THE TECHNO LO G Y &
C U
L
T
U
R E FORUM ANNUAL REPORT THE TECHNO LO G Y &
C U
L
T
U
R E AT MIT FORUM 2007/2008
THE TE CH N O L O G Y
&
C
U
L
T
U
R E FORUM AT MIT
THE TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE FORUM SUMMARY 2007 / 2008
THE TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE FORUM AT MIT PROMOTES DISCUSSION OF ▲ XAQ FROHLICH, TAC STEERING COMMITTEE THE ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, MEMBER AND ONE OF THE KEY ORGANIZERS
AND EXPLORES THE ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN PROMOTING OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT NIGHT @ MIT, STANDS READY TO WELCOME THE MORE POSITIVE CHANGE. WE SEEK OUT TOPICS WHICH FALL OUTSIDE OR BETWEEN THAN 350 ATTENDEES AT THE MIT MUSEUM TRADITIONAL DEPARTMENTAL LINES. ON APRIL 4.
▲ Is most development work premised on a myth that you can donate people out of poverty?
▲ In a world where 80-90% of the victims of war are now civilians, do we need to change our assumptions about what “peace” looks like?
▲ Given the growing evidence that the adolescent brain is incapable of acting on its moral understandings until at least the late-teenage years, is it ever right to prosecute juveniles as adults?
▲ BEN MEZRICH, AUTHOR OF BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, CAPTIVATED A PACKED 10-250 AUDIENCE AND SET THE TONE FOR A FASCINATING PANEL PRESENTATION ON GAMBLING AND ADDICTION ON OCT. 17.
▲ ON APRIL 7, PAUL POLACK, ENTREPRENEUR AND PHILANTHROPIST, ENGAGED THE AUDIENCE IN A LIVELY DISCUSSION ON ETHICS AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
At the Technology and Culture Forum, we specialize in asking thought provoking questions, and this year’s speakers provided them in spades. As I reviewed my notes from our 2007-2008 events, I was amazed by the quality and timeliness of our speakers’ questions. Two themes emerged through the myriad presentations and events we helped mount this year. Alan Wallace put the first theme most succinctly: The great koan of the 21st century is, “How can we know so much and be so awful to one another?” The second theme, not unrelated to the first, was a call for self-reflection and discipline by individuals ▲ and institutions engaged in development- TAC STEEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS related work. As MIT’s global role evolves, WERE OUT IN FORCE WELCOMING THE we’re witnessing students, faculty, and MANY GUESTS TO THE 6TH ANNUAL administrators newly engaged around these INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FAIR critical issues. The excellent attendance at ON OCTOBER 5. FROM L-R: XAQ our events and the deep engagement of the FROHLICH, SARAH JOHNSTONE, YODA audiences with our speakers indicate that we are making an important contribution to the PATTA AND PROFESSOR BISH SANYAL. life of the Institute at a historically critical time. ▲ IAN BOWLES, SECRETARY OF THE We were glad to be able to bring global, EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND national and state-level conversations to ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS OF MA, MIT through our collaborations with the SPEAKING AT MCAN’S GLOBAL Massachusetts Climate Action Network, event in collaboration with Harvard’s WARMING ACTION CONFERENCE ON Trinity Institute’s national conference International Development Conference. NOVEMBER 18TH. THIS WAS TAC’S THIRD on “Religion and Violence,” and Doctors We were especially encouraged to see Without Borders. We helped take MIT’s an increasing number of students at our YEAR OF HOSTING THE IMMENSELY International Development Network to the events, moving us toward our goal of POPULAR CONFERENCE. THE 2008 next level, expanding the size of the fall having a greater impact on the formation CONFERENCE IS SCHEDULED FOR Development Fair and adding a spring of the next generation of leaders. NOV. 16TH AT THE MIT STATA CENTER.
