Institute Prof. Sheila Widnall co-chaired a new report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, which examines the prevalence of sexual harassment in higher ed. The authors “call for a ‘systemwide change to the culture and climate in higher education’ in order to address the issue and prevent harassment,” report Ellie Kaufman and Evan Simko-Bednarski for CNN.
Using magnetic nanoparticles that have been mixed into rubber, Associate Prof. Xuanhe Zhao has created “3D printed shapes that fold, morph, and move in the presence of a magnetic field,” reports Leah Crane for New Scientist. In the future, Zhao believes this work could have medical applications, “like assisting minimally invasive surgeries,” notes Crane.
MIT researchers have discovered that probiotics can prevent cholera and treat early stage cases of the disease, reports Laney Ruckstuhl for The Boston Globe. The findings, led by Prof. James Collins, “could have implications for other diseases as well because scientists were previously unaware that bacterial infections could be vulnerable to naturally occurring probiotics,” notes Ruckstuhl.
Writing for the Financial Times, Senior Lecturer Robert Pozen argues that the European Union needs to improve their efforts to restrict “ratings shopping.” Pozen writes that the European Securities and Markets Authority, “should establish a central and accessible system of public disclosures on both initial approaches and final ratings by each EU issuer of a structured bond.”
Yahoo! reporter Elise Solé highlights how Alejandra Falla successfully completed her PhD studies at MIT while pregnant with her daughter, Clara. Clara sported a miniature MIT regalia to Commencement. “It started as a joke but we decided that Clara had earned her Ph.D. in the womb,” says Falla. “She deserved to graduate with me.”
Inside Higher Ed reporter Colleen Flaherty writes about a new report from the National Academics of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, co-chaired by Institute Prof. Sheila Widnall, examining the impact of sexual harassment in academia. Widnall explains that in order to eradicate harassment, “all members of campuses -- students, faculty, staff and administrators -- will be needed to promote an inclusive and respectful environment."
In an article for Inside Higher Ed, Colleen Flaherty highlights a study co-authored by Prof. Kathleen Thelen, which examines the gender gap in publication rates for political science journals. “Beyond a general gender gap, Teele and Thelen also found that women remain underrepresented in terms of co-authorship,” writes Flaherty.
CSAIL researchers have developed a new system that uses low-power radio waves to detect and track people behind walls, reports Matt Simon for Wired. The system, which can be used to detect signs of distress in elderly patients, also “distinguishes one person from another in the same way your fingerprint distinguishes you,” explains Prof. Dina Katabi.
CSAIL researchers have created a system that can sense a person’s movements through walls, writes John Biggs for TechCrunch. The system is primarily intended as a healthcare device and could help with “passive monitoring of a subject inside a room without cameras or other intrusions,” and could provide insight into disease progression, Biggs explains.
In this CNBC article, Prof. R. Scott Kemp weighs in on the implications of the agreement signed by President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Kemp writes that, “a realistic agreement will probably take years to hash out, as there is much to learn about North Korea's program first. The Trump-Kim statement of principles is exactly what is needed to get started."
Fast Company reporter Melissa Locker writes that CSAIL researchers have developed a system that allows wireless devices to sense a person’s movement through walls. Locker explains that the technology was created as a way to help those who are elderly, as it could be used to “monitor diseases like Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis and provide a better understanding of disease progression.”
In an article for The New York Times, Prof. Vipin Narang writes that President Donald Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong-un of North Korea legitimized North Korea’s status as one of the world’s nuclear powers. “North Korea’s nuclear power is politically complete, thanks to the legitimacy that comes from a handshake with an American president,” argues Narang.
Researchers from MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab have developed a 3-D printed, inflatable material that could be used to design highly customizable and multifunctional car interiors, writes Kate Sprague for CNBC. The material could also “be used beyond comfort to include improvements in air bags.”
MIT graduates Maher Damak and Karim Khalil discuss their startup Infinite Cooling and the new technique they developed to capture and recycle water expelled from power plant cooling towers on Bloomberg Baystate Business. Co-host Tom Moroney calls this energy efficient method that captures up to 80 percent of the water, an “idea that could change the world.”
Abigail Hess of CNBC writes that MIT has been named the best university in the world by QS for the seventh consecutive year in a row. “No other university has managed such a long run at the top,” notes Hess.