Volume 49 – Number 19 Wednesday – March 2, 2005 TechTalk S ERVING T HE M I T C OMMUNITY

Bob Langer Robot’s gait mimics toddlers’ Elizabeth Thomson named an News Office

Three independent research teams, including one from Institute MIT, have built walking robots that mimic humans in terms of their gait, energy-efficiency and control. The MIT robot also demonstrates a new learning system that allows it to Professor continually adapt to the terrain as it walks. Elizabeth Thomson The work, which is described in the Feb. 18 issue of the News Office journal Science, could change the way humanoid robots are designed and controlled. It also has potential applications for robotic prostheses and it could aid scientists’ understanding of the human motor system. Robert S. Langer, the Germe- Developed at MIT, Cornell and Holland’s Delft University shausen Professor of Chemical and of Technology, the three robots are all based on the same Biomedical Engineering, has been principle—they are an extension of several years of research named Institute Professor, the highest into “passive-dynamic walkers” that walk down a shallow honor awarded by the MIT faculty and slope without any motors. Passive-dynamic walkers were administration. inspired by walking toys that have been around since the “Bob Langer is an extraordinary 1800s. colleague and an extraordinary engi- neer-scientist,” said Rafael Bras, the Robotic toddler Bacardi and Stockholm Water Founda- Control programs in the Cornell and Delft robots are tions Professor and chair of the faculty. extremely simple, because a large portion of the control “His work on drug delivery systems problem is solved in the mechanical design. The MIT robot and tissue engineering has literally uses customized learning software that exploits this design, saved many lives. As an author and allowing the robot to teach itself to walk in less than 20 min- inventor he has no peer, anywhere. utes, or about 600 steps. Yet, Bob always finds the time to gen- Dubbed “Toddler” because it learns to walk and because erously serve MIT and the nation. He it toddles when it does so, the robot “is one of the first walk- always has the time for students and ing robots to use a learning program, and it is the first to to excel as a teacher. Those extraor- learn to walk without any prior information built into the dinary talents make him the obvious controller,” said Russ Tedrake, a postdoctoral associate in choice for Institute Professor. The fac- MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. ulty is thrilled to honor Bob Langer in Among other things, the learning program allows the this manner.” robot to navigate efficiently over a variety of walking sur- “Bob Langer’s appointment as Insti- faces; it may eventually allow robots to navigate very rough PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY See LANGER terrain. That’s because the program works so quickly that Page 3 See TODDLER Postdoctoral associate Russ Tedrake and alumna Teresa Weirui Zang watch their robotic toddler navigate the medical building foyer. Page 4

Groundbreaking new major Drinking education program established, first in 29 years proves highly effective at MIT Denise Brehm “MIT’s program is pioneering the prem- Sasha Brown percent—is similar to that of MIT’s peer News Office ise of doing engineering analysis, design News Office institutions, which average about 30 per- and synthesis based in modern molecular cent. The rates at state schools nationally life sciences with the aim of impacting a tend to run much higher, 50 percent or The Massachusetts Institute of Tech- diverse set of application areas and indus- The “tyranny of the minority” is how more. nology faculty approved a new course of tries ranging from microelectronic materi- Associate Dean Danny Trujillo refers to Trujillo came to MIT three years ago study for undergraduates, in Biological als to ocean ecology,” said Linda Griffith, alcohol abuse on college campuses. The following a national search for an associ- Engineering, the first entirely new curricu- professor of mechanical and biological few students who do engage in dangerous ate dean for alcohol education and com- lum established at the Institute in 29 years. engineering and chair of the biological drinking have a negative impact on the munity development. Since then, he has MIT is the first university in the nation engineering undergraduate program com- lives of the majority—the students who worked in collaboration with the Mental to take the step of fusing molecular and mittee at MIT. choose to abstain or drink moderately. Health Department of MIT Medical to pre- cellular bioscience with engineering to The MIT program is different because In a 2003 survey of MIT undergradu- vent alcohol abuse on campus through the create a new biological engineering disci- the engineering will be taught from the ates, only one in four students reported adoption of a screening and intervention pline. Many other universities and medical beginning entirely in the context of biol- ever having engaged in binge drinking. program known as SBI (Screening and schools offer biomedical engineering (or ogy, rather than in the context of machines But 42 percent of MIT students reported Brief Intervention.) bioengineering) programs aimed at apply- or chemistry or materials. By contrast, the feeling the secondhand effects—interrupt- His work is paying off. The rate of ing engineering to medicine, and there curricula in biomedical engineering pro- ed study or sleep time—of others’ alcohol binge drinking decreased by 40 percent are biological engineering programs that grams typically have students take their consumption. Additionally, that minority for MIT students who entered the MIT- have an entirely different focus—generally engineering courses in various other engi- accounts for 73 percent of alcohol-related SBI program. mainly on agriculture. But an engineering neering departments, then learn to apply injuries, vandalism and police infractions, At the end of last year, the program discipline grounded in molecular and cel- engineering to medicine and physiology. Trujillo said. was recognized by the U.S. Department lular biology, enabling a broad spectrum of Nine new subjects at MIT have been Binge drinking among MIT students of Education as one of three model alcohol applications, including but not focused on developed for the course of biological is low compared to universities nationally and drug prevention programs in higher medicine, has not been established before and slightly less than at its peer institu- now. Other universities are expected to be See MAJOR tions. The rate of heavy episodic drinking See ALCOHOL influenced by MIT’s approach. Page 5 at MIT reported in the 2003 survey—28 Page 5

NEWS RESEARCH ARTS

GOOD VIBRATIONS IT TAKES ALL KINDS THE CHANGING FIELD MIT collaborates with Cambridge on EPA grant MIT-created robots help humans in out-of-the-way Dean of Architecture Adele Santos gives a brief proposal. PILOT agreement boosts city’s bond rating. places. history of women in the field. Page 2 Page 4 Page 7

