Volume 49 – Number 1 Wednesday – September 1, 2004 TechTalk S ERVING T HE M I T C OMMUNITY Susan Hockfield elected MIT’s 16th president Arthur Jones meeting, quickly filling the room and overflowing News Office to Lobby 10 to watch the event on MIT Cable TV. At a reception in Lobby 10 and on Killian Court following the meeting, Hockfield spoke informal- Susan Hockfield, a distinguished neuroscientist ly with MIT faculty, students (including incoming and provost at Yale University, is the 16th president freshmen), alumni and staff, who welcomed her of MIT, succeeding Charles M. Vest, who has with the same warmth she had shown them min- led the 139-year-old Institute since 1990. utes before during the community meeting. Hockfield is expected to take office In introducing her, Mead said, “As a strong in early December. advocate of the vital role that science, technology The MIT Corporation and the research university play in the world, and elected Hockfield during with an exceptional record of achievement in serv- a special meeting on Aug. ing faculty and student interests, Dr. Hockfield is 26. Corporation Chair clearly the best person to lead MIT in the years Dana G. Mead intro- ahead. She brings to MIT an outstanding record duced her to the public as teacher, scientist and inspirational leader with a at a press conference in reputation for bringing out the best in all the people the Faculty Club imme- with whom she works.” diately following the James A. Champy, who chaired the presidential election, and to the MIT search committee for the MIT Corporation, said, community at a special “Dr. Hockfield emerged from a stellar field of can- community meeting didates as the best person to lead MIT to new fron- in Room 10-250 that afternoon. Community See PRESIDENT members flocked to the Page 8 PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY President-elect displays warmth and crowd-appeal Elizabeth Thomson There is “no greater privilege or honor that could and Denise Brehm be given to anyone than to be [named] the presi- News Office dent of MIT.” He also gave her two items key to the position. First, noting that Room 10-250 is the site for faculty meetings, which she’ll soon A standing-room-only crowd in Room 10-250 preside over, Vest handed her a copy of “Roberts’ greeted President-elect Susan Hockfield, her hus- Rules of Order.” band Tom, and their daughter Elizabeth with a “My distinguished predecessor Paul Gray gave long and thundering standing ovation at a special me his own personal copy, and today it’s my privi- community meeting on Aug. 26, the day she was lege to pass [it] on to you,” said Vest, to laughter elected the 16th president of the Institute. and applause. “Thank you, everyone, for such a warm, warm Next, noting that Hockfield—Yale’s provost— welcome to this community,” said Hockfield, recognizes the value of resources (“a nice word who drew additional applause throughout her for money,” Vest said), he handed her a decorated remarks, including when she described her pic- coffee can filled with shredded money. Quipped ture of MIT’s future. Dana Mead, who also spoke at the meeting, “As “I can distill this into a very simple picture. chair of the MIT Corporation I hate to see that I want MIT to be the dream of every child who stuff ground up into dust.” wants to make the world a better place. And also Professor Rafael Bras, chair of the MIT Facul- the dream of every engineer, every scientist, ty, also warmly welcomed Hockfield. “It is indeed every scholar and every artist who draws inspira- a very happy and momentous occasion for all of tion from the idea of working us. With you, once again we get a new president in a hotbed of innovation in who represents the best in leadership, one who RELATED service to humanity,” Hock- the world will respect.” field said. After the short meeting, the large crowd PHOTOS flowed out into Lobby 10 and onto Killian Court, Pages 4-5 President Charles M. Vest also received a standing ova- where Hockfield chatted with small groups of PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY tion when Hockfield saluted faculty, alumni, staff and students. Laughter and him “for his extraordinary leadership—both here flashbulbs marked the celebratory mood, as peo- at MIT and on the national scene. ple enjoyed the refreshments and waited patiently The Vest years of our lives “He has brought forward a great number of to be the next to greet the president-elect. A group of pre-frosh just winding up their sev- The MIT community will gather for an informal celebration of the 14 key initiatives and has forged important new years with President Charles M. Vest and Rebecca Vest, on Saturday, directions over the 14 years he has served as enth week of Interphase courses on campus were among those anxious to meet and greet their Sept. 18 from 2 to 4 p.m in the Stata Center