvement made him an ideal candidate Israel, as part of Hibur, a campus organi- for the Mitchell award, which seeks to zation that links MIT with the Technion– honor those who “exhibit superior records Israel Institute of Technology. Velasco of academic excellence, leadership and has also served as the campus liaison to public service,” according to the scholar- the American Israel Public Affairs Com- ship web site. mittee. A native of La Mesa, Calif., Velasco’s A leader on campus as well, Velasco work ethic was honed over years of chop- serves as a student representative to the ping, peeling and flipping in his family’s MIT Task Force on the Educational Com- restaurant. “I did a little bit of everything,” mons. Among other things, he hopes said Velasco with a laugh. to encourage more students to focus on The youngest of nine children and the study-abroad opportunities, he said. first in his family to finish college, Velasco Velasco also served a term as vice first learned of MIT through the Chicano president of the senior class in 2005. He Latino Youth Leadership Conference for took part in the MIT LeaderShape confer- young Latinos in California, and decided ence in 2004 and served as assistant facili- to apply “on a whim.” tator for the same conference last year. He decided to come east after his first Velasco plans to use his time in Ireland campus visit. “I had this magical feeling to observe the Irish education system the first time I walked into Lobby 7,” said firsthand. “They (the Irish) do a good job

Velasco, who said he was won over by PHOTO / L. BARRY HETHERINGTON of funding their education,” said Velasco. “the enthusiasm and drive of the people He said he is also looking forward to here.” John Velasco, who is in the last year of the five-year S.B. and S.M. program in political sci- exploring Ireland and traveling around Since 2003, Velasco has worked with ence at MIT, is the first MIT student chosen to receive the George J. Mitchell Scholarship. Europe. the MIT Public Service Center in many “It is a generous program,” Velasco said ways, serving as fellow, volunteer and with MIT students. Because of his work with imath, of the Mitchell scholarship, which pro- staff member. In 2003, he created a math Between 2003 and 2005, the program Velasco was one of five students honored vides tuition, room, board and stipends, outreach program called imath that links grew from two schools with 20 eighth nationwide with the Howard Swearer Stu- including one exclusively for travel. “I am Cambridge Public School eighth graders graders to five schools with 80 students. dent Humanitarian Award last year. really looking forward to it.” Student-founded Hibur connects MIT with Israeli university Sasha Brown over the years, but that “there were no then finally, groups from each university Joel Moses as well as Frederick Salvucci, a News Office institutional frameworks in place,” he said. visited the other’s campus. senior lecturer in the Center for Transpor- Kutnicki went to Israel on his own, MIT participants were matched with 14 tation and Logistics and the former Massa- but when he returned, he and co-found- Hibur members in Haifa. They exchanged chusetts secretary of transportation, and In Hebrew, the word “Hibur” means ers Maxim Shusteff (S.M. 2003) and Sam weekly e-mails, becoming friends through members of the Technion faculty. connection — an appropriate name for a Korb (S.B. 2005) sought funding for a pro- the exchange of ideas, photos and person- During the video conferences, MIT program designed to create a connection gram that would make it easier for future al anecdotes. students were able to sit facing a screen between MIT and the Technion–Israel students to study at the Technion and vice Sophomore Talia Gershon of materials showing the Technion students, with the Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel. versa. science and engineering played match- speaker in the middle. After months of Hibur: An MIT–Technion Link is an “Hibur really started as a grassroots maker, trying to connect students with corresponding via e-mail, “it was very MIT-Hillel-sponsored program started by effort,” said Kutnicki. similar interests. It was a success, she said. exciting to virtually meet,” said Miriam students last year. The three secured funding for Hibur’s “The relationships became more than just Rosenblum, Jewish chaplain and director “We see the Technion and MIT as a first year from the Combined Jewish Phi- professional.” of MIT Hillel. Rosenblum has served as perfect match,” said third-year electrical lanthropies Boston-Haifa Connection, Avi Kutnicki agreed. “There are a number advisor to Hibur. engineering and computer science major Chai Grants of International Hillel, MIT of people who are actually pretty good The conferences also afforded students Chaim Kutnicki, one of Hibur’s co-found- Hillel’s Israel Initiative and the Technion. friends now,” he said. and faculty a chance to glimpse the cut- ers. In its first year, 2005, the program Students and faculty used technology ting-edge research at each other’s schools. Kutnicki was interested in studying at attracted 18 MIT members, including both to deepen the bond, holding a series of “The presentations were fascinating the Technion following his freshman year graduate and undergraduate students. video lectures simultaneously in Haifa and and informative,” said Rosenblum, who at MIT. While exploring the possibility, he Over the course of the year, students Cambridge. found that many professors had formed bonded through a pen-pal program, video MIT speakers at the lectures included See HIBUR personal relationships with the Technion conferencing and conference calls and Institute Professors Robert Langer and Page 6 PAGE 4 February 8, 2006 RESEARCH MIT Tech Talk Speaker touts biomass potential IAP seminar Deborah Halber rier, he said. Lynd said that it is “likely that address last week. explores MIT’s News Office Correspondent cellulosic ethanol can eventually be pro- During the Industrial Revolution, duced on an unsubsidized basis at costs resources were plentiful and people comparable to the cost of gasoline produc- scarce. Now that the opposite is true, we energy options We’ll be filling our tanks with ethanol tion.” Among its benefits are essentially need a second Industrial Revolution to cre- made from prairie grass while producing zero net emissions of greenhouse gases ate the technology to fix the mess we’ve Deborah Halber no greenhouse gases and improving agri- and improved fertility from the carbon gotten ourselves into, Lynd said. News Office Correspondent cultural soil in the bargain, if Lee R. Lynd that switchgrass replaces in the soil as it “Our best chance of successfully navi- has his way. grows. gating the sustainable resource transi- Lynd, a professor of engineering and The researchers investigating biomass tion is based on aggressive and