TOP SCHOLAR TRAINING THE BRAIN PAIRING OFF Laurel Yong-Hwa Lee was named to the All-USA Primitive part of the brain may be smarter than we Performance pairs words of Paul Auster with music Collegiate Academic Team by USA Today. think. of Don Byron and others. Page 3 Page 4 Page 7 PAGE 2 March 2, 2005 NEWS MIT Tech Talk Cambridge, MIT win EPA grant The City of Cambridge and MIT will technologies that drive excellent envi- collaborate to significantly reduce diesel ronmental performance on campus and pollution from their respective vehicle throughout the city. MIT is extremely fleets over the next two years, thanks to a grateful to the EPA for selecting our joint grant from the U.S. Environmental Protec- proposal with the city,” Keith said. tion Agency announced Feb. 23. The grant “We intend to use this collaborative is one of 18 awarded nationwide from a project not only to make significant reduc- pool of 83 applicants. tions in our own emissions, but also to Through the Clean Diesel Collaborative share our experience and demonstrate for a Healthy Cambridge, MIT and the city to others the feasibility of the technology will retrofit 34 medium- and heavy-duty so that it can be more widely adopted,” vehicles with advanced pollution control said Steven Lanou of MIT’s Environmen- equipment (including catalyzing equip- tal Programs Office, who is spearheading ment and filters). The goal is to reduce the effort for MIT. “The more we can dif- emissions per vehicle 40 to nearly 70 per- fuse the technology across diesel fleets, cent for some pollutants. the greater the environmental benefits we Like many cities, Cambridge has a can achieve.” large population of people who are espe- Laxmi Rao and Norm Magnuson of cially vulnerable to air pollution, particu- MIT’s Department of Facilities are lead- larly diesel emissions. Exposure to die- ing the implementation. They worked with sel pollution has been linked to numer- Lanou to develop MIT’s proposal. ous health conditions, including asthma, The EPA grant of $83,467 through the PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY heart disease and cancer. The Cambridge agency’s Voluntary Diesel Retrofit Grant Health Alliance identified childhood Program will launch the new initiative The need for Speedo asthma as a priority health concern in its and cover the implementation costs. The The men’s swimming and diving team made its annual run through the Infinite 2004 Cambridge Public Health Assess- Massachusetts Port Authority (Mass- Corridor last week before finishing third at the New England conference champion- ment. port) also received a grant through this ships in the Zesiger Center last weekend. In the 400 medley relay, MIT sophomore “Partnering with the City of Cambridge program. Craig Edwards, senior J.P. Carlucci, graduate student Jonathan Varsani and junior in EPA’s voluntary diesel retrofit program The Clean Diesel Collaborative marks Grady Snyder posted the fastest time in the nation with a split of 3:22.85. is one way that MIT is demonstrating its the second major phase of the City of strong commitment to excellence in envi- Cambridge’s effort to reduce emissions ronmental stewardship,” said Jamie Lewis from its working vehicles. Last fall, as part Keith, MIT’s senior counsel and managing of the first phase, the city adopted the use buses, run on biodiesel. The Clean Diesel Collaborative for a director for Environmental Programs and of biodiesel—a clean-burning alternative The collaborative also marks an expan- Healthy Cambridge is a joint effort with Risk Management. fuel produced from domestic sources—for sion of MIT’s efforts to improve the envi- MIT’s Environmental Programs Office and “This initiative offers an innovative the majority of its large vehicle fleet. Now ronmental performance of its vehicles; Department of Facilities, and Cambridge’s approach to realizing measurable reduc- more than 80 city-owned vehicles, includ- through the program, MIT will introduce Departments of Public Works and Com- tions in air pollutants, strengthening col- ing garbage trucks, construction vehicles, biodiesel for the first time into its diesel munity Development. laborative ties, and demonstrating new and about a dozen city-owned school vehicles. —Elizabeth Thomson Construction plans outlined in town-gown report In its annual report to the City of Cam- Physics (now spread throughout 13 build- term revenue protection and predictability. Triple A ratings from the nation’s three bridge, MIT noted that “the $1.4 billion ings on campus) in one area through a Healy noted that Fitch Ratings, which major credit rating agencies. building program of the last several years project involving space-swapping with assigns bond ratings to municipalities, The PILOT agreement was lauded in is drawing to a close,” but outlined some other departments plus renovation and highlighted the new agreement in its annu- The Boston Globe and the Cambridge further demolition and construction plans, new construction. About a third of the al review of Cambridge’s finances. Cam- Chronicle, which praised it as “historic” in including a potential Music and Theater program space will be provided by new bridge is one of 12 U.S. cities with three an editorial. Arts Teaching Laboratory. construction of a building in the court- The eighth Town Gown Report summa- yard framed by Buildings 2, 4, 6 and 8, and rizes data on MIT’s population, taxable and demolition of Building 6A. Construction is tax-exempt land, parking facilities and mon- expected to begin later in 2005. etary payments to Cambridge. The report • The ongoing Vassar Street redevel- City to redo Mass. Avenue was presented to the city on Feb. 1 at a opment project, half of which is already meeting before the city’s Planning Board. complete. Sasha Brown and current street lighting will be replaced The section on future plans of the Town • Additional student housing—Cam- News Office by historic reproductions from 1907. Gown Report includes the following proj- bridgeport and West Campus locations are The overhaul planned for Lafayette ects planned (some only tentatively) over under consideration but there are no plans Square includes a new traffic signal and the next five to seven years: for any specific site. Massachusetts Avenue is getting a crosswalks at the Landsdowne Street inter- • The proposed Music and Theater • The last two projects associated with makeover. section, and a landscaped community plaza Arts Teaching Laboratory, a teaching facil- the Evolving Campus program, the Media The City of Cambridge announced with benches, tables, trees and attractive ity for musical and theatrical disciplines Lab Extension (renamed the Media Arts plans to redo Massachusetts Avenue walkways. that would be used primarily for rehears- and Sciences Project) and the East Cam- from Memorial Drive to Central Square, Construction will take place from 7 al and teaching. Plans call for a building pus Project involving the Sloan School and focusing a good deal of effort on Lafay- a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. of approximately 36,000 square feet on School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sci- ette Square at the intersection of Main and On rare occasions, work may go later, but what is now a parking lot at the corner of ences, both conceived of as fully private Columbia streets. The project will begin never past 7 p.m., a city spokesperson said. Albany Street and Massachusetts Avenue. gift-funded projects, have been delayed later this month and is expected to take No construction work will occur on week- “The project will be considered for further while fundraising proceeds. about a year and a half to complete. ends or holidays. design work pending progress on fundrais- The complete report can be download- During construction, crews will keep The initial work of excavating the road- ing,” the report says. ed from the web site of MIT’s Office of two lanes of traffic (one in each direc- way was scheduled to begin in February, • Demolishing the Hayward Garage Government and Community Relations. tion) open at all times. Crosswalks and but was delayed because of snow. City offi- and temporarily replacing it with surface bus stops will be operational, but may shift cials expect the work to be complete by parking, pending a future decision on how PILOT agreement location from time to time. September 2006. to use the parcel. At a Feb. 8 meeting with the City The project has several goals, includ- Community members with questions • Relocating the occupants of Build- Council’s Committee on University Rela- ing improvement in safety for all modes of or problems about the project may contact ings E32, E33 and E34 elsewhere on cam- tions, City Manager Robert Healy told transportation—bicycle, vehicle and pedes- the City of Cambridge’s Department of pus and demolishing those buildings. The City Councillors and MIT’s Executive Vice trian—and beautification and improved Public Works Community Relations Man- site will have an underground parking President John Curry that the new PILOT functionality. ager Rebecca Fuentes at (617) 349-6948. garage tied to an academic project yet to agreement signed by MIT and the city The city will repave the road. Sidewalks For further information, see the city’s web be determined. in December has helped the city with its will be paved with cement and a decorative site at http://www.cambridgema.gov/ • Consolidating the Department of bond rating by providing Cambridge long- brick edging, bicycle lanes will be added, TheWorks/projects/southmass.htm.