and the Dertouzos MIT’s president. For his work, for MIT and for Amphitheater. All members of the MIT community are invited to bring the nation, I extend my personal thanks,” she See COMMUNITY families and friends to this afternoon of music, food and festivities to said. thank the Vests for their service to MIT. Vest welcomed Hockfield by telling her that Page 8 PAGE 2 September 1, 2004 PEOPLE MIT Tech Talk Reif named head of EECS department Sarah H. Wright Boning has been associate News Office director of the MIT Microsys- tems Technology Laboratories since 1998. He is also serving as Professor Rafael Reif, an inter- the co-director for undergraduate nationally noted researcher in education for the Cambridge-MIT microelectronics, has been named Institute. head of the Department of Elec- trical Engineering and Computer Praise for past leadership Science, effective Sept. 1. In thanking John Guttag for “Having seen Rafael’s leader- his “extraordinary leadership” for ship as associate department head more than 10 years as associate of EECS and as a lead advisor in head and department head,” Mag- our Tiny Technologies research nanti said: “Heading an enterprise initiative, I know that he will shape as large and as complex as EECS the future of EECS in exciting new is indeed a challenge, and many ways,” said Dean of Engineering great things have happened in the Tom Magnanti. department during John’s tenure. Reif, who served as associate John has been especially effective head of the department for the Rafael Reif Duane Boning Eric Grimson in faculty hiring and mentoring, in past five years, is a fellow of IEEE fund-raising and in programming and has received the Semiconduc- and development of the Stata Cen- tor Research Corporation’s 2000 nect technologies, and on environ- announced the appointment of Magnanti said. ter. He steps down as head of the Aristotle Award, which acknowl- mentally benign microelectronics professors Eric Grimson and Grimson served as associate very best electrical engineering edges outstanding teaching and fabrication. Duane Boning as the new associ- director of the MIT Artificial Intel- and/or computer science depart- student mentorship in its broadest He succeeds Professor John ate heads of EECS. ligence Laboratory from 1998 to ment in the world.” sense. The School of Engineer- Guttag, who stepped down from “Both Eric and Duane have 2003, and is currently education Magnanti also thanked Pro- ing recently selected him as the the post at the end of July after strong records of accomplishment officer of EECS. He also heads the fessor Barbara Liskov, who steps first Fariborz Maseeh Professor of serving as department head since in teaching and research, and a Computer Vision Group of MIT’s down as associate department Emerging Technology. January 1999 and as associate deep commitment to education, Computer Science and Artificial head on Aug. 31. “The department In his teaching and research, head for the six previous years. our department and MIT. We are Intelligence Laboratory. He has has benefited tremendously from grateful to them for their willing- received the School of Engineer- Reif has focused on microelec- New associate heads named her leadership and wisdom,” Mag- tronics, with a recent emphasis on ness to accept such a demanding ing’s Bose Award for excellence in nanti said. future microelectronics intercon- Magnanti and Reif jointly and important responsibility,” teaching. Anderson appointed Hastings named new chief facilities officer head of Engineering William J. Anderson was appointed plant composed of 20,000 acres of land and the chief facilities officer at MIT, effective more than 1,300 buildings with 22 million Aug. 16, announced Executive Vice Presi- square feet of space. Systems Division dent John R. Curry. “Bill Anderson is one of the most Anderson will lead a department of accomplished facilities officers in the coun- about 625 people, including professional try,” Curry said. “He will bring to MIT a opportunity to help define and evolve the Lois Slavin important field of engineering systems, and support staff, skilled trades people, keen mind, engaging demeanor, and com- Engineering Systems Division and bargaining unit mitment to excellence— and we need everyone’s contributions. employees. Facilities not to mention a power- We also look forward to continuing to is responsible for the ful work ethic—which partner with our colleagues throughout physical environment of are the hallmarks of the Daniel Hastings, a professor of aero- MIT, as well as at other academic insti- the Cambridge campus, Institute,” Curry said. nautics and astronautics and engineer- tutions and professional organizations.” which consists of 11 mil- A Boston native, ing systems who served as chief scien- Hastings has taught courses and lion square feet of class- Anderson received the tist to the U.S.