effec- Generating electricity from wind tur- biology at Dartmouth, spoke to an over- chose to focus on switchgrass, not corn tive efforts devoted to innovation and bines that look like rooftop box fans and flow crowd in Bartos Theater last week or soy, because food crops are not neces- increased resource utilization efficiency,” converting used cooking oil into biodie- about how to create an environmentally sarily the most productive energy sources. Lynd said. “Without both of these comple- sel fuel are among the energy innovations sustainable future by replacing fossil fuels Yet in future scenarios, Lynd said, farmers mentary strategies, we are far less likely to that MIT may pilot in the not-too-distant with biomass-derived fuels for transporta- would rotate switchgrass with food crops. be successful in this endeavor.” future. tion. “In my view, people have underesti- Biomass conversion to fuel depends On Feb. 2, for the fourth Independent Lynd spoke on “The Role of Biomass mated the importance of biomass in the on fermentation and hydrolysis, among Activities Period (IAP) in a row, students in America’s Energy Future,” presenting context of using limited earth space to other techniques. Lynd said results would and instructors took part in a continuing results from an ongoing multi-institution produce human needs such as food and come faster with the help of genetically experiment in collaborative education project by the same name. The study is energy,” Lynd said. engineered plants. “This is a challenging involving the Laboratory for Energy and looking at two dozen scenarios in which Even if the United States and other job for metabolic engineering. That kind the Environment (LFEE), the Department biomass fuels could become cost-competi- countries embrace this vision as a goal, a of energy hasn’t been brought to this field, of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP) tive with gas over a range of oil and power lot will have to happen before it becomes but some really elegant things have been and the city of Cambridge. prices. a reality. Continued technological innova- done in pharmaceuticals. If we’ve done In 2002, the Cambridge City Council The mass energy yield of oil is very tion to make biomass more productive, that, we can do this.” adopted a plan to reduce in-city green- high, almost 80 units per 100 processed. coupled with new, highly efficient vehicles Lynd noted that “there are also very house gas emissions to 20 percent below “To make a serious dent in oil refining, and farmers agreeing to grow switchgrass important questions about effective policy 1990 levels by 2010. This year, five stu- the results would have to be impressive,” or other “energy crops” as part of the over- formulation and the willingness of society dents from MIT and Wellesley researched Lynd said. all agricultural system, would all be nec- to make the changes needed to accommo- biodiesel and wind projects during a Cellulosic ethanol produced from native essary for a transition from fossil fuels to date this, or any other, path to a sustain- monthlong seminar. The projects could be prairie perennial switchgrass, plus agri- biomass fuels. able and secure energy future.” piloted at MIT and applied throughout the cultural forestry and municipal residues And this is for an alternative fuel that Lynd’s talk was the second in a series such as wood chips and paper sludge, has rarely gets lip service, although Lynd of colloquia sponsored by MIT’s Energy See ENERGY the greatest potential to become a viable pointed out that President Bush men- Research Council and the Laboratory for primary transportation sector energy car- tioned biomass in his State of the Union Energy and the Environment. Page 6 Deep-sea robot photographs ancient Greek shipwreck Deborah Halber News Office Correspondent

Sometime in the fourth century B.C., a Greek merchant ship sank off Chios and the Oinoussai islands in the eastern Aegean Sea. The wooden vessel may have succumbed to a storm or a fire, or maybe rough weather caused the cargo of 400 ceramic jars filled with wine and olive oil to shift without warning. The ship went down in 60 meters (about 200 feet) of water, where it remained unnoticed for centuries. The classical-era ship might never have divulged to archaeologists its clues to ancient Greek culture, except for a research team from MIT, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI), the Greek Ministry of Culture, and the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR). They used a novel autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to make a high- precision photometric survey of the site last July. Using techniques perfected by IMAGES / CHIOS 2005 SHIPWRECK SURVEY — WHOI, MIT and WHOI researchers over the past HELLENIC MINISTRY OF CULTURE: EPHORATE OF eight years, the robot accomplished in two UNDERWATER ANTIQUITIES, HELLENIC CENTER FOR This image shows a sample of the data collected by the SeaBed autonomous underwater MARINE RESEARCH days what would have taken divers years vehicle as it swam over the Chios shipwreck in July 2005. The 3-D color mesh represents of effort. a topographic map of the sea floor, created using data collected by multibeam sonar. The Detail from photomosaic strip showing Last week the researchers released a brown strip shows the area captured in digital images, which were used to create the pho- ancient ceramic storage jars at the Chios few of the photographs showing detailed tomosaic of the wreck. shipwreck site. images of some of the remnants of the ship’s cargo lying on the ocean floor, where it’s been since about 350 B.C. The WHOI archaeologists and engineers archaeologists will be freed from mun- The new research project will last 10 researchers took more than 7,000 images, are assembling those images into mosa- dane measuring and sketching tasks, and years or more, focusing on uncovering which will eventually be combined into ics that depict the minute features of the instead can concentrate on the things evidence of ancient trade in the Mediter- one mosaic of the entire wreck site. shipwreck with unmatched clarity and people do better than robots: excavation ranean, particularly of the Minoan and The project marks the beginning of a detail. and data interpretation,” said Singh, an Mycenaean cultures and their trading long-term research project of the MIT/ The Chios wreck is playing a critical engineering and imaging scientist. “With partners in the Bronze Age (2500-1200 WHOI team collaborating with the Greek role in exploring how advanced technology repeated performances, we’ll be able to B.C.). Ministry of Culture and HCMR. can dramatically change the field of under- survey shipwrecks faster and with great- “This was a home run for us,” Mindell The Deep Submergence Laboratory water archaeology. The long-term project er accuracy than ever before.” These said. “There’s a lot