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Roger Donaghy MIT Tech Talk PEOPLE March 2, 2005 PAGE 3 MIT senior honored by USA Today Belcher named Kristen Collins and tropical medicine at Oxford, having already lined up a News Office mentorship with the head of the Medical Research Coun- cil in England. Her interest in infectious diseases stems a ‘woman to from her experience working as a medical coordinator for For Laurel Yong-Hwa Lee, the awards just keep rolling a foundation supporting abandoned women and children in. and a hospital emergency room in Honduras. Lee is one of 20 students named to the All-USA Col- “While building strong relationships with single moth- watch’ lege Academic Team, an award given each year by the ers in shelters and children in orphanages, and developing Professor Angela Belcher is one of 10 New Eng- editors of USA Today, the nation’s top- a deeper appreciation of the public health land innovators in fields from biotechnology to selling newspaper with an average daily care system in Honduras, I developed a software to be honored in Mass High Tech’s 2005 circulation of 2.3 million. She was select- sense of responsibility for addressing the Women to Watch program. ed by a panel of judges from more than challenges I witnessed— specifically in the “These women will 600 students nominated by colleges and areas of infectious diseases,” Lee said. shape the future of universities across the United States. She “I decided to pursue a medical path to their industries while is recognized for her outstanding intel- integrate my training in basic science with serving as role models lectual achievement and leadership. The the study of infectious diseases that con- for young girls going award includes $2,500 in cash. tinue to be constant threats to the lives into science and engi- Lee also received one of the top aca- of people I met in Honduras, as well as neering,” said Mass demic awards last fall when she won a people throughout the rest of the world,” High Tech editor Jim Rhodes Scholarship, which she will use said Lee. Malone. Each was to pursue a doctorate in clinical medicine Lee’s nomination for the USA Today featured in an article at Oxford University. award focused on her academic research, in the Feb. 21 issue of A few months earlier, she was profiled achievements and honors, but included an the business and tech- in Glamour magazine’s Top 10 College emphasis on her community and personal nology newspaper. Women list. She and fellow senior Swati interests as well. She has devoted a signifi- Belcher is an asso- Maria Saini were recognized for their cant amount of her time at MIT not only ciate professor in the leadership, community and academic to her dual major, but to the varsity light- Department of Mate- achievements, and were featured in the weight crew team. rials Science and magazine’s October 2004 issue. And in Laurel Yong-Hwa Lee “My training as a varsity rower during Engineering and the February 2004, Lee was named a Bur- the past three and a half years has invigo- Department of Biolog- Angela Belcher chard Scholar in the School of Humanities, Arts and Social rated my body and mind,” said Lee. She plans to continue ical Engineering. She Sciences at MIT, an honor given to students who demon- rowing at Oxford. is known in part for coaxing biological molecules strate unusual abilities and academic excellence. Also a nationally recognized violinist with more than to self-assemble into nanomaterials with increasingly The senior from Bothell, Wash., is both an academic 15 years of training, Lee has maintained a persistent pas- complex structures. In 2004 Belcher won a MacAr- superstar and a passionate young woman aiming to change sion for music. She began playing the violin at age six, and thur Fellowship, commonly known as the “genius” the world with her work. While all four of the awards rec- once considered a career in music. grant. ognize her scholastic achievement, the two given by media She now considers music a complement to her scientif- The other Mass High Tech Women to Watch also recognize her leadership and the well-rounded nature ic ambitions, and lights up when she talks about her music come from Boston University’s computer science of her accomplishments. In addition to her scholarship, analysis work with Professor Lowell Lindgren, a renowned department, The Digiticians, Target Software Inc., she has done volunteer work in Honduras, rows with the musicologist in MIT’s Music and Theater Arts Section. the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Authoria Inc., MIT crew team, and is an accomplished violinist. She found that MIT’s culture allows her to pursue both the Boston Cure for Multiple Sclerosis, Genzyme Lee came to the U.S. at age 16 from Korea. Now a pre- music and science and enjoy her rowing, activities that Corp., Botzam Inc., and Novartis Institutes for Bio- med double-major in brain and cognitive sciences and biol- helped her become an All-USA collegian. medical Research. ogy, she plans to pursue her Ph.D. in infectious diseases LANGER Continued from Page 1 ing principles that allowed a desired release of such medi- cally important molecules from plastics. “There’s no ques- tute Professor recognizes the enormous scale, scope and tion that my decision to join Judah’s lab exposed me to importance of his contributions to MIT and the larger things I’d never seen, and that few chemical engineers at society,” said President Susan Hockfield. “His pioneering the time had seen,” he said. work at the interface between engineering and the life sci- He went on to become the holder of some 500 issued ences has opened up entirely new directions for biomedi- and pending patents. More than 100 different companies cine. In his remarkably collaborative spirit, extraordinary license those patents and are creating products based on productivity, depth of curiosity and record of innovation, his innovations. These include a dime-sized polymer wafer he embodies the core values of MIT.” that delivers chemotherapy directly to the site of a brain Robert A Brown, provost and the Warren K. Lewis Pro- tumor, and a device that cuts the pain associated with nee- fessor of Chemical Engineering, also lauded the appoint- dles and IVs. ment. “Bob Langer is one of MIT’s most amazingly cre- Of his many accomplishments, what is Langer most ative and prolific faculty members. It is an honor to have proud of? “That’s a little like asking which of your children Bob on the MIT faculty and he richly deserves the recog- you’re most proud of,” he said with a laugh. That said, nition bestowed by the Institute Professorship.” there were two areas that came to mind. Langer described his initial reaction to the appointment “I’m very proud of how well my students have done,” as “a combination of shock on the one hand and joy on the he said. Some 130 Langer students and postdoctoral asso- other. I look at the other people who are Institute Profes- ciates are professors at universities around the world, sors, and it’s really humbling.” including three at MIT. In addition, 150-200 past students “I love MIT, and feel very honored and flattered,” said are in top industrial positions. Langer. “I’m also very proud of the impact of our inventions,” The title of Institute Professor is reserved for those few he continued. Over 40 of these are now approved by regu- individuals who have “demonstrated exceptional distinc- latory authorities such as the FDA or are in clinical trials. tion by a combination of leadership, accomplishment and Langer joined the MIT faculty in 1977 as a visiting service in the scholarly, educational and general intellec- professor in what was then the Department of Nutrition tual life of the Institute or wider academic community,” and Food Science. A graduate of Cornell University, he according to MIT’s Policies and Procedures manual. With received the Sc.D. from MIT in chemical engineering in Langer’s appointment, there are now 15 Institute Profes- 1974. sors. He has received more than 100 major awards. In 2002, “I cannot imagine an individual more deserving than he received the $500,000 Charles Stark Draper Prize, con- Bob of recognition as an Institute Professor,” said Rob- sidered the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for engineers, ert C. Armstrong, the Chevron Professor and head of from the National Academy of Engineering. He is the only PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY the Department of Chemical Engineering. “He is not engineer to receive the Gairdner Foundation Internation- only a great example to the world of MIT’s excellence in al Award; 64 recipients of this award have subsequently Dr. Robert Langer is MIT’s newest Institute Professor. research, but is also a great faculty colleague and teacher received a Nobel Prize. In 1998, he received the $500,000 and mentor of our students at home. His enormous profes- Lemelson-MIT Prize, the world’s largest prize honoring sional stature and his broad value and engagement across invention, for being “one of history’s most prolific inven- Institute Professor has a distinct measure of freedom to units of MIT are both important attributes of an Institute tors in medicine.” define the scope and nature of his or her responsibilities. Professor.” In 1989 Langer was elected to the Institute of Medicine Reporting directly to the provost, an Institute Professor of the National Academy of Sciences and in 1992 he was does not have regular departmental or school responsibili- Taking risks elected to both the National Academy of Engineering and ties. As a result, the appointment provides a special oppor- When asked what advice he’d give engineers and sci- to the National Academy of Sciences. He is one of very tunity to work across departmental boundaries. entists beginning their careers, Langer said, “Take some few people ever elected to all three United States National The 14 other current Institute Professors are Emilio risks. Don’t necessarily follow a conventional career path.” Academies and the youngest in history (at age 43) to ever Bizzi, brain and cognitive sciences; John M. Deutch, chem- In 1974, Langer did just that, with his new MIT Ph.D. in receive this distinction. istry; Peter A. Diamond, economics; Mildred S. Dressel- chemical engineering in hand. “At the time, young chemi- haus, electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) cal engineers went into the petroleum industry. I opted for Institute Professorships and physics; Jerome I. Friedman, physics; John H. Har- a postdoctoral position with cancer researcher Judah Folk- The process for selecting Institute Professors involves bison, music and theater arts; John D.C. Little, manage- man at Children’s Hospital,” Langer said. an ad hoc faculty committee convened by the chair of the ment; Thomas Magnanti, management and EECS; Mario At Children’s, one of the things he tackled was the faculty and the president. That committee evaluates each Molina, earth, atmospheric and planetary sciences and problem of how to get large molecules, which held prom- nominee, in part by soliciting opinions from professionals chemistry; Joel Moses, EECS; Phillip A. Sharp, biology; ise for fighting cancer and other diseases, through plastic in the nominee’s field. The committee’s recommendations Isadore M. Singer, mathematics; Daniel I.C. Wang, chemi- delivery systems in a controlled manner. The general con- are reviewed by the Academic Council and approved by cal engineering; and Sheila E. Widnall, aeronautics and sensus at the time was that this was impossible. the Executive Committee of the Corporation. astronautics. Langer persevered and ultimately discovered engineer- In addition to the prestige associated with the title, an PAGE 4 March 2, 2005 RESEARCH MIT Tech Talk Robots serve humans on land, in sea and air

