MIT News Digest 2013-2014

For the members of the Educ a tional Council

Office of the Educational Council MITAdmissions MIT named three longtime faculty members to important academic posts. Cynthia Barnhart SM '86, PhD '88, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Associate Dean of the School of Engineering, was named Chancellor. Martin Schmidt SM '83, PhD '88, Professor of Electrical Engineering and former Associate Provost, was named Provost. Michael Sipser was named Dean of the School of Science. Sipser has been the Barton L. Weller Professor of Mathematics and head of the Department of Mathematics for ten years.

Provost Schmidt and Chancellor Barnhar MIT faculty and alumni continue to receive top Photo: Dominick Reuter accolades. Two MIT faculty members were named 2013 MacArthur Fellows. The first, Sara Seager, Joint Professor in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science and the Department of Physics, was honored in recognition for her work on exoplanets (planets outside the solar system). The second, Dina Katabi SM '99, PhD '03, is a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and was recognized for her work on wireless data transmission.

Alumnus Robert Shiller SM '68, PhD '72 won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, and former faculty member James Rothman won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Medicine. There are now 80 Nobel Laureates and 43 MacArthur Fellows with a connection to MIT.

Alan Guth '68, SM '69, PhD '72, Victor F. Weisskopf Professor of Physics and MacVicar Faculty Fellow, won the 2014 Kavli Prize in Astrophysics for pioneering the theory of cosmic inflation.

Robert Langer Ph.D '74, David H. Koch Institute Professor Alan Guth Professor, won both the Breakthrough Prize in Life Photo: Rick Friedman Sciences for discoveries leading to the development of controlled drug-release systems and new biomaterials and the Kyoto Prize for global achievement in the field of tissue engineering this year.

MITAdmissions MIT students are also receiving top accolades. John Mikhael 13 won the Rhodes Scholarship this year. Additionally, four students from the class of 2014 received Marshall Scholarships. With this scholarship, Kate Koch, Colleen Loynachan, Kirin Sinha, and Grace Young will study in the United Kingdom for two years. They are 4 of only 34 American students to receive the scholarship this year.

MIT has revamped its introductory computer science offerings. In replacement of 6.00 (Introduction to Computer Science and Programming), two six-credit half- semester classes will now be available in order to make introductory computer science more accessible to freshman with a credit limit. 6.001, Introduction to Computer Science Programming in Python, is aimed at students with little to no programming experience. 6.002, while Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science, is the next module.

MIT now offers a large variety of introductory biology courses to satisfy the GIRs. All of the classes share a core curriculum for the first half of the semester, and each has its own focus area for the second half. In addition to the existing 7.012 (focus on genomic approaches to human health), 7.013 (focus on human disorders, neuroscience, development, and repair), and 7.014 (focus on ecology and the biosphere), MIT now offers two new classes: 7.015, a more advanced introductory course with a focus on microbiology and immunology, and 7.016, which has a focus on biochemistry and molecular genetics.

This year the Broad Institute, headed by MIT Cr Professor Eric Lander, received a commitment of $650 million from philanthropist Ted Stanley targeted at mental illness research and the discovery of new molecular-based treatments.

MIT continues to be an active partner in edX, offering many online courses through MITx. MIT does not offer credit on the edX platform, but the courses can be a great opportunity for students and alumni to gain exposure to new material or supplement current coursework.

MITAdmissions General Institute News

MIT held a ceremony for the one-year anniversary of the death of MIT Police Officer Sean Collier on April 18, 2014, during which plans for a permanent memorial to Collier were unveiled. The memorial, which will be located between the Stata Center and the Koch Institute, was designed by MIT Associate Professor of Architecture J. Meejin Yoon.

Fisher v. University of Texas, the case that questioned affirmative action in college admissions, concluded on July 15, 2014 when the Fifth Circuit Court ruled 2 to 1 in favor of UT Austin. This decision upholds the precedent Courtsey of Howeler + Yoon Archil. .ore From: MIT News Office that race can be used as a factor in the college admissions process. Regarding its decision, the court released this statement: "It is equally settled that universities may use race as part of a holistic admissions program where it cannot otherwise achieve diversity. This interest is compelled by the reality that university education is more the shaping of lives than the filling of heads with facts — the classic assertion of the humanities." The decision is viewed as a victory for educational institutions across the nation, recognizing that the most effective exchange of ideas and thoughts occurs with a diverse student body from a wide range of backgrounds and communities. MI T's's administration has shown support towards the position of the University of Texas in this case.

Matt Guthmiller '17 became the youngest person to fly around the world alone, completing his 27,000 mile, 44 day journey and making the Guinness Book of World Records. Man Guthmiller Photo: Katherine Taylor for the Boston Globe MITAdmissions "rtrir-"EMBENNINIIMII, 'Onf.+7.% Campus Renewal Projects

The MIT hobby shop reopened after extensive renovations. It now has improved safety equipment, new welders, a computer center for computer -aided design, more open space, and a number of other improvements.