riding on it.” The team of WHOI has for years been a leader in is the brainchild of expedition co-leaders new techniques produce results very will be back in Greece to explore more building submersible robotic vehicles for Brendan Foley, a researcher at WHOI who quickly. wreck sites next season. a variety of underwater environments, is a 2003 Ph.D. graduate of MIT’s Program As soon as SeaBed surfaced with the “This is real research — slow, serious, including the ARGO vehicle that found in Science, Technology and Society (STS), first images from the Chios wreck, taken scientifically rigorous and painstaking the Titanic and the JASON II vehicle that and David Mindell, the Dibner Professor July 7 and 8, 2005, Foley and the Greek work,” Foley said. “It will go in strange explores the sea floor today. The robotic of the History of Engineering and Manu- archaeologists began interpreting the directions, produce ambiguous results vehicle used at Chios is an AUV called facturing and professor of engineering sys- data. along the way, and raise a lot of new ques- SeaBed. WHOI scientist Hanumant Singh tems at MIT. Much of the true value in cargo ships tions, but we’re convinced that in 10 to 15 and his research team designed and built Mindell develops high-precision sonar such as the Chios wreck is the informa- years, we will change history.” the AUV specifically for imaging the sea navigation systems that control undersea tion they provide about the networks that In addition to Foley, Mindell and floor. robots in very deep water to create the existed among the ancient Greeks and Singh, the American team for the Chios At Chios, Singh and his engineering world’s most accurate three-dimensional their trading partners. The wreck is “like expedition included Professor Brian Bing- team programmed SeaBed to run slow, maps of the ocean floor. Mindell and Foley a buried UPS truck. It provides a wealth ham from the Franklin W. Olin College of precise tracklines over the shipwreck site, founded MIT’s DeepArch research group, of information that helps us figure out net- Engineering; Richard Camilli, Ryan Eus- which had been located by a sonar scan which has been laying the intellectual, works based on the contents of the truck,” tice and Chris Roman from WHOI; and performed by the Greek Ministry of Cul- methodological and technical foundations said Mindell. Professor David C. Switzer from Plym- ture in 2004. for archaeology in the deep sea for the Foley, Mindell, Singh and their collabo- outh State University. The Greek science The AUV scanned the scattered cargo past eight years. rators are using the latest technology to and technical team was led by HCMR and created a topographical sonar map Robotic technology is the only way to create “ways of learning about the past geologist Dimitris Sakellariou. The Greek while collecting thousands of high-reso- reach deep shipwrecks like the one at that you couldn’t achieve any other way. archaeology team was headed by Kateri- lution digital images, without ever physi- Chios, but the systems can also be applied We’re not looking for footnotes any more. na Delaporta, director of the Ministry of cally touching the shipwreck. In all, 7,650 to shallower sites. We’re looking to write new chapters,” Culture’s Ephorate of Underwater Antiq- images were collected on four dives. “By using this technology, diving Foley said. uities. MIT Tech Talk NEWS February 8, 2006 PAGE 5

PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY Artist-in-residence Cindy Snodgrass shows off some painted fish that are part of her installation about water in the Stata Center. The exhibit is called ‘S.O.S.-Fish.’ Stata Center’s in the swim with instructive fish art Something fishy has been happening at Art Installation/Mentoring,” was also held the Stata Center. in the lobby. Undergraduates in that class Look up from the Student Street, and mentored children’s groups contributing to you’ll see brightly colored mobiles of the exhibit. fish, birds and turtles spinning in the air “S.O.S.-Fish” will remain on display currents, each mobile carrying a mes- until the first week in March. sage about water as a globally threatened “The fish make me smile every time resource. I go by them,” said Associate Professor Created by members of the MIT com- Daniela Rus, who works in Stata. “My little munity and others, under the direction of girls, 4 and 6, were really excited to have artist-in-residence Cindy Snodgrass, this a chance to paint a fish and they brought temporary installation, “S.O.S.-Fish,” is the safe water message to their respective designed to embody a simple message: schools.”

PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY “Water unites us. We are the quality of our Debra Kedian, who manages the Stata water,” Snodgrass said. Center space through the Campus Activi- Above, freshman Esther Chung of architecture and urban planning works on a fish late last Some of the messages on the fish ties Complex, said she has received con- month for the ‘S.O.S.-Fish’ installation at Stata. Below, an artist works on another fish for include, “Around the world, women and sistently positive feedback about the fish, the installation. children spend hours each day transport- with many remarking that the mobiles ing water from its sources to their homes”; have given a “real sense of life” to the “Air is water with holes in it”; and “The space. “Cindy’s work is deserving, and the largest monster in the world’s water closet more people who know, the greater hope is Abrupt Climate Change.” there is for a future full of clean water for Snodgrass, who said she thinks art can us all,” Kedian said. be an “engine of community, of discourse Snodgrass has received support from and of action,” said she hopes the take- the National Endowment for the Arts, the home message from the exhibit will be to Heinz Foundation and the Mid-Atlantic “research for yourself about water. What Arts Foundation, among others, and she comes out of your faucet is not all you has a distinguished international career of need to be looking at.” community environmental art (www.wind- “S.O.S-Fish” debuted at MIT during sphere.org). At MIT, her work has been the Alumni Association’s family week- sponsored by the Campus Activities Com- end in October, and the community and plex, the Edgerton Center and the Council passers-by have expanded the exhibit for the Arts at MIT. throughout its time at Stata. There have Snodgrass said she hopes to continue been a number of informal drop-in paint- to develop the fish-mobiles as “cultural and ing events in Stata’s Taiwan Semiconduc- environmental ambassadors for water.” tor Manufacturing Company Lobby, and Comments about the exhibit and quotes a lobby table is set up to invite passers- about water may be sent to SOSFish@mit. by to contribute facts and opinions about edu. water for the mobile’s informational This story was