Lauren Clark The lab developed the Odyssey class of School of Engineering submarine-like vessels, which evolved into AUVs produced commercially by BlueFin Robotics, a company that spun out of the MIT’s version of the “robotoddler” is AUV Lab and still works closely with it. just the latest MIT entry in the world of BlueFin vehicles aid research, survey off- robots that can move themselves in a vari- shore oil fields, and assist the U.S. Navy in ety of settings. There’s still a long way to mine warfare and battlespace preparation. go before today’s robots evolve into practi- The next generation of AUVs, said cal, everyday technologies, but even now, Chryssostomidis, will include smaller, autonomous robotic vehicles developed at more robust vehicles that could be tossed MIT are exploring uncharted or hazard- out of an aircraft; hovering AUVs that ous places, assisting troops in combat and inspect ship hulls for mines; biomimetic performing household tasks. AUVs that mimic marine animals (based on past MIT projects such as Robotuna); On land and surface crafts for applications such as In addition to his well-known work on hydrographic surveying and communicat- PHOTO COURTESY / CHARLES HARVEY humanoid robots such as Kismet, Profes- ing with and shadowing AUVs. sor Rodney Brooks led the development The biggest challenge for AUV engi- Tsunami saltwater of several robotic vehicles and co-founded neers is power generation. Most AUVs run a company, iRobot, that develops these on batteries, and current fuel-cell technol- Professor Charles Harvey and a research team traveled to Sri Lanka to measure the machines commercially. iRobot produces ogy limits missions to hours rather than impact that saline ocean water from the tsunami had on drinking water wells. Additional Roomba, a disc-shaped robotic vacuum weeks or months of continuous underwa- photos and Harvey’s trip diary are posted on the News Office web site. cleaner for home use, and PackBot, a ter activity. Chryssostomidis and his col- small, tank-like battlefield robot that can leagues are also working on underwater climb stairs and right itself when it flips acoustic communication via modem and over. Troops in Afghanistan use PackBots on software that enables high-level control to explore enemy caves, and soldiers in of both communication and navigation. Primitive brain is smarter Iraq use them to detect improvised explo- sive devices and inspect weapons caches. In the air iRobot has also partnered with John Deere Eric Feron and his research group in to develop r-Gator, an unmanned jeep that the Laboratory for Information and Deci- than we think, study shows can shuttle supplies to and from combat sion Systems are working on several Primitive structures deep within the absorbs the lesson more slowly. zones. projects that may lead to more airborne brain may have a far greater role in our “These findings suggest new ways of “In 20 years, we’ve gone from robots robots. Those projects include intelligent high-level everyday thinking processes thinking about learning,” Miller said. that can hardly maneuver around objects aircraft, communication among multiple than previously believed, report research- “They suggest that new learning isn’t sim- to ones that can navigate in unstructured air vehicles, and automated takeoff and ers at the MIT Picower Center for Learn- ply the smarter bits of our brain such as environments,” said Brooks, director of landing. ing and Memory in the Feb. 24 issue of the cortex ‘figuring things out.’ Instead, the Computer Science and Artificial Intel- The group has already made progress Nature. we should think of learning as interaction ligence Laboratory (CSAIL). in two of these areas. The “robochopper,” The results of this study led by Earl K. between our primitive brain structures and He also pointed to the many applica- a model helicopter outfitted with a sophis- Miller, associate director of the Picower our more advanced cortex,” he said. tions for labor-saving robots, from autono- ticated instrumentation box, can perform Center at MIT, have implications about Common wisdom suggests that when mous lawnmowers to mobile “assistants” autonomous aerobatic maneuvers at the how we learn. The new knowledge also we learn new things, the prefrontal cor- for the elderly. Brooks and his CSAIL col- flip of a remote-control switch. Feron, an may lead to better understanding and tex figures things out first. Then, as our leagues are currently working on an exper- associate professor of aeronautics and treatment for autism and schizophrenia, behaviors become familiar and habitual, imental robotic assistant built onto a Seg- astronautics, also led the development which could result from an imbalance the more primitive, subcortical basal gan- way transporter. However, smarter, multi- of an intelligent aircraft guidance system between primitive and more advanced glia take over so that the now-familiar functional robots that operate usefully are that allows a pilot in one airplane to guide brain systems. routines can be run off automatically and still a ways off. They will require advances another unmanned airplane by speaking Our brains have evolved a fast, reliable occupy less of our thoughts. such as object recognition (for example, commands in English. way to learn rules such as “stop at red” “What we found was evidence for some- the ability to differentiate between a pile An agile aerial vehicle such as the and “go at green.” Dogma has it that the thing very different,” Pasupathy said. “We of salt and a crumpled ball of white paper), robochopper is better suited than a sur- “big boss” lobes of the cerebral cortex, found that as monkeys learn new, simple manual dexterity and interfaces that could face robot to some scenarios, said Feron, responsible for daily and long-term deci- rules the striatum of the basal ganglia make a robot as easy to use as a refrigera- noting that it’s easier to fly a miniature sion-making, learn the rules first and then shows evidence of learning much sooner tor. robotic helicopter through a chaotic urban transfer the knowledge to the more primi- and faster than the prefrontal cortex. But, Then there’s the final frontier: space. environment than to deploy a land robot tive, large forebrain region known as the an interesting wrinkle is that the the mon- With funding from NASA, CSAIL is devel- down in the streets. basal ganglia, buried under the cortex. keys’ behavior improved at a slow rate, oping prototypes of autonomous vehicles Feron is taking on the challenge of Although both regions are known to similar to that of the slower changes in and humanoid robots for exploration on autonomous landing. Unmanned aircraft be involved in learning rules that become prefrontal cortex.” the Moon and Mars. presently use GPS (Global Positioning Sys- automatic enough for us to follow without This suggests that while the basal gan- tem) for navigation, but that technology much thought, no one had ever deter- glia “learn” first, their output forces the In the sea is not reliable enough to manage the fine mined each one’s specific role. prefrontal cortex to change, albeit at a Professor Chryssostomos Chryssosto- transition between air and ground. “We In this study, Miller, who is the Picower slower rate. midis, director of the Autonomous Under- wouldn’t want to put it in any of the critical Professor of Neuroscience, and postdoc- The researchers speculate that the fast- water Vehicles Laboratory (AUV Lab), tasks involved in landing,” he said. toral associate Anitha Pasupathy found er learning in the basal ganglia allows us to envisions “robots filling the vast void of The solution, says Feron, is to mimic a that in monkeys, the striatum (the input pick up important information needed for oceans, roaming around, observing, com- human pilot’s vision. He is developing what structure of the basal ganglia) showed survival. The prefrontal cortex then moni- municating, and reporting back.” His lab he calls a “collaborative vision scheme,” in more rapid change in the learning process tors what the basal ganglia have learned. has spent the past 15 years developing which the “eye” of a helicopter (a camera), than the more highly evolved prefrontal Its slower, more deliberate learning mech- AUVs that have carried out missions rang- looks at a specially designed target sitting cortex. Their results suggest that the anisms allow it to gather a more judicious ing from surveying shipwrecks to testing on the landing area. The target allows the basal ganglia first identify the rule, and “big picture” of what is going on, Miller underwater navigation and communica- helicopter to obtain the position parame- then “train” the prefrontal cortex, which said. tion software. ters in real time necessary for landing. TODDLER Continued from Page 1 weight and distance comparable to a human walker. The MIT and Delft robots, Toddler is able to continuously adapt to ❞ though not built deliberately to be energy the terrain as it walks. It is the first to learn to efficient, still use much less energy than, Tedrake demonstrated Toddler at a say, their famous cousin, Honda’s human- press briefing Feb. 17 at the annual meet- walk without any prior oid robot Asimo. ing of the American Association for the How do they move? The Cornell robot Advancement of Science in Washington, information built into the supplies power to the ankles to push off. D.C. His co-authors of the Science paper When the forward foot hits the ground, a are Professor Andy Ruina of Cornell, Ste- controller. simple microchip controller tells the rear ven Collins of the University of Michigan, foot to push off. The Delft robot uses a Russ Tedrake and Martijn Wisse of Delft. pneumatic push at the hip, and the MIT Postdoctoral Associate Tedrake’s MIT advisor on the work is robot uses electric motors that directly Brain and Cognitive Sciences Professor Sebastian Seung of the Depart- move the ankle. All three robots have ment of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. The arms synchronized to swing with the oppo- project involved a number of MIT students site leg for balance. that participated through the Undergraduate Energy-efficient gaits The robot work was done primarily Research Opportunities Program, including The three robots are quite energy effi- to study the biomechanics and control of seniors Ming-fai Fong and Andrew Baines, cient. Cornell’s “seems to be at least 10 human locomotion, but it could have appli- and junior Derrick Tan. The version of the times more efficient than anybody else’s,” cations in practical robotics. Collins, for robot featured in Science was designed and said Ruina. Rough calculations suggest example, is applying some of what he’s PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY built by Tedrake and mechanical engineer- that it approaches human efficiency, con- learned to the design of a powered pros- This robot, dubbed “Toddler” by its cre- ing alumna Teresa Weirui Zhang. suming an amount of energy per unit thetic foot for amputees. ators, adapts to the terrain as it walks. MIT Tech Talk NEWS March 2, 2005 PAGE 5 Students’ idea for new café serves up nicely Sasha Brown social eating. News Office The idea fit squarely into Campus Dining’s planned redesign for the Dome. “Scott’s work and the goals of the Culture Architecture is as much about creating Lab to encourage community and health- an environment as it is about manufactur- ier eating are exactly what our campus ing a building or space, says