LaHood, who was at MIT to promote innovation in transportation technology, encouraged the public to become more energized about the issue in the 26 states that have not passed a texting ban and the 44 without hands-free cellphone requirements. - Story on U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's visit to MIT
"It's fine to help the developing world, but first you have to know what it needs. Amy Smith does." - Amy Smith, D-Lab founder, named to Time Magazine's 100 most influential people list
"If you're in a growing market and your costs are below the cost of development, it's a guaranteed investment." - William Wheaton, director of MIT's Center for Real Estate, on what to look for in buying a home.
"We should be doing more to celebrate the importance of science and technology in a cultural way, getting it out there in the square, not just confining science in the lab." - John Durant, director of the MIT Museum, on the impetus for creating the Cambridge Science Festival
"The M.I.T. OpenCourseWare Initiative helped usher in the “open educational resources” movement, with its ethos of sharing knowledge via free online educational offerings, including podcasts and videos of lectures, syllabuses and downloadable textbooks." - Story on "open educational resources" and MIT's OCW.
"In his home country, Dudamel is the equivalent of a rock star." - Story on conductor Gustavo Dudamel, who visits MIT this weekend as the recipient of the prestigious McDermott Award in the Arts.
"Americans, whether they are rich or poor, are much more in favor of high-skilled immigrants." - Jens Hainmueller, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science, on research he conducted that examined the reasons for anti-immigration sentiment in the U.S.
“If you’re watching TV and you hear a helicopter in your surround sound, wouldn’t it be cool to just turn around and be able to see that helicopter as it goes into the screen?” - Graduate student Santiago Alfaro on "Surround Vision"
Water may kill a computer chip, but a new water purifier inspired by computer chip technology could save millions of lives. - Story on research from the lab of MIT's Jongyoon Han
"Despite these challenges, MIT and others who attended the two-day meeting are taking two very important steps ... they are leading by example in convening leadership around this very important topic, from which tangible activity will hopefully coalesce." - Dr. Lorelle L. Espinosa, director of policy and strategic initiatives at the Institute for Higher Education Policy.
"They could be hands-on activities, they could be labs [or] they could be discussions with other students." - Eric Klopfer, director of MIT's Teacher Education Program, on how educational software can change how classroom time is spent.
"Nanotechnology may have faded from view, but it has dissolved into a sea of science." - Michael Strano, associate professor of chemical engineering, on the state of nanotechnology research
"If future U.S. energy and climate policy is to be based on the emergence of 'breakthrough technologies,' one of the incubators for them is here, on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology." - Feature on energy research taking place at the Institute
"Everyone communicates digitally, which gives us the illusion of being in control. But in reality the high priests of information are still in charge." - Media Lab Director Frank Moss on the future of research at the Lab.