Established 1881 WEATHER, p. 2 MIT’s Oldest and FRI: 59°F | 34°F Largest Newspaper Partly sunny SAT: 60°F | 34°F Sunny tech.mit.edu SUN: 58°F | 36°F Sunny Established 1881 Volume 132, Number 21 Friday, April 27, 2012 Faculty suggest presidential picks Piano Drop! Latest FNL tackles MIT 2030, presidential search process By Ethan A. Solomon MIT did business.” Broad Institute; Susan Lindquist, biol- EXECUTIVE EDITOR “We need a President who will speak ogy professor and former director of the up against those who would pervert Whitehead Institute; and L. Rafael Reif, This week, faculty again took to the scientific findings or muzzle the scien- MIT’s provost. pages of their Newsletter to chime in on tific community for the sake of corporate From outside MIT (though all have key Institute developments, including contributions,” said yet another. Quotes MIT affiliations) were Joseph Aoun PhD the selection of the next president, MIT were Establishednot attributed to particular 1881 fac- ’82, president of Northeastern Univer- 2030, and MITx. The March/April news- ulty members, only to “editorial board sity; Lawrence Bacow ’72, former presi- letter’s editorial page also featured fac- respondents.” dent of Tufts University and former MIT ulty thoughts on the presidential search The board suggested 10 people — chancellor; Bob Brown, president of process, in addition to 10 suggestions for four from within MIT, six from outside — Boston University and former MIT pro- specific people who could replace Presi- to succeed Hockfield as president. And vost, dean of engineering, and Course dent Susan J. Hockfield. though only the joint Corporation-facul- 10 department head; Alice Gast, presi- Members of the newsletter’s editorial ty search committee is actually respon- dent of Lehigh University and former board were quoted asking for a presi- sible for picking names, this is the first MIT vice president for research, Robert J. dent “who pays attention to the people time that specific possibilities have been Birgeneau, Chancellor of the University at all levels of this campus,” and “who is publicly aired by any interested party. of California, Berkeley and former MIT a scientist or an engineer; not an admin- From within MIT were Tyler E. Jacks, dean of science and Course 8 head; Mark istrator.” Another asked for “someone director of the Koch Institute for Inte- S. Wrighton, Chancellor of Washington who will do something to restore the col- grative Cancer Research; Eric S. Lander, legiality that used to distinguish the way biology professor and director of the FNL, Page 13 Established 1881 Kaiser withdraws as chief of NIGMS Planning Biology Department Head the NIH that supports researchers Chris A. Kaiser PhD ’88 withdrew at other institutions, but does not board review his candidacy for the director of hire its own. Kaiser has been an the National Institute of General MIT faculty member since 1991 Medicines (NIGMS) this past and taught 7.03 (Genetics) from of MIT 2030 Monday, citing personal reasons. 1992 to 2011. The article The Tech Kaiser would have assumed the ran about Kaiser’s acceptance in Meeting on Tuesday to position on April 30. October can be found at http:// NIGMS has a $2 billion budget tech.mit.edu/V131/N46/kaiser. for funding basic life sciences re- html. discuss zoning petition search. It is one of the few parts of —Stan Gill By John A. Hawkinson STAFF REPORTER Established 1881MIT will present a new round of its ideas for the future of Kendall Square and the MIT cam- pus east of Ames St. at Tuesday evening’s pub- lic meeting of the Cambridge Planning Board. The meeting is at 7 p.m. on May 1, 2012 at the City Hall Annex at 344 Broadway. According to the meeting agenda, the Board will consider a zoning petition from For- est City regarding the block north of Random Hall at 7:20 p.m., followed by a discussion of zoning growing out of city’s Kendall-to-Central (K2C2) initiative, and then an “MIT Zoning Pe- tition Proposal update.” MIT had originally proposed a change to zoning in the Kendall area and the area of cam- pus east of Ames St. in April 2011. The proposal would have enabled implementation of part of MIT’s plan for additional academic buildings and future business development, dubbed “MIT 2030.” MIT withdrew its proposal last year after ALICE L. CHEN the city began the K2C2 process to re-envision MIT students, faculty, staff, and local students participate in both squares. a biology flash mob in front of the Koch Building. Participants Meanwhile, this week was a whirlwind reenacted targeted drug delivery to a cancer cell as a part of the winding down for the Kendall portion of that Cambridge Science Festival on Thursday afternoon. study. On Monday morning, the Kendall ad- visory committee heard a presentation on re- tail space in Kendall Square. Mike Berne, the city’s retail sub-consultant, said Kendall had insufficient