reported by Virginia Rich, “bubbles.” a graduate student in the Joint Program An Independent Activities Period with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Insti- PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY course, “Assist the Fish — Environmental tute. BATTERY Continued from Page 1 very large surface area. However, the FISH pores in the carbon are irregular in size Continued from Page 1 congregate in an hourglass pattern, than batteries to hold the same charge. and shape, which reduces efficiency. The also found among other animals, with The LEES invention would increase the vertically aligned nanotubes in the LEES ful information with signals far less a thin “bridge” connecting the two storage capacity of existing commercial ultracapacitor have a regular shape, and a intense. This effectively “illuminates” ends. The researchers also observed ultracapacitors by storing electrical fields size that is only several atomic diameters vast areas of the ocean, about a million that the same shapes seen in a small at the atomic level. in width. The result is a significantly more times larger than what could previously scale appear on larger scales — tens Although ultracapacitors have been effective surface area, which equates to be studied. The images can be updated of meters vs. tens of kilometers — dis- around since the 1960s, they are relatively significantly increased storage capacity. every minute, offering a chance to con- playing a fractal pattern. expensive. “This configuration has the potential to tinuously monitor the shoals as they Population density patterns could They have inherent advantages — a 10- maintain and even improve the high per- change in size and shape over time. be a means of communication, Makris year-plus lifetime, indifference to tempera- formance characteristics of ultracapacitors The new technology works best said. His team observed “waves” of ture change, high immunity to shock and while providing energy storage densities along the continental shelf, so the population density that spread quickly vibration, and high charging and discharg- comparable to batteries,” Schindall said. researchers focused their attention through a shoal. “We have a situation ing efficiency — but physical constraints “Nanotube-enhanced ultracapacitors would on the waters south of Long Island, where information can be very rapidly on electrode surface area and spacing have combine the long life and high power char- New York. When they first started, transmitted with these waves,” he said. limited ultracapacitors to an energy storage acteristics of a commercial ultracapacitor they weren’t looking for fish at all Co-authors on the paper are capacity around 25 times less than a simi- with the higher energy storage density — they wanted to see if their device Deanelle Symonds, Srinivasan Jagan- larly sized lithium-ion battery. normally available only from a chemical could locate ancient riverbeds under nathan and Sunwoong Lee of MIT’s The LEES ultracapacitor has the capac- battery.” the ocean floor. But when their recon- Center for Ocean Science and Engi- ity to overcome this energy limitation by This work was presented at the 15th naissance images did not match the neering; Purnima Ratilal of Northeast- using vertically aligned, single-wall car- International Seminar on Double Layer riverbeds, the researchers went back ern University; and Redwood Nero of bon nanotubes — one thirty-thousandth Capacitors and Hybrid Energy Stor- with a new approach, and determined the Naval Research Laboratory. the diameter of a human hair and 100,000 age Devices in Deerfield Beach, Fla., in that they were seeing fish — tens of The research was funded by the times as long as they are wide. How does December 2005. millions of fish. Office of Naval Research, the Alfred it work? Storage capacity in an ultracapaci- The work has been funded in part This marks the first time scien- P. Sloan Foundation and the National tor is proportional to the surface area of by the MIT/Industry Consortium on tists have been able to see the pat- Oceanographic Partnership Program, the electrodes. Today’s ultracapacitors use Advanced Automotive Electrical/Electron- terns formed by large fish popula- and is a contribution to the Census of electrodes made of activated carbon, which ic Components and Systems and in part by tions. Makris found that fish often Marine Life. is extremely porous and therefore has a a grant from the Ford-MIT Alliance. PAGE 6 February 8, 2006 NEWS MIT Tech Talk IAP class offers help to campus leaders ENERGY Continued from Page 4 Sasha Brown ter, was to teach students the practical Service, spoke about why that group fold- News Office skills they need to lead organizations ed in 2001. Joost Bonsen (S.B. 1992 and city if successful. effectively. S.M. 2001), a former leader of the 50K “This initiative uses the creativity and “There are many leadership learning competition, talked about why the 50K energy of the students to investigate a When Jordan Fabyanske was elected opportunities,” said Lehrich. “But one continues to thrive. local response to one of the city’s most vice president of the InterFraternity Coun- thing people were really looking for was Bonsen encouraged the students gath- prominent environmental goals: climate cil in late 2004, he found he had a lot to an opportunity to apply classroom lessons ered in E51-335 to “keep the big picture in protection,” said “Energy and Climate in learn. “There was a lot I wished I’d known to their current life.” mind,” when transitioning out of an orga- Cambridge” co-instructor Beth Conlin, before coming into office,” he said. Offered in six 90-minute sessions, the nization. “Take pleasure and joy in other LFEE education program coordinator. He ended up filling a journal with the class drew roughly 25 student leaders people’s success,” he said. The students’ proposals would pro- “practical lessons” he gained as vice presi- from several graduate and undergraduate For students, whose lives are in flux totype energy technology on campus for dent, and it grew to be 100 pages long. organizations. The classes focused on the and who typically only spend four years as possible use in the wider community. Eventually, he started to think about ways skills that make an individual a leader, as undergraduates at MIT, the transitions are Wind turbines that perch on the edge of a he — and others like him — might use well as ways to recruit and engage future key to maintaining an organization, said roof would work best on the Green Build- those lessons. leaders. They talked about marketing Fabyanske. “One of the main goals [of the ing, Johnson Athletic Center, the Wood After meeting with MIT Leadership ideas and how to mobilize group members IAP course] was to offer something practi- Sailing Pavilion or the Pierce Boathouse, Center Director Mary Schaefer and Asso- to take a