MIT President Susan Hockfield and Boston's Mayor Tom Menino
join with three BLS student leaders at the 2nd Annual Youth Summit youth ▲ summit on Global Climate Change on May 10. Last year, TAC began mentoring a student environmental club at the Boston Latin School. The club, BLS Youth Climate Action Network
In Memoriam ANNUAL SUPPORT
LOUIS MENAND, III ENDOWMENT LEADERSHIP William and Betsy Leitch • 1923-2008 • Albert Wilson Courtesy MIT Museum Mrs. Henry Worcester • VISIONARIES As we end our 44th year, we celebrate the past, Office of the Provost present, and future of this unique program. Campbell Searle We mourn the passing of Louis Menand, III, • whose wisdom, humor and brilliance had been LEADERSHIP CIRCLE part of TAC since its early days. Steering Norman and Nancy Beecher Committee Ali Wyne, ‘08, was awarded the Linda Anthony Clark and Harold Clark prestigious Karl Taylor Compton Prize and Jay Fay has contributed to the work of TAC in creative Jay Forrester and inspiring ways and will continue to serve Richard Goldhor on the Steering Committee as our youngest John Heywood alum member. We are gratefully astounded Jake Jacoby by the work and energy of Xaq Frohlich, who ▲ William and Betsy Leitch helped organize five of our events this year, AMY SMITH, DIRECTOR OF MIT’S D-LAB, and Sarah Johnstone, whose four years of DEMONSTRATES HOW AGRICULTURAL • excellent work for TAC was recognized this WASTE, CAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO SUSTAINERS summer by the Diocese of Massachusetts, COOKING GRADE CHARCOAL. AMY Samuel Allen which awarded her the Barbara C. Harris Award Caroline Bloy AND D-LAB STUDENTS GAVE LECTURE for Social Justice Work. Frances Elliott DEMONSTRATIONS TO AN ENTHRALLED Elias Gyftopoulos We eagerly anticipate the 2008-2009 AUDIENCE AT OUR A GENIUS FOR Jay Keyser academic year. CHANGE PROGRAM, CO-SPONSORED Marjorie Leggett Tracy Lively WITH THE MIT MUSEUM ON OCT. 10. Ruth and David McCreath (The Rev.) Amy McCreath Jeanne and Scott Paradise Kitty and David Rush Brigette and Stephen Steadman John Suhbier A SPECIAL THANKS to our • Development Committee SUPPORTERS Carson Agnew Elizabeth Cavicchi Alan Davidson Paul Gray, ‘54 Jane Gould Stephen Immerman Jacqueline and Jonathan King William (‘56) and Betsy Leitch Joel Moses The Rev. Amy McCreath Office of the Dean of Graduate Students Ruth Perry Robert Randolph Bishwapriya Sanyal Bishop M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE Michael Shirley Patricia-Maria Weinmann Merritt Roe Smith Albert Wilson, ‘38 Leon Trilling Kenneth Wright Bashar Zeitoon, ‘87 Bernhardt Wuensch
THE TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE FORUM PROGRAMS 2007 / 2008
Tuesday • September 18, 2007 Tuesday • October 16, 2007 Tuesday • November 6, 2007 FINANCING ISLAMIC TERRORISM THE DIGNITY OF DIFFERENCE MAKING HEALTH POLICY Dr. Ibrahim Warde, Contributor, Le Monde Sir Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United IN MASSACHUESTTS: Diplomatique; author of The Price of Fear: The Hebrew Congregations of the British Commonwealth AN INSIDER’S PERSPECTIVE Truth Behind the Financial War on Terror; and Co-sponsored with the Chaplain to the Institute, Addir Jonathan Gruber, Professor of Economics, MIT Visiting Professor, Fletcher School of Law and Fellows: MIT Interfaith Dialogue and MIT Hillel Diplomacy, Tufts University Friday • November 9, 2007 Co-sponsored with the Emile Bustani Middle East Wednesday • October 17, 2007 SICKO: A FILM BY MICHAEL MOORE Seminar and the Center for International Studies GAMBLING: FACE TO FACE Moderator: Dr. David Jones, Associate Professor, OR INTERFACE? Science, Technology and Society, MIT Thursday • September 20, 2007 Ben Mezrich, author of Bringing Down The Co-sponsored with the MIT Lecture Series WHERE MORALS COME FROM House: The True Story of Six M.I.T. Kids Who Committee and the Large Events Fund (AND WHY IT MATTERS) Took Vegas for Millions Beatriz Luna, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Dr. Natasha Schüll, Associate Professor, Wednesday • November 15, 2007 School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Program on Science, Technology, and Society, MIT; ADVANCEMENTS IN UNDERWATER John Mikhail, Associate Professor, Law Center author of Machine Life: Control and Compulsion VEHICLES: RESPONDING TO CUR- and Philosophy Department, Georgetown University in Las Vegas RENT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Patrick Byrne, Professor of Philosophy, Dr. Maressa Hecht Orzack, founder and Jim Morash, MIT Sea Grant Research Engineer Boston College coordinator of the Computer Addiction Service, Co-sponsored with the MIT Museum Moderator: Christopher Moore, Assistant McLean Hospital; Harvard Medical School Professor of Neuroscience, Department of Brain Moderator: Dr. Christopher M. Kelty, Sunday • November 18, 2007 and Cognitive Sciences, Whitehead Institute, MIT Visiting Assistant Professor of The History of CLIMATE ACTION CONFERENCE Science, Harvard University Friday • October 5, 2007 Co-sponsored and organized by the Massachusetts 6TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL Tuesday • October 30, 2007 Climate Action Network (MCAN) DEVELOPMENT FAIR DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS WEEK An annual event designed to showcase the many @ MIT AND HARVARD Sunday-Tuesday • January 21-23, 2008 groups, projects and activities at MIT that provide Dr. Hansel Otero, Doctors Without Borders RELIGION AND VIOLENCE: students with an opportunity to work on issues Co-sponsored with Doctors without Borders @ MIT UNTANGLING THE ROOTS related to international development and Harvard and the MIT Public Service Program OF CONFLICT Webcast and discussions of the Trinity Institute National Interfaith Theological Conference. Co-sponsored with the Addir Interfaith Fellowship and the Chaplain to the Institute ▲ Wednesday • January 30, 2008 TAC co-sponsored the performance of DARWINISM AND INTELLIGENT RE:DESIGN, a DESIGN: A DINNER DISCUSSION play based on the John Durant, Director, MIT Museum correspondence between Charles Thursday • February 14, 2008 Darwin and Asa RE: DESIGN Gray, on February 14th. Following the A play based on the correspondence between play, a discussion Charles Darwin and Harvard botanist, Asa Gray was moderated by Co-sponsored with the MIT Museum John Durant, TAC Steering Committee Thursday • March 6, 2008 member and Director COMPUTER-GENERATED INVENTIONS: of the MIT Museum. RISKS AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS Robert Plotkin, Esquire’ ‘93 Wednesday • October 10, 2007 Tuesday • October 30, 2007 A GENIUS FOR CHANGE AND LEBANON’S POLITICAL GRIDLOCK Friday • March 14, 2008 THE PASSION TO DO IT: Dr. Augustus Richard Norton, Professor DISSOLVING WAR: WOMEN AS MIT STUDENTS AND of Anthropology and International Relations, PEACEMAKERS INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Boston University Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, author of Women Amy Smith, MIT D-Lab Co-sponsored with the Bustani Middle East Building Peace: What They Do, Why it Matters John Durant, Director, MIT Museum Seminar and the Center for International Studies Co-sponsored with the Center for International Studies Co-sponsored with the MIT Museum (Continued on Back Cover)
THE TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE FORUM PROGRAMS 2007 / 2008
CONTINUED Wednesday • April 2, 2008 ADVANCING THE LEGACY OF WILLIAM JAMES: THE RADICALLY EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE MIND B. Alan Wallace, lecturer, scholar, writer on Monday • April 7, 2008 Tibetan Buddhism WHAT ARE ETHICAL DEVELOPMENT Co-sponsored with MIT Prajnopaya, The School for PRACTICES? Humanities and Social Sciences, and the MIT Dear Friends: Paul Polack, entrepreneur and philanthropist Department of Philosophy For 44 years the Technology and Culture Co-sponsored with MIT D-Lab Thursday • April 3, 2008 Forum has been the MIT focus for CONTEMPLATIVE SCIENCE, MIND Tuesday • April 29, 2008 connections among individual values, & PHYSICS IS DEVELOPMENT GOOD? career interests, problems and B. Alan Wallace, lecturer, scholar, writer on Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Professor of Law opportunities at the intersection of Tibetan Buddhism and Development, Urban Studies and Planning technology, science and society, and moral Moderator: Christopher Moore, Assistant Co-sponsored with the MIT Program in Human and ethical issues. Its work engages Professor, McGovern Institute for Brain Rights and Justice students, faculty and staff. Research, MIT The vitality of this enterprise depends Co-sponsored with MIT Prajnopaya, the School Saturday • May 10, 2008 for Humanities and Social Sciences, and the MIT YOUTH SUMMIT ON GLOBAL crucially on private financial support Department of Philosophy CLIMATE CHANGE from alumni and friends. Please Welcome and Opening Remarks: consider a gift this year for the Forum. Friday • April 4, 2008 Susan Hockfield, President, MIT INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Thomas Menino, Mayor, City of Boston Thank you, NIGHT @ MIT Co-sponsored with Boston Latin School Paul E. Gray, MIT President Emeritus The 15th Annual J. Herbert Hollomon Youth Climate Action Network Memorial Symposium FROM IMAGINATION TO INNOVATION: PIONEERING SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL CHALLENGES Amy Smith, MIT D-Lab
THE TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE FORUM STEERING COMMITTEE 2007 / 2008
THE TECHNO LO G Y The Technology and Culture Forum at MIT 2007-2008 &
C U L STEERING COMMITTEE Louis Menand, III — Special Assistant to the Provost Emeritus T
U
R Samuel M. Allen — Materials Science and Engineering (1923-2008) E Nazli Choucri — Political Science Christopher Moore — Department of Brain and FORUM Christopher Csikszentmihalyi — Media Lab Cognitive Sciences John Durant — Director, MIT Museum Megan Palmer — G James Fay — Mechanical Engineering; Professor Emeritus Yoda Patta — G THE TECHNO LO Henry Jacoby — Sloan School of Management Ruth Perry — Literature G Y & Sarah Johnstone — G Balakrishnan Rajagopal — Urban Studies and Planning C U Bishwapriya Sanyal — Urban Studies and Planning L Evelyn Fox Keller — History and Philosophy of Science T
U
R Jay Keyser — Linguistics and Philosophy; Special Assistant Ali S. Wyne — ‘08 E
AT MIT to the Chancellor; Professor Emeritus FORUM Jonathan King — Biology STAFF Xaq Frohlich — G The Rev. Amy McCreath, Coordinator 77 Massachusetts Ave. MIT Building W11 William R. Leitch — ‘56 Patricia-Maria Weinmann, Associate Coordinator Cambridge, MA 02139 Nergis Mavalvala — Physics Christina English, Program Associate