MIT archi- needs. The Steam Café is perfectly aligned tecture graduate student Scott Francisco, with our broader goals for Campus Din- who took the lead in conceptualizing the ing,” said Berlin. new Steam Café on the fourth floor of Each day offers a new menu based on Building 7. brown rice and an alternate grain, such as The Steam Café is located in the space white or wild rice. To accompany the rice, formerly occupied by the Dome Café, the café offers well-seasoned, ethnic, veg- which closed at the end of the fall term. etarian and meat hot entrées. Additionally, The café has done well since opening on there are soups, salads, sandwiches and Feb. 14, said Rich Berlin, director of cam- a variety of healthy and low-calorie bever- pus dining. “Business has basically dou- ages. Much of the produce is organic. PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY bled,” over that of the old café, he said. Senske brought his technological Architecture graduate students Scott Francisco (left) and Nick Senske spearheaded the The new café is a collaborative effort research to the project and developed a design and menu of the new Steam Cafe, located on the fourth floor of Building 7. among students in the Culture Lab, which basic web infrastructure to facilitate com- is a research group in the School of Archi- munity feedback and recipe submissions Memorial that had been relegated to stor- ture,” he said. “We are fighting against just tecture and Planning, working with MIT’s which will form the core of the menu. age. grabbing a slice of pizza and leaving to sit Office of Campus Dining and Sodexho “We want to tap into the diversity that The exterior of the café features large, at your computer alone.” Corporation, which runs most of the cam- is already at MIT,” Francisco said, add- Baltic birch seating blocks pushed next to Steam Café is open Monday through pus dining facilities. ing that he would like to see family reci- taller tables cut from the same wood. Din- Friday. It serves a healthy, balanced break- Since arriving at MIT in the fall of 2003, pes from around the globe become menu ers sit back to back, sharing blocks, in an fast beginning at 8 a.m. and switches to Francisco had noted a less than ideal grab- items. overall atmosphere of collegiality. lunch at 11 a.m. Hot entrees are served and-go food culture on campus. Working with a relatively small bud- With the leftover seating from the until 3 p.m., and unlike the old Dome, Working with Culture Lab, Francisco get—$25,000 for the interior and $25,000 Dome, the café can seat close to 100 which closed at 3 o’clock each day, Steam joined forces with Nick Senske, another for the exterior—Francisco and a crew people, said Francisco, who hopes that will continue selling snacks, sandwiches graduate student in architecture. Togeth- of other volunteers worked in the hobby patrons will utilize the seating to make and coffee until 6 p.m., so long as there is er, they wanted to create a space on cam- shop sawing and sanding to make new connections and build community. “The community demand. pus that encouraged seated, relaxed and countertops from the old tables of Walker idea was to see how design can impact cul- S.B. in mechanical and ALCOHOL Continued from Page 1 weeks.) As incentive for participating in the sur- ocean engineering proposed education. The award recognizes innova- vey, students were given $15 in Tech Cash, tive and empirically validated programs that a policy that led to an 86 percent survey Sasha Brown ing is “not terribly different than any other effectively address alcohol and other drug participation rate. Last fall, 20 percent of News Office engineering road map,” said Vandiver. issues among college student populations. students surveyed met the criteria for the Students would take 15 subjects beyond In October 2004, MIT’s program was SBI program; the first 70 interview slots the General Institute Requirements and honored at the National Meeting on Alco- were filled in 20 hours. In an all-around positive meeting on be able to choose two electives from a hol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence “First-year students are a critical group,” Feb. 16 in the Stata Center, the faculty restricted list. Prevention in Higher Education. said Trujillo. Prevention and early interven- heard discussion on three brand-new pro- Students currently enrolled in the “It has been a very effective program,” tion have been shown to be the best ways grams, all of which were met with excite- ocean engineering degree program will said Trujillo. to address high risk behavior and encour- ment and good cheer. have the opportunity to take the S.B. in The initial goals of the SBI program age responsible decision-making. The faculty voted unanimously to ocean engineering or the new degree. have been to reduce student alcohol use Many students start drinking because approve the new S.B. in biological engi- Dean of Engineering Thomas L. Mag- and the harms associated of what they perceive the neering. The S.B. marks the first com- nanti assured the faculty that the new with excessive use, as well “norm” to be, said Trujillo, pletely new undergraduate course of study S.B. had “strong support on behalf of the as to reduce the number which makes it very impor- in 29 years; it was greeted with thunder- School of Engineering.” of disciplinary actions that tant to clear up mispercep- ous applause by the roughly 60 faculty Faculty will have the chance to vote on emerge because of exces- tions about college drinking members present. the proposal at the March 16 faculty meeting. sive drinking. Students can as soon as students get to Professor J. Kim Vandiver of mechani- The faculty also heard from Jeffrey be referred to the program college. Among freshmen, 59 cal engineering presented the proposal for Meldman, director of undergraduate following an alcohol policy percent said they believe the a new S.B. in mechanical and ocean engi- programs at the Sloan School and asso- infraction or by medical per- typical MIT student drinks neering. After the Department of Mechan- ciate dean in the Office of the Dean for sonnel after a visit to emer- once a week or more. In fact, ical Engineering and the Department of Undergraduate Education, regarding the gency care, by the mental only 31 percent of MIT stu- Ocean Engineering merged on Jan. 1, the new Sloan School of Management under- health service or by athletic dents consume alcohol once new S.B. was unanimously approved by graduate minor in management, which has coaches and residence staff. a week. Only 11 percent drink the faculty of both departments. The new already been approved. Still other students come on more than once a week. S.B. offers an opportunity to “reincarnate Meldman gave an overview of the new their own. Thus far, the program the degree in a new way,” Vandiver said. minor, which will start in fall 2005. Initial The SBI program con- has been a great success. The new S.B. in mechanical and ocean enrollment will be limited to 100 under- sists of two one-on-one A 2004 evaluation compar- engineering would meet the department’s graduates a year, due to the anticipated meetings with a trained ing former SBI participants main goals, he said. It will preserve the high demand, said Meldman. After the staff member of the Mental Daniel Trujillo to a non-participant control ocean engineering identity at MIT while four-year phase-in period Sloan hopes to Health Department. “It is group found that those who attracting a greater number of students offer the course through an open-door pol- non-judgmental and not a treatment pro- had been through the program had lower because the degree also will be in mechan- icy, he said. gram,” said Trujillo, who explained that rates of excessive drinking and other high- ical engineering. “This is a highly valuable complement the meetings are considered opportunities risk behaviors. Heavy episodic drinking The track for a student hoping to earn to MIT undergraduate degrees,” Meldman for students to learn about alcohol at MIT decreased by 40 percent among SBI par- an S.B. in mechanical and ocean engineer- said. and reflect upon the role of alcohol in their ticipants, but it increased by more than 60 lives. percent for non-participants. Many have been surprised. “I learned Participants also experienced signifi- a lot about statistics,” said one SBI partici- cantly fewer negative consequences, par- MAJOR pant in an evaluation. “It’s good to know ticularly related to academic performance, how many people actually drink com- as a result of their drinking. They engaged Continued from Page 1 neering. It is wonderful to see MIT’s lead- pared to the exaggerated number that you more frequently in “protective behaviors,” ership on this important frontier propelled believe. A large majority of the students such as opting not to play drinking games, engineering, in addition to advanced sub- by such a wonderful group of faculty col- at MIT promote moderate alcohol use.” choosing not to drink at parties, alternat- jects in math, chemistry and biology. Core leagues.” Among SBI participants, 81 percent recom- ing between non-alcoholic and alcoholic subjects include Thermodynamics of Bio- The last new course of study estab- mend that MIT continue the SBI program. drinks to pace themselves, and expressing molecular Systems; Fields, Forces and lished at MIT before today was Linguistics concern regarding the legal and disciplin- Flows of Biological Systems; Molecular, and Philosophy in 1976. Since then, other Calling all first-years ary consequences associated with exces- Cell and Tissue Biomechanics; Biomolec- departments have added different “flavors” In September 2004, new freshmen were sive use. ular Kinetics and Cell Dynamics; and two to their undergraduate degree programs. invited to complete an online survey that The program is an active collabora- laboratory subjects in biotechnology and For instance, the Department of Math- assessed their experiences with drinking tion between students and multiple MIT biological instrumentation. The math and ematics now offers a bachelor of science in and perceptions of alcohol use at MIT. departments, including the Office of science core will include organic chemis- mathematics with an emphasis on comput- Those who reported binge drinking or Community Development and Substance try, genetics, cell biology, biochemistry er science. A number of new graduate pro- academic, legal or personal consequences Abuse; the Mental Health and Urgent Care and differential equations. grams have been developed, most notably associated with their drinking in the past departments of MIT Medical; the Campus MIT Provost Robert Brown described the Computational Systems and Biology 30 days were invited to participate in the Alcohol Advisory Board; the Office of Stu- the establishment of the new program program that started in 2004. But the Feb. SBI program. (Binge, or heavy episodic, dent Conduct; the Department of Athlet- as “a tremendously important step in the 16 faculty vote in favor of the new biologi- drinking is defined as five or more drinks ics, Physical Education and Recreation; development of the academic interface cal engineering course established the first in a row for men and four or more for Information Services and Technology; and between biology, health science and engi- new course of study in 29 years. women at least once in the previous two the MIT Card Office. PAGE 6 March 2, 2005 NEWS MIT Tech Talk

