School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

"One of the principal ways historians contribute to problem-solving work at MIT and elsewhere is by helping to identify what the real problem is in the first place," says Malick Ghachem, an MIT professor of history. "When we understand and articulate the roots and sources of a problem, we have a much better chance of actually solving it."

3 Questions: How history helps us solve today's issues

Professor Malick Ghachem discusses how historians contribute to problem-solving by identifying the roots and sources of a problem.

February 28, 2017

“I fell in love with physics,” says senior Zachary Hulcher. “I appreciate light bouncing off a mirror, and smoke billowing up, and light going through it in a different way. … The small things I took for granted when I didn’t understand them, I appreciate now. Everything is just a little prettier.”

From football to physics

Zachary Hulcher, Marshall Scholar and offensive lineman, will study high-energy physics in the U.K.

February 27, 2017

“The best part of being on the show has definitely been the great outpouring of support the MIT community has given me,” says senior Lilly Chin, the newly crowned “Jeopardy!” College Champion.

MIT senior Lilly Chin wins “Jeopardy!” College Championship

Chin takes the $100,000 grand prize, surpassing 14 on-air contestants and thousands of applicants from colleges around the U.S.

February 24, 2017

Jacob Collier performed "Imagination Off the Charts" at MIT's Kresge Auditorium.

Jacob Collier harmonizes with MIT

For his MIT residency, the Grammy-winning artist collaborates with over 150 student musicians to stage the monumental concert, "Imagination Off the Charts."

February 24, 2017

Seven MIT researchers win 2017 Sloan Research Fellowships

Faculty from four MIT departments among 126 selected from across the U.S. and Canada.

February 21, 2017

Daron Acemoglu wins BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award

Prolific MIT economist honored for path-breaking work.

February 21, 2017

“[W]hen I came here for CPW [Campus Preview Weekend], I realized that these people were really passionate about what they were doing, and that they were doing really cool things. It’s nerdy, but it’s my kind of nerdy,” senior Hermoon Worku says.

Future physician-advocate

Senior Hermoon Worku is pursuing a career dedicated to surgery, advocacy, and teaching.

February 20, 2017

MIT grad student Dean Knox wrote an Android app to track the location of Iraqis as they participated in a treasure-hunt activity in a mixed-sect neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq.

Strength in numbers

PhD student Dean Knox studies social networks and how individuals use them to access government goods and services.

February 17, 2017

"In theater, we imagine the impossible and try to make that possible," says Charlotte Brathwaite, an MIT assistant professor of theater arts, and an independent director of classical and unconventional texts, operas, dance, multimedia and site-specific installations, and concerts. "We not only imagine, but create the world as we think the world should be."

The world as we think the world should be

Assistant Professor Charlotte Brathwaite believes theater brings people together in a positive way.

February 17, 2017

J-PAL North America aims to make rigorous evaluation of key questions in social policy easier for researchers with a new catalog.

Cheaper, faster randomized evaluations

J-PAL North America releases new catalog of administrative data sets to give researchers a leg up in conducting rigorous evaluations of social programs.

February 17, 2017