personal interest in the organiza- cal,” he said. reported first-year student Jing Han. Han ciate Director Jonathan Lehrich, Fabyan- tion. The class was considered a great suc- investigated a product called Architectural ske, now a senior, launched a pilot Inde- The final class discussed how to make a cess and may be offered next year for Wind being developed by AeroVironment pendent Activities Period (IAP) course, leadership transition — bringing new lead- credit, said Lehrich. of Monrovia, Calif. “Leading and Changing Campus Organi- ers onboard while maintaining the integ- “My hope is that you will empower your “For the wind project, we are seeking a zations,” which was held for the first time rity of the organization. emerging leaders,” Fabyanske told the stu- grant from the Massachusetts Technology this year. During the final class, Chris Rezek dents in the class as they left. “I hope you Collaborative to do a full feasibility study, The goal of the three-week course, (S.B. 1999), former board member of the will encourage people to take courses like including site measurements of the avail- sponsored by the MIT Leadership Cen- Institute Foundation/Student Resource this in the future.” able wind resource, economic analysis and other technical and nontechnical issues,” such as the effect on birds and noise level, said Peter L. Cooper, manager of sustain- HIBUR ability engineering and utility planning in the MIT Department of Facilities. If the Continued from Page 3 project seems promising, a construction grant would allow the wind turbines to be recalled one small quirk: a time delay, installed a year or more down the road. which sometimes meant the students on A biodiesel conversion facility on cam- the live side laughed at a joke the other pus would take between one and two-and-a- side did not hear for another couple of half years to break even, reported Elizabeth seconds. “They could tell when something Ricker, a junior in brain and cognitive sci- was about to be funny,” she said. ences. Ricker worked with Joseph Roy-May- Twelve MIT participants made the first hew, a sophomore in chemical engineering, campus visit, arriving in Haifa on May 22. and Hailun Wu and Christianne Roach, In the two weeks they spent in Israel, they students at Wellesley College. The team toured the Technion, attended classes, investigated the feasibility of using waste visited companies, went on day trips, had vegetable oil to produce a clean-burning, dinner in the homes of host families and biodegradable fuel that could help power attended a holiday bonfire on the beach MIT vehicles and heat MIT buildings. before coming back to the States on June The students estimated that 5,000 gal- 1. “It was an intense schedule,” said Rosen- lons of waste oil could be collected from blum. campus dining facilities and nearby restau- When the Israeli students came to Bos- rants, saving the Institute money on fuel ton in September, the schedule was simi- Toy story costs and saving MIT food vendors money lar. Still, students found the time to form Graduate student Andrew Carvey puts his studies in mechanical engineering to spent for waste oil removal. MIT might relationships — and potential partnerships even build its own processor for the chem- — that will last a lifetime. “It was one of good use in operating the Gummi Bear catapult he built during an IAP Interactive Toy Design class taught by Hayes Raffle. ical conversion process instead of purchas- the most amazing experiences of my life,” ing one, Roy-Mayhew said. said Gershon. Steven M. Lanou, deputy director of Hibur continues to evolve. At the end environmental sustainability, said that the of 2005, Hibur accepted applications from biodiesel facility will also be studied for MIT students interested in internships in feasibility. For more information and the Israel during the summer of 2006. They results of the IAP seminar, visit lfee.mit. are currently matching resumes with com- edu/metadot/index.pl?id=2404&isa=Categ panies. ory&op=show. “We are working on several different levels,” said Kutnicki, who hopes that someday Hibur will become an official MIT program. Research engineer dies In September 2005, Chancellor Phillip Paul Warren, a research engineer in Clay spoke at a faculty and administrator the Gas Turbine Lab, died Jan. 26 follow- dinner held for the Technion students. ing a brief illness. He was 63. “Hibur is one of a growing number of pro- Warren was an MIT graduate and had grams that allows students to get a taste lived in Watertown since 1969. of what it is like to work in an internation- Left, junior and chemistry major Joia He is survived by his wife, Patricia al setting,” he said. “I believe this is an Ramchandani shows off her multi- (Moise) Warren; two sons, Daniel S. War- undervalued part of undergraduate educa- colored butterfly made of pipe-cleaners ren of Laconia, N.H., and Everett A. War- tion at MIT and one that we should sup- during the Media Lab’s IAP Interactive ren of Lehighton, Pa.; his mother, Ila Mae port for more students.” Toy Design class, which yielded many Warren of Hickory, N.C.; a brother, David Hibur is currently looking for students unique toys. Above, Hayes Raffle, a L. Warren of Hickory, N.C.; and three interested in joining the 2006 delegation. Media Lab graduate student who taught grandchildren. There will be an information session on the course, shows his 16-month-old Donations may be made to the Tucker Feb. 15 in W20-407. For further informa- daughter, Paloma, how her toy rights Gosnell Gastro-Intestinal Cancer Center, tion, visit www.hibur.org or contact MIT PHOTOS / DONNA COVENEY itself each time it falls. 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114, or to a Hillel at x3-2982. medical cause of one’s choice. VIRUS CLASSIFIED ADS Continued from Page 1 department is carried on today, said Members of the MIT community may submit VEHICLES King. Shortly after World War II, the one classified ad each issue. Ads can be resub- mitted, but not two weeks in a row. Ads should viral research at MIT, King said. In 1969, Institute got one of the first electron be 30 words maximum; they will be edited. MIT Professor Salvador Luria shared the microscopes in the United States, and Submit by e-mail to [email protected] or mail 1994 Volvo 850 wagon. Green w/ tan leather Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine Luria molded the direction of the depart- to Classifieds, Rm 11-400. Deadline is noon interior. High mileage but runs well & looks with Max Delbruck and Alfred Hershey ment, said King, who arrived at MIT Wednesday the week before publication. great. $2,800 or best offer. Call 617-312-4258 for work on the genetic structure and rep- in 1970 after working with Delbruck at or e-mail [email protected]. lication mechanisms of viruses. Caltech. HOUSING 2002 Honda Accord LX sedan. Silver, 28K. Luria, who came to MIT in 1959, was “It was (Luria’s) appointment that led Automatic, well-equipped, excellent condition. the first scientist to show the structure of to the department having its current char- Asking $12,900. Call 258-7372. bacteriophages. acter, which is a leader in molecular biol- Roomate wanted: Melrose, 13 miles north of “That really brought these bacterial ogy,” King said. MIT. Near commuter rail, bus, Routes 93 and 1. LOST AND FOUND viruses to the fore, and they’ve continued MIT research scientist Peter Weigele is Call for details 781-254-1696. to be important for half a century,” King also an author on the imaging paper. Oceanfront summer cabin, Mount Desert Island, said. Funding for the imaging project was ME: 2BD/1BA w/living/kitchen area; picture win- Lost: handknit colorful woolen scarf. Lost Bacteriophages were used in crucial provided by the National Institutes of dows, deck overlooking water; stairway to beach. Thursday evening, Jan. 26, in or around E25. Mins from Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor. Contact [email protected]. experiments showing that DNA is the Health and the Robert Welch Foundation. $1,000/week June-Sept. Contact Steve at 253- genetic material and determining that The electron microscope images were 5757 or [email protected]. Lost 2/1 by Z-center pool: canvas shoulder translation of genetic material into proteins taken at the National Center for Macro- bag (“Syracuse Food Coop”), denim lunch sack is based on a triplet code. (snails and musical instruments decorations). molecular Imaging at Baylor College of Reward for lunch sack. [email protected], 253- Luria’s legacy at MIT’s biology Medicine. 7112 MIT Tech Talk ARTS February 8, 2006 PAGE 7 Visiting artist Hafler directs ‘The Old Law’ Lynn Heinemann Office of the Arts

In a room postered with fliers proclaiming, “The old must die,” Max Hafler is the only one with gray hair. Directing a cast of MIT students in a rehearsal for Dra- mashop’s production of “The Old Law,” a play in which the generation gap is taken to extremes, Hafler alternately bounds onto the stage of Kresge Little Theater, slouches in a front-row seat, or ranges up and down the aisle. Set in a society that legislates that men over 80 and women over 60 are useless and must be put to death, “The Old Law” has “powerful resonances for now,” says Hafler, a visiting artist at MIT. As soon as the law goes into effect, young rich people gleefully send their parents to be executed. Young wives, hungry for freedom and inheritances, wait impatiently for their old husbands to be put to death. The world goes mad. Hafler lists the play’s themes as “the rule of law, the nature of evil, euthanasia and the value of youth and age.” Proving that today’s youth has no advantage over his own age and experience, Hafler jumps onto the stage to instruct his young actors. He staggers across the stage to illustrate how rollicking and rowdy a drunk can be, and intones, bellows, bleats and barks a single line to display the vocal emphases a character could show. In other cases, he tones down the theatrics. “Try not to use your face so much,” he advises senior Helen McCre- ery, who plays the heroic Hippolita in Hafler’s tragi-comic adaptation of the 17th century play by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley. “You’ve a great face and you use it a lot. Try to be still, to internalize.” Hafler says he likes to use people to their limit and not just as the role they are assigned to play. Most of the actors have several parts, including statues, old people,

PHOTO COURTESY / BRIAN ROBISON hunting dogs, lawyers — even abstract entities in a character’s mind. Assistant Professor Brian Robison will perform several pieces on the theremin on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day. “Max is more into diction and group work than any director I’ve had,” says freshman Ashley Micks, who’s making her Dramashop debut. Because so many of the character representations are stylized and abstract, Micks says, the nonspeaking ensemble parts require as much Concert features hands-off music work as the parts with lines, so the audience will be able Lynn Heinemann volume. to understand what’s happening. “I am very excited by group work and ensemble physi- Office of the Arts Robison first encountered a theremin in a music store about a decade ago. “I was hopelessly unable to cal playing,” Hafler says. Encouraging his actors to loosen produce any recognizably musical sound,” he recalls, up, he insists that their characterizations be big, even as Forget the roses and violins. In a special noontime but he decided last fall that the instrument was just they internalize the underlying emotions. “I want you to concert on Valentine’s Day called “Waves of Plea- too much fun not to have one. feel brave enough to really take your time.” sure,” Assistant Professor Brian Robison will wave his Calling the theremin “maddeningly difficult to play Each character, he says, has an arc. “You’ve got to find hands over a theremin to create other-worldly rendi- accurately,” Robison notes that it requires extremely the journey in this play,” he tells his cast, “Even if it’s tions of popular romantic classics by Handel, Puccini fine motor control. “If your hand drifts just a millime- not naturalistic.” Then, with proprietary pride, he adds, and Rachmaninoff, as well as contemporary favorites ter or two in space, that motion produces a noticeable “There are journeys because I put them there.” by Ellington, Gershwin and Rodgers. change in pitch,” he says. Hafler first adapted the play for a production at the Also featuring lecturer Charles Shadle as piano The concert will include an opportunity for adven- Lyric Hammersmith in London, earning praise from accompanist, the concert will be held in the Lewis turous audience members to try the instrument. Irving Wardle for The (London) Independent, who wrote, Music Library (Room 14E-109) on Tuesday, Feb. 14 “There’s something mesmerizing about playing an “the piece connects across four centuries with a powerful from 12 to 1 p.m. instrument that responds to your every move, wheth- jolt of moral electricity.” One of the earliest electronic musical instruments, er you want it to or not,” Robison says. “I keep com- Hafler has lived in County Galway, Ireland, for more the theremin is unique in that the performer doesn’t ing back to the theremin — despite the limitations, than seven years. He has worked as a director with Gal- touch it while playing. Instead, proximity of the per- despite the frustration, despite the humiliation. Much way Youth Theatre and teaches in the theater M.A. pro- former’s hands to two antennae control the pitch and like love.” gram at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Earlier this year Hafler completed a short residency at MIT, working in ensemble and devising, giving a lecture on Marlowe and doing voice work in Shakespeare