Wilczek to explain oddities NEWS YOU CAN USE Pomiecko memorial Friday A memorial service for John Christopher of universe in Ford lecture Pomiecko has been scheduled for March 4, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Killian Hall. A reception will follow the Professor Frank Wilczek, who won the 2004 Nobel Wilczek’s presentation will include pictures and a service. All members of the MIT community, friends Prize in physics, will present the seventh Ford/MIT Nobel movie. He summarizes the talk this way: “Over the course and family are invited. Chris Pomiecko was a pro- Laureate Lecture on Monday, March 7 at 4 p.m. in Kresge of the 20th century we have constructed a very success- gram administrator in Comparative Media Studies, Auditorium. The title of his lecture will be “The Universe ful fundamental theory of the behavior of matter. Viewed an avid film buff and duplicate bridge player who died is a Strange Place.” In advance of the upcoming lecture, from this perspective, the world looks very different from Feb. 6, following a car accident. He was 48. MIT Cable will broadcast the six previous Nobel lectures our everyday reality. It is a very strange place and a beau- this week. tiful one. I’ll discuss this, and show in particular how we Shapiro memorial scheduled Wilczek’s is the final lecture in the five-year series spon- come to understand the building blocks of matter as notes sored by Ford Motor Co. He is the 11th Nobel laureate to in a Music of the Void. Finally I’ll mention some recent A memorial service for Institute Professor Emeri- speak in the wide-ranging series, which sometimes had discoveries indicating that the world is even stranger than tus Ascher Shapiro will be held in the MIT Chapel two or three laureates speaking on similar topics. we’ve understood so far.” on Saturday, March 5 at 2 p.m. Speakers will include Provost Robert Brown, Professor John Heywood and Professor Roger Kamm. Professor Shapiro, who was a pioneer in the field of biomedical engineering and a leader in fluid Students develop networking skills mechanics research and education, died in his Jamai- ca Plain home on Nov. 26 of liver cancer. He was 88. When the Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Pro- Smith helped prepare participants with exercises that gram (UPOP) offered MIT sophomores the chance to included creating a “tagline” (a quick introductory summa- Awards nominations sought learn and practice networking skills in a special session ry about yourself to initiate conversation), shaking hands last year, the students almost unanimously cited it as a not- effectively, and entering and exiting discussions gracefully. Nominations are being accepted until March 18 to-be-missed opportunity. “The skills practiced at the event are essential not only for awards that will be announced at the annual Insti- This year, another 215 students mingled at a “mocktail” to students preparing to find internships for the summer tute Awards Convocation on May 10. For information party on Feb. 16 at the Stata Center with 50 alumni and but also for everyone involved in day-to-day business,” on the more than 30 awards that will be presented or others affiliated with MIT, including employers of UPOP said Bondi. to submit a nomination, go to the awards web site at interns. Geared to simulate the social situations in which “It taught me a lot about the importance of nonver- http://web.mit.edu/awards or call 253-7546. networking and other business interactions occur, the bal communication, how seemingly small details such as event followed an interactive presentation led by Jodi R. body language and name tag placement can can make a Report concerns on animal care Smith of Mannersmith, an etiquette consulting firm. huge difference in professional interactions,” said Bradley Vice President for Research and Associate Provost Devon Biondi, UPOP program manager for Student Edwards, a sophomore in electrical engineering and com- Alice Gast and the chairman of the Committee on Services and Alumni Relations, said that Smith teaches puter science. Animal Care are once again soliciting any information skills the students haven’t had the opportunity to learn No alcohol was served at this party, but when students which would aid MIT’s effort to maintain the humane before. “Experience gives people confidence, but if you’re are faced with professional networking events at which care of animals used in research. a sophomore and don’t have work experience in your alcohol is served later in life, Smith advised them to avoid The committee was established to ensure that all intended field, how do you get it?” asked Biondi. or minimize their drinking. MIT researchers working with animals comply with “She taught us many common-sense strategies that stu- “Consuming alcohol rarely makes networking better,” federal, state, local and institutional regulations on dents don’t normally think of using in a networking situ- said Smith. To emphasize the point, she mentioned that animal care. To that end, it inspects animals, animal ation when we’re under pressure,” said Gita Srivastava, a January is a busy month for her firm because companies facilities and labs, and reviews all research and teach- sopohomore in mechanical engineering. hire her to advise employees who behaved inappropriately ing exercises which involve animals before experi- The alumni and friends of MIT who attended repre- at holiday parties. ments are performed. sented a variety of industries, including finance, engineer- The networking event was part of the program’s Spring If you have information about inadequate animal ing, law, biotechnology, and nonprofit and government Professional Development Seminar Series, in which employ- care or any information that would help the commit- organizations. ers and MIT alumni volunteer to coach students through tee fulfill its responsibilities, contact the committee at “It’s valuable for engineers and business people to be able the recruiting process and professional development. 253-9436 or call Gast at 253-1403. All concerns about to handle a range of business networking situations success- UPOP exposes students to the multifaceted nature of animal care will be handled confidentially and will be fully,” said alumnus Paul Edelman (Ph.D. 1978), managing professional engineering practice and prepares them to investigated by the committee. director of Edelman & Associates, an executive search firm. make a smooth transition from academe to the workplace. “I really enjoyed interacting with the students and also tuned It is administered from the office of the Dean of Engineer- up professional skills that will be useful the next time I am at ing; the program has been funded as an initial five-year Student writing solicited a conference, a professional meeting or even a party.” pilot and is currently in its fourth year. The 2005 Ilona Karmel Writing Prizes Competition is accepting manuscript submissions (essays, plays, poetry, fiction and technical papers) from undergrad- uate and graduate students. The deadline for entries is 5 p.m. on Friday, April 1. Week of cultural celebration planned for MIT For information, visit the Program in Writing and MIT will offer a series of presentations and perfor- the Western Hemisphere Project’s Series on Haiti. Humanistic Studies office in Room14E-303 or go to mances celebrating racial and cultural diversity as part Toni Lester, an associate professor of law at Babson http://web.mit.edu/humanistic/www. of the Campus Committee on Race Relations’ first CCRR College, will discuss her compilation of writings, “Gender Week, March 5-12. Events in the series are being spon- Nonconformity, Race, and Sexuality: Charting the Con- Order cell phones online sored by different cultural groups across campus. nections” on March 9. Evelyn C. White, author of “Alice The goals of CCCR Week are to educate, entertain and Walker: A Life,” will discuss her biography of the Pulitzer Information Services and Technology (IS&T) and promote further awareness and appreciation for cultural Prize-winning author the next evening, March 10. White MIT Procurement, together with MIT-preferred cell difference within the MIT community. will be joined by Professor Helen Lee from MIT’s Pro- phone vendors Nextel and Verizon Wireless, have Performances will include the one-man play “Black gram in Writing and Humanistic Studies. Both events will developed online catalogs for departmental and Boy,” based on Richard Wright’s 1945 autobiography feature Q & A sessions with the writers. personal use. These secure catalogs (certificates depicting the hardships and discrimination he suffered CCRR Week will also include discussions and film required) expedite cell phone orders and information growing up in the South. Actor Charles Holt plays all screenings focused on race and ethnicity issues. A sched- requests. Departments can make purchases using roles in this performance, portraying Wright from age ule of events can be found at the CCRR web page. MIT procurement cards; individuals can use their four to 28. Later in the term, undergraduates from the Martin personal credit cards. For links to the new catalogs, Other performances include “¡Yo Soy Latina!” a play Luther King Jr. IAP Design Seminar plan to distribute rub- as well as contact information, see the IS&T Cellular originally performed Off-Off-Broadway that explores life ber bracelets to promote unity and cultural understand- Telephones web page at http://web.mit.edu/ist/ser- as a Latina in the United States. Also planned is a perfor- ing at MIT. This initiative is funded in part by the CCRR vices/telecommunications/cellphones.html. mance of “Haitian Drum and Dance,” presented as part of Grants Committee.

