Gas prices in Massachusetts have been spiking since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reports Kristina Rex for CBS Boston. “This is an artificially set price because OPEC controls how much oil they release,” says Prof. Jon Gruber. “[OPEC] like[s] the price going up, but if it goes up too much and people stop driving, it’s bad for them, so at some point they will release more oil and keep the price from going too high.”
Indian Express reporter Sethu Pradeep writes that MIT researchers have developed a low-energy security chip designed to prevent side channel attacks on smart devices. “It can be used in any sensor nodes which connects user data,” explains graduate student Saurav Maji. “For example, it can be used in monitoring sensors in the oil and gas industry, it can be used in self-driving cars, in fingerprint matching devices and many other applications.”
In an article for The Los Angeles Times, Prof. Simon Johnson and Oleg Ustenko, an economic advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, make the case that the U.S. needs to lead the way in cutting off oil and gas sales from Russia. “The financial sanctions already in place are important but, by themselves, they will not degrade Russian fossil fuel production capacity,” they write. “The critical issue now is to save Ukrainian lives by cutting off all possible revenue to the Russian state.”
Boston Globe reporter Michael Silverman spotlights the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, which is highlighting the resiliency of the sports industry.
Forbes contributor Patrick Rishe spotlights the 2022 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, which addressed equity analytics, the Rooney rule, sports marketing in the metaverse, and the future of AI in sports. “Advancements in technology and tracking granular layers of fan behavior at (and away from) sports venues are giving brands deeper insights on connecting a particular partnership with real consumer purchase intentions,” writes Rishe.
Prof. Nergis Mavalvala, dean of the MIT School of Science, speaks with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai about what inspired her love of science, how to inspire more women to pursue their passions and her hopes for the next generation of STEM students. “Working and building with my hands has always been something I’ve enjoyed doing,” says Mavalvala. “But I’ve also always been interested in the fundamental questions of why the universe is the way it is. I couldn’t have been more delighted when I discovered there was such a thing as experimental physics.”
Writing for Politico, Prof. Simon Johnson makes the case that the “U.S., the EU, the U.K. and others should create a global fund for humanitarian cash support to Ukrainians.” Johnson writes that: “Providing cash to desperate Ukrainians is a feasible form of support that can supplement traditional means of assistance.”
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo visited MIT.nano this week, where she emphasized the importance of investing in semiconductor research and manufacturing, and noted that MIT is the “gold standard” for collaboration between academia and industry, reports Jake Freudberg for GBH News. “Ultimately, what we need is the great ideas and research that are beginning in universities to be turned into products made at scale in America,” said Raimondo.
WCBV reporter Sharman Sacchetti spotlights U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s visit to MIT.nano. “Investing in chip manufacturing and supply chain domestically will allow us to make more goods in America, which will bring down inflation,” said Raimondo of the importance of boosting domestic manufacturing of semiconductors.
Axios reporter Erin Broadwin spotlights Dimagi, a digital tool for health workers in remote areas that was started by researchers from the MIT Media Lab and the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program.
Research fellow Maham Javaid writes for The Boston Globe about the impact TikTok has played in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “TikTok is undoubtedly playing multiple roles in this war,” writes Javaid. “One of which is that the war and its accompanying acts of brutality are being documented and disseminated across the world.”
Prof. Stuart Madnick speaks with Radio Boston host Tiziana Dearing about the increase of SMS phishing, a texting scam through messaging services. “People tend to fall for these things if they are in an emotional state and SMS messages often are a higher emotional phenomenon than email messages,” says Madnick.
OPT Industries, an MIT spinoff, has created InstaSwab, a nasal swab “up to 20 times more effective in bacterial sample elution,” reports Brian Heater for TechCrunch. “With the ability to print around the clock, the firm also believes it can play a pivotal role in addressing supply chain concerns — a long-time goal for additive manufacturing,” writes Heater.
Writing for The Washington Post, Prof. Sinan Aral explores the information war underway over traditional and social media about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “While it is hard to pinpoint the extent to which the information war is contributing to the overwhelming international unity against Putin’s aggression,” writes Aral, “one thing is clear: Social media, mainstream media and the narrative framing of the invasion of Ukraine undoubtedly will play an important role in how this conflict ends.”
Steven Gonzalez Monserrate PhD ’22 writes for Scientific American about the ecological and environmental implications of our digital lives. “As [the cloud] continues to expand, its environmental impact increases, even as the engineers, technicians, and executives behind its infrastructures strive to balance profitability with sustainability,” writes Gonzalez Monserrate.