population to support a full-sized IN Short of Up on Kresge Lawn has been supermarket, but should be able to support a postponed due to an unfavorable drugstore, such as a Walgreens or a CVS. The Red Line will be replaced weather forecast. On Tuesday, the city’s consultants present- with shuttle bus service between ed a summary of the work so far to the City Kendall and Broadway Saturday Nominations for the Student Council. The Council expressed a desire for a and Sunday. Allow for a few extra Leader Awards close today at 5 half-day retreat to try to develop a more com- minutes when going downtown p.m.! Nominate individuals or stu- plete understanding of the proposal. this weekend! Buses will stop at all dent organizations for a chance to Then, yesterday morning, the advisory stations except Downtown Cross- win an SLA grant! Additional infor- committee met again to discuss specific lan- PHOTOS BY PrIYA GArg AND IAN M. GORODISHER—THE TECH The Baker Piano Drop was held on Thursday, ing. Riders must walk from Park mation can be found at https://stu- guage of zoning regulations. While that meet- April 26, coinciding with Drop Date, as is tradi- Street to transfer to the Orange dentlife.mit.edu/soa/sla/awards ing was supposed to be the last, it was clear the tion. Hundreds gathered to view the spectacle on line. committee would require additional sessions the side of Baker facing Memorial Drive. Send news information and tips to complete its work — it got about halfway The Spring Weekend showing to [email protected]. through its agenda. Another meeting is tenta- tively scheduled for May 17. increasinG EMerGING anD EDucateD Boston coMIC-con MIT ALUm’S FILM SECTIONS World & Nation . .2 The education of the middle class is vital How I journeyed through stuDent DEBut Opinion . .4 to understanding Russia. OPINION, p. 5 Boston’s annual comic inVOLVEMent The Tech checks out Fun Pages . .6 convention. Campus Life . .8 We need more student/ how DID JFK Die? how In the Family hold CAMPUS LIFE, p. 8 up. ARTS, p. 10 Arts . .10 Institute collaboration. Head Shot examines a number of cases. Sports . .16 OPINION, p. 4 ARTS, p. 10 2 The Tech Friday, April 27, 2012 White House to encourage D bioeconomy House votes to approve The Obama administration is expected to announce a broad plan Thursday to foster development of the nation’s “bioecon- omy,” including the use of renewable resources and biological disputed hacking bill manufacturing methods. The National Bioeconomy Blueprint, as the plan is called, By Robert Pear bill, saying it could “undermine the financial service networks. WORL discusses a variety of measures to spur research and develop- THE NEW YORK TIMES public’s trust in the government as In confidential briefings on ment of medical treatments, crops, biofuels and biological well as in the Internet by undermin- Capitol Hill, administration officials N manufacturing processes that would replace harsher industrial WASHINGTON — Defying a ing fundamental privacy, confiden- have expressed alarm about the methods. veto threat from President Barack tiality, civil liberties and consumer damage that could be done by mali- Use of biology “can allow Americans to live longer, healthier Obama, the House on Thursday protections.” cious attacks on computer systems lives, reduce our dependence on oil, address key environmental passed a bill that encourages intel- In addition, the White House and networks that have become an challenges, transform manufacturing processes, and increase ligence agencies and businesses said the government should set indispensable part of everyday life. the productivity and scope of the agricultural sector while grow- to share information about threats “minimum cybersecurity perfor- Supporters of the bill said China was ing new jobs and industries,” the report says. to computer systems, including at- mance standards” for the private stealing jobs by pilfering proprietary ATIO Much of what is in the 43-page-report, which the adminis- tacks on U.S. websites by hackers in sector — an approach resisted by information and valuable trade se- tration released before its planned announcement Thursday, is China and other countries. House Republican leaders. crets stored in American computers. a list of government programs that are already under way. So it The vote was 248-168, as 42 “The White House believes the The House bill was written by is not clear what concrete changes, if any, will result. Democrats joined 206 Republicans government ought to control the Reps. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chair- Still, some biotechnology industry executives and scientists in backing the bill. The “no” votes Internet, government ought to set man of the House intelligence welcomed the plan as a sign of the government’s commitment, were cast by 140 Democrats and 28 standards and government ought to committee, and C.A.