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Training provided. mdd@massed. pictures). trans., off-street parking, W/D, dishwasher. No net. Martha’s Vineyard: 4BR Chappaquiddick house MIT Tech Talk ARTS March 2, 2005 PAGE 7 Auster and Byron in concert Author Paul Auster and jazz clarinetist clarinetist by critics and readers alike in Don Byron will join forces as guest art- leading music journals; he was named Jazz ists with the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble Artist of the Year by Down Beat in 1992. and clarinetist Evan Ziporyn in a program Acclaimed as much for his restless creativ- titled “Words and Music and other Sonic ity as for his unsurpassed virtuosity as a Collaborations” on Friday, March 4 at 8 player, Byron has presented a multitude p.m. in Kresge Auditorium. Admission is of projects at major music festivals around $5 at the door. the world, including Vienna, Hong Kong, The performance is part of MIT’s London and New Zealand. He recently “Words and Music” series, which pairs received his first Grammy nomination in spoken word artists with composers and the Best Jazz Instrumental Solo category improvisers. for his performance on “I Want To Be Joining Byron at this concert will be Happy” on his album “Ivey-Divey.” guitarist David Gilmore, bassist Lonnie The MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble, Plaxico and drummer Ben Wittman. directed by Frederick Harris, is a student Paul Auster is one of America’s lead- ensemble that performs a broad range of ing novelists. He has published poems, repertoire spanning traditional and con- essays, translations and movie scripts, temporary jazz styles. Recent guest artists but is best known for two of his novels: have included Kenny Werner, Steve Turre “The New York Trilogy” and “The Music and Joe Lovano. of Chance.” New York Newsday has called An acclaimed clarinetist and compos- his novels “beautifully designed artifacts, er in his own right, Professor Evan Zipo- intellectual puzzles dedicated to the propo- ryn has collaborated with Don Byron for sition that life is a mystery ruled by chaos the past several years, most recently on and chance.” His most recent novel, “Ora- a soon-to-be-released CD for Cantaloupe cle Night,” just appeared in paperback. He Records. He is a member of the Bang on wrote and directed the 1998 film, “Lulu on a Can All-stars (Musical America’s 2005 PHOTO / DONNA COVENEY the Bridge,” in which he cast Don Byron. Ensemble of the Year) and the Steve Reich For more than a decade, Byron has Ensemble, as well as director of MIT’s Adele Santos addresses the MIT Women’s League on Feb. 18. In the background is a been a singular voice in a dizzying range of Gamelan Galak Tika. Ziporyn has also portrait of former MIT First Lady Priscilla Gray. musical contexts, exploring widely diver- worked with, among others, Paul Simon, gent traditions while continually striving DJ Spooky, Meredith Monk, Matthew for what he calls “a sound above genre.” Shipp, Henry Threadgill, and Cecil Taylor. As clarinetist, composer, arranger and He is the Kenan Sahin Distinguished Pro- social critic, he redefines every genre of fessor of Music at MIT. Santos’ talk gives music he plays, be it classical, salsa, hip- “Words and Music” is presented by the hop, funk, klezmer or jazz—from swing Music and Theater Arts Section in collab- and be-bop to cutting-edge downtown oration with the Program in Writing and improvisation. Humanistic Studies. For more information, history of women Byron has been consistently voted best call 617-253-9800. in architecture Sarah H. Wright A.A. diploma from the Architectural Asso- News Office ciation in 1961. “There were three women in my class. Then came the dramatic changes. By the time I got to the Univer- Adele Santos, dean of the School of sity of Pennsylvania, women were tops in Architecture, presented an informal talk to all the technical subjects. Classes were 50 the MIT Women’s League that portrayed percent women,” she said. both the general changes in opportunities Santos received the master of architec- and roles for women in architecture and ture in urban design from Harvard Univer- planning and her own enthusiasm for the sity in 1963 and the master of architecture profession. and master of city planning degrees from Fresh from the “red-eye” flight that the University of Pennsylvania in 1968. returned her to Cambridge from San She began practicing architecture that Francisco and her firm, Santos Prescott year, achieving renown for her range as a and Associates, Santos spoke to the group designer and her commitment to afford- assembled at noon in the Emma Rogers able housing and to a sustainable interplay Room for about 40 minutes on Friday, Feb. between building design and civic life. 18. She told the attentive group that her A native of Cape Town, South Africa, path into the profession was once a rou- Santos described her parents as encourag- tine entry for women. “I was married to a ing and the educational and social life out- husband who was my partner. At the time side her home as a “reactionary milieu.” there were very few women practitioners. “A woman’s place was in the home. A After the seventies, we didn’t hit the glass PHOTO / SUZANNE DECHILLO, THE NEW YORK TIMES B.A. prepared you to be intelligent and ceiling in school; we hit it in the profes- married, and I was socialized to believe sion,” she said. Poet of glass and steel that women were artistic, not analyti- But all that has “completely trans- cal. We weren’t ‘big thinkers.’ We could formed” in the past two decades, she said. Santiago Calatrava, an internationally acclaimed architect, engineer and artist, will pres- design kitchens, but not be planners,” she “Firms headed by women are grow- ent a public lecture on Tuesday, March 8, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 10-250. While recalled. ing, and they are getting projects because a visiting artist at MIT March 8-10, Calatrava will receive the 2005 Eugene McDermott A top student in South Africa (and fre- of being considered more responsive to Award in the Arts from the Council for the Arts at MIT, and meet and work with archi- quently the only woman in her classes), clients, more interactive. More and more tecture, civil engineering and computer science students. Established in 1974, the Santos moved to London, receiving the women are staying in the profession. Some McDermott Award is given annually to a distinguished artist recognized for excellence are graduating, raising their children, and and innovation in his/her field. Beginning this year, MIT has increased the award to entering later. I am very optimistic about $70,000 and raised the criteria, reflecting the award’s growing status, as well as the DEAN SANTOS’ the significant role women will be playing heightened importance of the arts at MIT. Calatrava was named one of Time Magazine’s in the profession,” Santos said. Innovators of 2004. The magazine called him the “poet of glass and steel.” RECENT PROJECTS As dean of architecture, Santos described her goal is for MIT to be “THE • Mission Bay Housing, a mixed-use destination school, the place that is push- building in San Francisco’s Mission ing the edges of knowledge. There’s no Bay development (2001) place like this on earth. I’m excited about • FuturePlex, a 1.3-million-square- building bridges with other parts of the ARTS NEWS foot development in San Francisco campus, too, as professions involved with the environment start to merge and use designed to be certified under the the same techniques,” she said. Mark Harvey, lecturer in music, has as vocal soloist and narrator. LEED rating system by the U.S. Green Regarding her own experience, Santos been commissioned by the Organization Building Council (2001) noted that women of her generation enter- of American Kodaly Educators (OAKE) Neon artist Alejandro Sina, who • Light on Learning, a study funded ing any of the former “male bastions” like to create an extended jazz composition was a fellow at the Center for Advanced by Pacific Gas & Electric to develop law or medicine made sacrifices in the face entitled “Modern Invention” inspired Visual Studies in the 1970s, is currently prototyes for day lighting in California of inadequate accommodation to child-rais- by William Billings, a prominent Bos- showing his sculptures, which range schools (2000) ing or family life. Having children was “one ton composer of the Revolutionary War from tabletop sculptures to mobiles to • Penn Children’s Center, her win- piece of your life you lopped off,” she said. period. “Modern Invention” will receive large installations that move or spin ning project in a competition to design Today, those sacrifices may not be nec- its world premiere in a concert presen- in programmed patterns, at Boston’s tation on Friday, March 11 by the Aard- L’Attitude Gallery (218 Newbury St.). On a child care center at the University of essary. But, said Santos with clear delight, architecture itself—the complex work, the vark Jazz Orchestra with guest vocalist Sunday, March 6, he and his wife/collab- Pennsylvania competitive field, the long hours, the “red- Jay Clayton as part of the OAKE Nation- orator Moira will present a multimedia • New facitilities for the Please Touch eye” itself—remains demanding. al Conference in Springfield, Mass. The talk titled “The Art and Science of Neon Museum in Philadelphia (1998) “Long hours? Of course,” said Santos. program will also include the Duke Lightworks” at 7 p.m. at the gallery. • Light on Learning, Artist’s resi- “But what I say to young women today is, Ellington composition “It’s Freedom,” Their exhibit, “Light Up Your Night,” will dence for Villa Montalvo in Saratoga, ‘Don’t worry about that! It’s fun!’” featuring senior lecturer Pamela Wood be on view through March 31. California (1998) PAGE 8 March 2, 2005 CALENDAR MIT Tech Talk