MIT's Glass Lab and the Foundry and Forge are undergoing renovations to accommodate rising student interest. They will be combined and expanded in Building 4, separated by glass walls on interior hallways with glass marble lighting fixtures that are a collaborative effort between the two programs. MIT 's Glass Lab and the Foundry and Forge offer glass blowing and metalworking classes and are also used by undergraduate classes and even researchers from a wide variety of disciplines collaborating on state of the art projects. The renovations will be complete by December 2014.

MIT is currently in the design phase to completely renovate up to 1.1 million square feet in the Kendall Square area. The Kendall Square Initiative will create new residential, Courtsey of MIT Glass I,ab commercial, and laboratory space as well as more open space.

Construction of the new MIT.nano facility is underway. Positioned in the current location of Bu i 10I c_ bordering the I nfinite Corridor, it will unite MIT 's nanotechnology, materials, and engineering systems research under a single roof with state -of-the-art fabrication and processing capabilities. MIT.nano will bring together and support the work of over 2,000 researchers, streamlining experimentation, prototyping, and processing.

The pharmaceutical company Novartis has extended its lease with MIT to expand its Cambridge headquarters. This will create 55,000 square feet of office space, research labs, and retail space.

Bexley Hall remains closed for renovations. In commemoration of the dorm, its floorplan was included on the hacker 's map hidden on the MIT Class of 2016 Brass Rat. MIT-Admissions 5000 Moving Parts, a collection of wooden kinetic art sculptures, was completed and unveiled this year. Kinetic art is a branch of art which incorporates moving parts working together to form an overall effect. The exhibit is on display at the MIT museum until November 2014.

The MIT Student Loan Art Program exhibition and lottery will be held from August 29 to September 7, 2014. This program gives students the chance to Jo n Doug as Powers borrow original artwork for their private Ialu; Wood, steel, plastic and electric motor; 2011 living areas.

MIT will continue its Artist-in-Residency Program, which enables contemporary artists to work with MIT's high-tech tools.

Opera of the Future at the MIT Media Lab is a group working to integrate modern technology with traditional music and theater. The group has designed a program to help composers orchestrate multiple modalities at once, explored the relationship between physiology and the voice, and much more. They also have been active in the production of a variety of new plays at MIT.

MIT continues to offer the MIT Emerson Scholarship Program for Persona • pera Private Study, a program which offers merit-based financial assistance for private lessons to current MIT students who demonstrate excellence in their instrumental or vocal musical endeavors. This fellowship is open to all MIT students and is awarded to approximately 50 students per year after a selective audition process. MITAdmissions MIT continues to excel in collegiate athletics, finishing 10th in the annual Learfield Directors Cup standings and posting a record 90 All-American athletes last year. MIT is nationally ranked in baseball, men's basketball, men's lightweight crew, women's lightweight crew, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's fencing, field hockey, coed sailing, women's soccer, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, men's volleyball, and water polo. Last year, a total of 17 MIT teams qualified for NCAA championship events. Most distinguished, men's cross country and track and field have won 36 of the last 38 league championships and compete every year at the NCAA Championships.

Incoming freshman Kyle Kocher was drafted in the 36th Round of the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Instead of signing with with Dodgers, Kyle has decided to come to MIT, where he will play on the baseball team.

Athletic highlights from the past academic year by team

call 2013

Men's Lightweight Crew: Placed 4th at the 2013 Head of The Charles Regatta, their best result in decades in the largest regatta in the world.

Women's Cross-Country: Placed 5th at NCAA D3 Championships

Men's Soccer: Earned a bid to the NCAA D3 tournament after finishing 2nd in the NEWMAC Championships

Women's Sc•-•cer: Earned a bid to the NCAA D3 tournament after finishing 2nd in the NEWMAC Championship s

Foclball: A record 10 members of the MIT football team were named to the 2014 National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Hampshire Honor Society

Fen's Water Polo: Recognized for attaining the highest team GPA of any water polo team in the NCAA M ITAdmissions AllfgaMON=MEMBIIIIIIX.=AA111■111111111 ,1,0,-,. Winter 2013-2014

Men's Basketball: Won the NEWMAC title for the 4th time in the last 6 years

Men's Swimming and Diving: Finished 5th at NCAA 03 Championships

Fencing: Joey Rafidi 14 finished 2nd in the epee competition in the NCAA Northeast Fencing Regional Championship and was presented the NCAA Elite 89 Award at the NCAA Fencing National Championship

Riflery: Coach Melissa Mulloy-Mecozzi was named MAC Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 65-19 record

Spring 2014

Women's Track and Field: Won their first NCAC D3 Championship in the program's history

Men's Lightweight Crew: Placed 1st and 3rd in the Lightweight Varsity 8 and Varsity 4 events respectively at the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta, the largest collegiate regatta in the country. Reached the Grand Final and placed 6th at The Eastern Sprints Championship for the first time in 18 years

Women's Lightweight Crew: Placed 1st and 4th in the Varsity Lightweight 8 and 4 events respectively at the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta

Women's Openweight Crew: Erin Meyer '14 was named the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the year in rowing. She was also selected to the Division 1 Academic All-American Team, one of only 45 rowers selected nationally. This is the first time ever that a rower from MIT has been chosen for this team

Women's ,_iling: Finished 5th place at ICSA Women's Sailing National Championships

M ITAdmissions