class. “The Old Law” runs Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 9-11 and Feb. 16-18 at 8 p.m. in Kresge Little Theater. ‘America Starts Here’ — at List Visual Arts Center Tickets are $8, $6 for students. For more information, call x3-2908 or visit web.mit.edu/dramashop/www/. Lauren Maurand They used humble materials like paint or glass jars Office of the Arts to approach lofty ideas. “They always created works that added resources to the community rather than Doctorow signing slated depleting them,” wrote Arning in a recent e-mail. Arning worked with Ericson and Ziegler early on in Science fiction writer Cory The List Visual Arts Center this week opens “America both his career and their collaboration, and he was Doctorow will be on campus Starts Here: Kate Ericson and Mel Ziegler,” a celebra- impressed with their work — impressed enough to Monday, Feb. 13, for a lecture tion of the decade-long collaboration between two artists bring it to MIT. and book signing, “Down and who devoted the body of their work to looking at America After Ericson’s death from cancer in 1995 at the age of Out at MIT: An Evening With through the objects and materials it produces. The show 39, there was less promotion of the artists’ work. Arning Cory Doctorow,” starting at opens with a reception tomorrow, Feb. 9, from 5:30 to 7:30 hopes that “America Starts Here” will help reignite inter- 5 p.m. in Bartos Theater, fol- p.m. and an artist’s talk with Ziegler on Friday, Feb. 10, at est in these two important American artists. lowed by a reception. 6:30 p.m. The show is jointly curated by Arning and Ian Berry of A blogger for the web site Ericson and Ziegler worked together from the mid the Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College, where BoingBoing.net and Euro- 1980s to the mid-’90s, producing mostly installations and the exhibit was recently shown. It will later travel to the pean affairs coordinator outdoor projects. Their work combines time periods Austin Museum of Art in Texas; Artspace at the Kansas for the Electronic Frontier and concepts in pieces such as “Camouflaged History,” City Art Institute; and the Contemporary Art Center in Foundation (EFF), Doctorow a house painted in the style of U.S. Army camouflage, Cincinnati. develops his own books from Cory Doctorow using only paints in colors that a local preservation group In conjunction with the show, MIT Press has pub- notes and ideas posted on his deemed historic. lished a comprehensive 216-page catalog of Ericson weblog and prefers to make his books — or “blooks” — Working at a time when a lot of contemporary artists, and Ziegler’s work, filled with images of the products available for free downloads by readers through Creative like Damien Hirst or Jeff Koons, were intentionally shock- and installations from their collaboration, as well as Commons licenses, now operating in 81 countries. ing the art world and its viewers, Ericson and Ziegler took writings from many of the original curators of their While at MIT, Doctorow will meet with students in for- a subtler approach. Bill Arning, of the List Visual Arts shows. mal and informal settings. He’ll also be guest of honor at Center, who is co-curator of the show, describes their The 20-piece show will be on view in the LVAC gallery Boskone, the Boston science fiction convention, to be held work as having a “gentle, generous poetic sensibility.” through April 9. Feb. 17-19. PAGE 8 February 8, 2006 CALENDAR MIT Tech Talk

MIT EVENT HIGHLIGHTS FEBRUARY 8-12

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY February 8 February 9 February 10 February 11 February 12

Science/ Performance Architecture/ Humanities Dinner@Six MIT Chapel “Beauty “Aaron Fink: “Shipbuilding in Technology Planning — Free Dinner Concert and the Elements, and Massachusetts with MIT A program of Bourgeoisie: Other Prints” 100 Years Ago” Faculty! Spanish music A History of Exhibition of A series of Enjoy a relaxed dinner from 1470 to 1600. Bland Fruit” 22 prints from Aaron photographs from the and conversation with Noon, MIT Chapel. 253- Talk by Suzanne Fink’s 1984 portfolio Hart Nautical Collection’s Music Exhibit Reading Special various MIT faculty and 2826. Freidberg of Dartmouth called “Elements,” as Bethlehem Steel Interest administrators. 5:45-7 College. 2:30-4:30 p.m. well as six other prints Fore River Shipyard p.m. W11, Small Dining Opening of Room E51-095. 253- by the artist from the Collection. Noon-5 p.m. Room. 253-2982. “America 4965. Permanent Collection. MIT Museum. $5 adults; Starts Here — The Dean’s Gallery. 9 $2 students, seniors and Biomedical Kate Ericson Artist’s Talk by a.m.-5 p.m. 253-4400. children 5-18; free with Business/ Film Sports Featured Engineering and Mel Ziegler 1985- Mel Ziegler an MIT ID. 253-4444. Money Event Society 1995” Presented in Varsity Distinguished Co-organized by the MIT conjunction Women’s International Lecture Series List Visual Arts Center with “America Starts Gymnastics Folk Dancing Talk by Professor and the Tang Teaching Here — Kate Ericson and MIT takes on Every Sunday. Julie Chen: Museum at Skidmore Mel Ziegler 1985-1995.” Southern Connecticut 8-11 p.m. “Nanomanufacturing: College. 5:30-7:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. List Visual Arts State College and Rhode Kresge Rehearsal Room. Why the federal govern- List Visual Arts Center. Center. 253-4680. Island College. 1 p.m. du 253-FOLK. ment (and companies) 253-4680. Pont Gymnasium. 258- are funding it and where Opening 5265. “Finding are we headed?” Chicks Make of “Digital_ Form: The Art 7–8:30 p.m. Room 66- Flicks Minimal” Comedy of Richard 110. Irena Fayngold Projects by Collage Filipowski” and “Hineini: the MIT SENSEable City Comedians, The work of renowned Big Dig ‘Coming Out’ in a Jewish Laboratory. Reception at many who sculptor and MIT fac- Concert High School.” 7 p.m. 5:30 p.m. in Wolk Gallery have appeared in com- ulty member Richard Music lecturer Room 6-120. 253-8844. followed by a discussion edy specials on BET, Filipowski. MIT Museum. Mark Harvey with William J. Mitchell, Comedy Central and Noon-5 p.m. $5 adults; and his Aardvark Jazz “The Old Law” Antoine Picon and Carlo HBO, perform. $3. 7–10 $2 students, seniors and Orchestra celebrate the Dramashop Ratti in Room 7-431 at 7 p.m. W16. 225-7424. children 5-18; free with scheduled completion of production p.m. 258-9106. an MIT ID. 253-4444. the Big Dig with the pre- of mid-17th miere of Harvey’s “Dig, century play written by Cars and stars Dug, Done.” 7:30 p.m. Thomas Middleton and Andy Zimmermann is shown here with his multimedia Regatta Bar, Charles William Rowley. Feb. installation, “Cars and Stars,” at the MIT Museum. The Hotel. 9-11 and 16-18. $8, $6 installation projects digital animation and video onto a students. 8 p.m. Kresge three-dimensional sculpture, with accompanying digital Little Theater. 253-2908. sound composition.