MIT EVENT HIGHLIGHTS MARCH 2 - 6

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY March 2 March 3 March 4 March 5 March 6

Science/ Performance Architecture/ Humanities MIT Excellence MIT Chapel “All in the Visualizing Hart Nautical Technology Planning Awards Concert Family” Physics: Gallery Fourteen indi- “Concordia Technical Hands-on “Iquarium”—A viduals and Goes Baroque.” Instructor Physics virtual fluid flow six teams will receive Noon. MIT Chapel. 253- Barbara Hughey and Demonstrations display. Hart Nautical these MIT awards. Noon. 9800. family play the music of Try the same experi- Gallery. 9am-8pm. 253- Music Exhibit Reading Special Kresge Auditorium. 253- Telemann, R. Strauss, ments as MIT students 5942. Interest 5986 The Bhopal and Chopin. Noon. taking “Introduction Gas Tragedy: Killian Hall. 253-9821. to Electricity and Gallery Talk Robert A. Muh Reflections 20 Magnetism.” 2-4pm. MIT Talk by Hiroko Alumni Award Years Later MacVicar Day Museum. 253-4444. Kikuchi, List Professor Talk by Rajan Sharma, 2005 Visual Arts Business/ Film Sports Featured Ned Block of lawyer for the Bhopal Robert Silbey Afro-Haitian Center Education/ Money Event New York University victims. 4:30pm. Room hosts panel dis- Drum and Outreach Coordinator. will receive award and 4-370. 258-7614. cussion, “What Should Dance 2pm. List Visual Arts give talk, “What is We Achieve in a Four- Afro-Haitian Center. 253-4680. Consciousness in the Unbinding Our Year MIT Education?” drumming, Haitian art Brain?” 5pm. Bartos Lives: Chinese 3pm. Room 6-120. 253- and Haitian food and International Theater. 258-6760. Women in 6057. crafts. 2pm. Walker Folk Dancing America (1850- Memorial. (participatory) Reading and 1935) Traditional 8pm. Lobdell Discussion A one-women show, Vietnamese Early Spring Dining Hall. 253-FOLK. Perikles performed by Christina Music Concert Dance Monioudis R. Chan. 6pm. Room Concert and Dancing to Swiss writer Monioudis 32-155. talk by Vietnamese include ball- reads from his novels music scholar Phong room and latin dances. in both English and MIT Nguyen. 7pm. Killian 8pm. Morss Hall. 686- German. 5-7pm. Room Kinaesthetics Hall. 253-9800. 0823. 14S-200. 253-4771. Lab: “Laws of Motion” Grads on Ice Mountain Ten original pieces Skating with Temples accompanied by live Grad students and Temple music, written and from all over Mountains performed by Martin the Boston area. 9pm. Lecture by Michael W. Case. $10, $5 students Johnson Ice Rink. 253- PHOTO / ELSA CHEN Meister, specialist in & seniors. 8pm. Kresge 2982. Indian and Pakistani art. Little Theater. 6:30pm. Room 3-133. Origami 258-8438. Origami mayfly folded by graduate student Brian Chan. Israeli Folk This and other origami art is on display through March 2 Dancing at the Wiesner Gallery in the Student Center. (participatory) 8pm. Lobby 13. 484-3267.

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

SONIC CCRR WEEK STRANGE UNIVERSE COLLABORATIONS Mar. 4 Mar. 5 Mar. 7 Jazz Ensemble with special The Committee on Campus The Ford/MIT Nobel guests, Jazz clarinetist Don Kresge Auditorium Race Relations will hold March 5 – 12 Laureate Lecture featuring Kresge Auditorium events to celebrate diversity, Byron and poet, author and 8 p.m. 2004 Nobel laureate Frank 4 p.m. film director Paul Auster. $5. including lectures and the- Wilczek of physics. 253-9800. ater performances. 253-1706.

MIT EVENT HIGHLIGHTS MARCH 7 - 13

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY March 7 March 8 March 9 March 10 March 11 March 12 March 13 Reconstructing Emile Bustani Terrorism Festival de Las Advanced “A Needle Hoops Against Iraq Middle East Colonel Russ Americas Music Woman” Cancer Third seminar Seminar Howard dis- Delicious treats Performance Videos cre- Intercollegiate in the “Politics Dr. Ussama cusses terror- and various Student Recital ated between basketball of Reconstructing Iraq” Makdisi of Rice University ism. Noon. Building E38, organizations. Noon- Graduate student Caitlin 1999 and 2001, docu- tournament featuring sev- Colloquium. 5:30pm. asks, “Is The Arab World 6th Fl Conference Room. 2pm. Lobby 10. Smythe sings. 5pm. ment Kimsooja, dressed eral contests. $5. Noon. Room 1-190. 324-0318. Anti-American?” 4:30pm. 253-8092. Killian Hall. 253-9800. in simple gray clothing Rockwell Cage. Room E51-095. 253- MIT Chapel standing rigidly on sev- Muslims and 8961. Advanced Concert Human Rights eral busy city streets. 29th Annual the Language Music Guitarist in Haiti: Health Media Test Wall, Building Israel Folk of the Other Evidence for Performance Glorianne and Gender 56. On view 24 hours. Dance Festival Talk by Post- Water on the Student Recital Collver-Jacobson and per- Issues 253-4400. $12. 3pm. Doctoral Fellow, Dr. Abier Surface of Graduate student cussionist Gerdes Fleurant. Talk by Professor Erica Kresge Auditorium. 253- Ziadeh Shamma. 5:30pm. Mars Amanda Wang on the Kresge Auditorium. 4 p.m. James and Partners in Collegiate 2982. Room 3-133. 253-1400. Talk by Professor John violin. 5pm. Killian Hall. Health Medical Director Figure Skating Grotzinger, member of 253-9800. Clipper Ships: Joia Mukherjee. 7pm. Competition MITHAS Reading of NASA’s science team for The Design Room 4-237. 8am-6pm. Concert “The Man in the Mars robotic inves- “Past Lives” Process Johnson Athletic Center Presented by My Head” tigations. 5:30pm. MIT Opening Lecture in MIT Symphony Ice Rink. MITHAS (MIT Book by Room, Faculty Club. 308- Reception conjunction with current Orchestra Heritage of South Asia) Associate Professor 9795. Exhibit of hand- exhibition. 6:30-8pm. MIT Marco Betta’s MIT Wind in cooperation with Thomas DeFrantz per- made books by Ilavenil Museum. 253-4444. world premiere Ensemble Sangam. $20, $10 stu- formed by Boston actor/ Recent Work Subbiah. 5-7pm. Room of “Lacrime,” Mozart’s World pre- dents, MIT students free. musician Jose Delgado. Talk by Architect E51-095. 253-9759. “The Bear” Adagio and Fugue; miere of Evan 4pm. Wong Auditorium. 7:30pm. Killian Hall. 253- and Engineer Dramashop stu- Brahms’ Symphony in D Ziporyn’s “The Ornate 258-7971. 4720. Santiago “Hidden dent-directed Major. $5. 8pm. Kresge Zither and the Nomad Calatrava. 6:30pm. Room Warriors: workshop Auditorium. 253-9800. Flute” with Anne Harley, 10-250. 253-7791. Voices from production of play by soprano. $5. 8pm. Kresge the Ho Chi Chekhov. March 10-12. Thelonius Auditorium. 253-9800. Chicks Make Minh Trail” 8pm. Kresge Rehearsal Monk Flicks Documentary screening Room B. 253-2908. Tap perfor- Julie Akeret’s and talk by professor and mance: “Monk’s “Someone filmmaker Karen Turner of “Othello” Mood: A Performance Sang to Me.” 7pm. Room Holy Cross College. 7pm. Shakespeare Meditation on the Life 32-124. 253-8844. Room 6-120. Ensemble pro- and Music of Thelonious duction directed Monk.” March 11-13, 17- by Kortney Adams. 19. 8pm, except 2pm on March 10-12, 17-19. $8, March 13. Kresge Little $6 students. 8pm. Sala Theater. 253-4720. de Puerto Rico.