Nestled between buildings 12, 13, 24, and 31 is the North Corridor, an area coined as the “Outfinite” by students, where members of the MIT community gathered for an Institute community social hosted by President L. Rafael Reif to welcome MIT’s new chancellor, Melissa Nobles. After about 18 months of virtual Zoom meetings, for many it was their first time seeing and reconnecting with friends and colleagues.
It was a sunny and picturesque fall afternoon of smiles, laughter, and in-person conversations that filled MIT’s once-silent campus spaces. Hundreds of students, staff, and faculty enjoyed autumnal snacks and light refreshments while taking the opportunity to meet the new chancellor. Chancellor Nobles greeted visitors with elbow bumps and spent the afternoon chatting with members of the community.
“It was wonderful to catch up with so many members of our community at the celebration,” Nobles says. “I am honored to be serving MIT in this new role, and I very much look forward to working alongside our amazing students and the wonderful teams throughout the Office of the Chancellor to educate the whole student and to deepen the meaning of an MIT education.”
Nobles is a professor of political science and served as the Kenan Sahin Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences from 2015 to 2021. She became chancellor on Aug. 18. In her new role, Nobles oversees all aspects of student life and learning at MIT, and also plays a leading role in strategic planning, faculty appointments, resource development, and campus planning activities.
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