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Section 1: Facts and History (PDF) Section 1 Facts and History Fields of Study 11 Digital Learning 12 Research Laboratories, Centers, and Programs 13 Academic and Research Affiliations 14 Initiatives 17 Education Highlights 19 Research Highlights 23 Faculty and Staff 31 Faculty 31 Researchers 33 Postdoctoral Scholars 34 Awards and Honors of Current Faculty and Staff 35 MIT Briefing Book 9 MIT’s commitment to innovation has led to a host of Facts and History scientific breakthroughs and technological advances. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is one Achievements of the Institute’s faculty and graduates of the world’s preeminent research universities, have included the first chemical synthesis of penicillin dedicated to advancing knowledge and educating and vitamin A, the development of inertial guidance students in science, technology, and other areas of systems, modern technologies for artificial limbs, and scholarship that will best serve the nation and the the magnetic core memory that enabled the develop- world. It is known for rigorous academic programs, ment of digital computers. Exciting areas of research cutting-edge research, a diverse campus community, and education today include neuroscience and the and its long-standing commitment to working with study of the brain and mind, bioengineering, energy, the public and private sectors to bring new knowl- the environment and sustainable development, infor- edge to bear on the world’s great challenges. mation sciences and technology, new media, financial technology, and entrepreneurship. William Barton Rogers, the Institute’s founding presi- dent, believed that education should be both broad University research is one of the mainsprings of and useful, enabling students to participate in “the growth in an economy that is increasingly defined humane culture of the community” and to discover by technology. A study released in February 2009 by and apply knowledge for the benefit of society. His the Kauffman Foundation estimated that MIT gradu- emphasis on “learning by doing,” on combining ates had founded 25,800 active companies. These liberal and professional education, and on the value firms employed about 3.3 million people, and gener- of useful knowledge continues to be at the heart of ated annual world sales of $2 trillion, or the equiva- MIT’s educational mission. lent of the eleventh-largest economy in the world. MIT has forged educational and research collabora- tions with universities, governments, and companies throughout the world, and draws its faculty and students from every corner of the globe. The result is a vigorous mix of people, ideas, and programs dedi- cated to enhancing the world’s well-being. MIT's founder, William Barton Rogers, 1879 Courtesy MIT Museum 10 MIT Briefing Book Facts and History Fields of Study Sloan School of Management MIT supports a large variety of fields of study, from Management science and engineering to the arts. MIT’s five academic schools are organized into departments School of Science and other degree-granting programs. In addition, Biology several programs, laboratories, and centers cross Brain and Cognitive Sciences traditional boundaries and encourage creative Chemistry thought and research. Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Mathematics School of Architecture and Planning Physics Architecture Media Arts and Sciences Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Programs Urban Studies and Planning American Studies Center for Real Estate Ancient and Medieval Studies Computer Science and Molecular Biology School of Engineering Program in Psychology Aeronautics and Astronautics Women’s and Gender Studies Biological Engineering Chemical Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Civil and Environmental Engineering Computation for Design and Optimization Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Computational and Systems Biology Engineering Systems Computer Science and Molecular Biology Materials Science and Engineering Engineering Systems Mechanical Engineering Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Nuclear Science and Engineering Technology Program Institute of Medical Engineering and Science Joint Program with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Leaders for Global Operations Anthropology Microbiology Comparative Media Studies / Writing Operations Research Economics Polymer Science and Technology Global Studies and Languages System Design and Management History Technology and Policy Humanities Transportation Linguistics and Philosophy Literature Music and Theatre Arts Political Science Science, Technology, and Society MIT Briefing Book 11 Digital Learning • Learning analytics and educational data mining. Practically since the advent of digital computing, Online learning systems have the ability to amass MIT has been at the forefront of innovation in huge volumes of data on student use, navigation, educational technology, whether through indi- and assessment as they work their way through vidual faculty initiatives, departmental projects, courses. In the aggregate, these data can be or Institute-wide programs. Literally hundreds of used to model student learning approaches and technology projects, each building on the lessons performance. So, for example, it is now possible of those before, have helped to change the face to monitor and predict students’ learning per- of education at MIT and throughout the global formance and spot potential issues early so that academic community. automated or instructor-initiated interventions can be provided. MIT faculty and other collabora- But in the last few years, technology-enabled tors use these data for educational research to change in how we teach and learn has been accel- advance understanding of how people learn and erating. We have seen remarkable educational identify effective pedagogical strategies. experiments throughout higher education that are • Online software innovations. New tools such resulting in unprecedented breakthroughs: as internet labs, gaming, MIT STAR (Software • New pedagogies. Examples include “flipped Tools for Academics and Researchers), and classrooms” (content delivery as homework other resources provide adaptive learning aids and problem-solving/lab/customized instructor that present educational materials according intervention in class), “chunked” (modularized) to students’ varying needs and learning styles. lessons, individually-paced/assessment-based MIT faculty have conceived and implemented teaching and learning, and machine-mediated many teaching tools, simulations, and learning frequent feedback to students. Many MIT fac- aids. One remarkable example: iLabs enriches ulty are experimenting with these new ways of science and engineering education by enabling teaching and learning. students to use real instruments via remote online laboratories. Unlike conventional labo- • Scalable teaching. Innovative technologies such ratories, iLabs can be shared via the Internet, as robust learning management platforms with delivering the educational benefits of hands-on short videos, embedded quizzes with instant experimentation both to our own students and feedback, student-ranked questions that pri- to students around the world. oritize topical focus for instructors, automated grading and assessment, discussion forums, per- sonalization, etc. make it possible to increase In 2012, MIT established the Office of Digital student cohort size from tens or hundreds in a Learning (ODL) to harness the Institute’s educational campus classroom to tens of thousands around technology resources to ensure that MIT remains at the globe via the Internet. MITx in partnership the forefront of developments like these. The new with edX—originally an MIT-Harvard alliance, ODL integrates formerly independent organizational which has since expanded to include many top- units related to digital learning into a structure that tier universities worldwide—brings MIT faculty focuses on these strategic priorities: and their “MOOC” courses to many thousands 1. Residential Education. Collaborate with faculty of learners everywhere. to explore, test, and institutionalize peda- gogical models that enhance MIT education • Open educational resources (OER). The OER through digital and open learning technology movement, pioneered in large part by MIT’s and practices. OpenCourseWare project—and since joined by hundreds more institutions worldwide—lowers financial, geographical, and political barriers to accessing quality educational content. 12 MIT Briefing Book Facts and History 2. Open Education. Build out MIT’s edX portfolio Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory with exemplary courses and modules, and con- Haystack Observatory tinue to publish new and updated MIT course Institute for Medical Engineering and Science materials and other teaching/learning resourc- Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies es through MIT OpenCourseWare, enabling Institute for Work and Employment Research global access to MIT courses and ideas. Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change 3. Strategic Education Initiatives. Undertake open Knight Science Journalism Program education and digital learning experiments and David H. Koch Institute for Integrative implementations, sometimes in collaboration Cancer Research with other institutions. Laboratory for Financial Engineering Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems 4. Digital Learning Research. Encourage and sup- Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity port digital learning research across MIT, and Laboratory for Nuclear Science
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