NSF renews support for MIT-led AI and physics institute, expanding a new model for discovery
IAIFI enters its second phase with increased funding, broader ambitions, and a growing community at the frontier of AI and fundamental physics.
Department
Physics
Eleven from MIT accept 2026 Fulbright awards
This year, over half of MIT’s Fulbright applicants won awards. The current students and alumni will embark on research projects and teaching abroad in 2026-27.
MIT students study plasma physics beneath Alaska’s aurora
Student-led expeditions use distributed instruments to observe auroral structures and probe space plasma in real-world conditions.
MIT affiliates elected to National Academy of Sciences for 2026
Six MIT faculty, along with 10 additional alumni, are recognized by their peers for their outstanding contributions to research in the natural and social sciences.
Two from MIT named 2026 Knight-Hennessy Scholars
The prestigious fellowship funds graduate studies at Stanford University.
A new way to spot signs of dark matter
Gravitational waves emitted by colliding black holes may bear imprints of dark matter, which physicists could detect with a new model.
Improving the reliability of circuits for quantum computers
A new technique helps scientists measure a phenomenon that can cause quantum circuits to perform differently than expected, increasing the error in computations.
MIT School of Engineering faculty receive awards in winter 2026
Faculty members and researchers were honored in recognition of their scholarship, service, and overall excellence.
Astronomers pin down the origins of a planetary odd couple
New measurements of a hot Jupiter and its mini-Neptune companion suggest both planets formed surprisingly far away from their host star.
Transforming deep-space signals into cathedral sound
An immersive sound installation at Oulu Cathedral, Finland, co-created by MIT Associate Professor Kiyoshi Masui, transforms more than 4,000 cosmic signals into spatial audio.
Three from MIT named 2026 Goldwater Scholars
Rising seniors Deeksha Kumaresh, Anna Liu, and Charlotte Myers are honored for their academic achievements.
MIT affiliates elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for 2026
The prestigious honor society honors four MIT faculty and 13 additional MIT alumni among more than 250 new members.
MIT faculty, alumni receive 2025-26 American Physical Society honors
Two faculty and six additional alumni win top APS awards and prizes; four faculty and 12 additional alumni named APS Fellows.
Multitasking quantum sensors can measure several properties at once
The devices represent a key step toward practical quantum sensing, with applications in biomedical sensing, materials characterization, and more.