Go Online! For complete events listings, see the MIT Events Calendar at: http://events.mit.edu. Go Online! Ofﬁce of the Arts website at: http://web.mit.edu/arts/ofﬁce.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

NOAM CHOMSKY ANNUAL MLK JR. IMPACT CAREER Feb. 8 BREAKFAST Feb. 9 EXPO Feb. 13 Noam Chomsky presents a Talk by Donna Brazile, chair A networking event launches panel on terrorism and a film Room 10-250 of the Democratic National Morss Hall this socially and environmen- Room 10-250 Committee’s Voting Rights on the Cuban Five, a group 7-10 p.m. 7:30-11 a.m. tally responsible career fair. 7-8:15 p.m. of Cuban political prisoners. Institute. Reservations required. Call x3-5001.

MIT EVENT HIGHLIGHTS FEBRUARY 13-19

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY February 13 February 14 February 15 February 16 February 17 February 18 February 19 “Down and Valentine’s Day $30,000 MIT Chapel “Finding “COLLISION Chantey Sing Out at MIT: Lemelson- Concert Form: The Art box #2: Cars Come sing sea An Evening Object Lesson: MIT Student Music for flute of Richard and Stars” music and chan- with Cory “Knowing Prize Press and harp. Noon, Filipowski” Andy teys with a room Doctorow” Where You Are Conference MIT Chapel. 253-2826. The work of renowned Zimmermann’s multime- full of maritime enthusi- Lecture and book sign- Before GPS” Press conference to sculptor and MIT fac- dia installation, “Cars and asts, professional and ing by Cory Doctorow, Gallery talk by MIT announce the 2006 “Has Anyone ulty member Richard Stars,” projects digital amateur singers. 1-4 p.m. a writer, public speaker, Museum curators. Noon, winner of the $30,000 Ever Seen a Filipowski. MIT Museum. animation and video MIT Museum. blogger for BoingBoing MIT Museum. 253-4444. Lemelson-MIT Student Photograph of Noon-5 p.m. $5 adults; onto a three-dimensional and European Affairs Prize. 10:30–11:30 a.m. Rape?” $2 students, seniors and sculpture, with accom- International Coordinator for the “Waves of Room W20-306. 253- Geneviève McMillan- children 5-18; free with panying digital sound Folk Dancing Electronic Frontier Pleasure” 3352. Reba Stewart Lecture on an MIT ID. 253-4444. composition. $5 adults; 8-11 p.m. Foundation. 5-7 p.m. Valentine’s Women in the Developing $2 students; free with Kresge Bartos Theater. 253- Recital: Brian “Knowing World presented by MIT Guest MIT ID. Noon-5 p.m. MIT Rehearsal Room. 253- 5038. Robison, Theremin & the Enemy: Ariella Azoulay of the Artist in Museum. 253-4444. FOLK. Charles Shadle, Piano Jihadist Camera Obscura School Residence “Images of Popular romantic clas- Ideology and of Art in Tel Aviv. 5:30 Concert Varsity Sufi Leaders sics by Handel, Puccini the War on Terror” p.m. Room 32-141. 253- Biava String Quartet Women’s in Ottoman and Rachmaninoff. Noon. Talk by Mary Habeck of 8844. with Marcus Thompson, Basketball vs. and Safavid Room 14E-109. 253- Johns Hopkins University. viola. 8 p.m. Kresge Smith College Manuscripts” 5686. Noon. Room E38-615. “The Vagina Auditorium. 253-2826. 1 p.m. Rockwell Cage. Lecture by Ethel Sara 253-7529. Monologues” 258-5265. Wolper of the University Valentine’s Day Benefit pro- “Baile de of New Hampshire. 5:30 Contra Dance Teaching and duction of Eve Pasion” hiLaRiUm @ p.m. Room 3-133. 253- Music by Apple Educational Ensler’s “The Vagina — A Night Thirsty Ear Pub 1400. Crisp, friends Technology Monologues” for V-Day, of Argentine Comedy duo, and sit-ins. $5, MIT and Talk by a worldwide movement Tango Dancing The Walsh Trivia Night Wellesley students free. Professor Steven R. to stop violence against Beginner tango class fol- Brothers. 8 p.m. Thirsty Must be over 8-10:30 p.m. Student Lerman. 5:30–9 p.m. women and girls. Feb. lowed by tango dancing. Ear Pub. 258-9754. 21. ID required. Center, Room 491. 354- Faculty Club. 308-9795. 16-18. $10, $8 students. 8–11:30 p.m. Room W20- Every Monday 0864. 8 p.m. Room 10-250. Lobdell Hall. 939-7218. night. 8-11:30 p.m. Hibur: MIT- Thirsty Ear Pub. 258- Technion Link 9754. Information Session Information on cultural exchange program. 7:30 p.m. Room W20-407. 253-2982.