Prof. Carlo Ratti co-authors an article for The Boston Globe that examines the “power and pitfalls of condensing cities into small, specialized utopias,” like Barbie Land and Los Alamos. “To see diversity at work, we need look no further than Barbenheimer itself,” they write. “This accidental double feature turned our empty movie theaters into pop-up cities, tiny but diverse, with two tentpole films like adjacent storefronts on the street.”
Prof. Jinhua Zhao writes for Boston Magazine about how artificial intelligence could help improve the MBTA system. “When something significant happens on public transportation—the line is down, the road is congested, some bridge is blocked—the customer is suddenly stuck in the system and needs more help,” writes Zhao. “For when that happens, we developed a solution to send individualized guidance for a better transit option to that person, communicated by text message or an app.”
Fortune has named Katie Rae, CEO of The Engine, as one of the top 13 seed stage, climate tech VCs to watch, reports Lucy Brewster for Fortune. “Rae tops venture firm The Engine, which beyond being a fund, is an investing arm that spun out of MIT,” explains Brewster. “Yet Rae invests in an array of companies and sources founders from beyond just university walls.”
Boston.com reporter Ross Cristantiello spotlights the MIT Guild of Bellringers, “a dedicated group [of volunteers] who practice every weekend to master the complex and historic practice known as change ringing.” The group rings the bells inside the Old North Church in Boston, which are “believed to be the oldest set of change ringing bells in North America,” writes Cristantiello.
The Sean Collier Memorial Fund, Lowell Police and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation have partnered to provide children with free swimming lessons in Lowell, reports Todd Kazakiewich for WCVB. The program “aims to help up to 75 Massachusetts children learn to swim this month,” reports Kazakiewich.
MathTalk–a team that aims to make math fun through stories, art and games – held its first annual Family Day on the MIT campus, reports WBZ. “Among the attractions at Family Day, MathTalk had art installations, number lines, Venn diagrams to show off to the kids and adults,” notes WBZ.
The MIT List Visual Arts Center is offering free admission on Juneteenth for visitors to view three exhibits, reports Abigail Lee for The Boston Globe. “In the exhibitions, New York-based Alison Nguyen explores the cultural effects of cinematic storytelling, Philadelphia-based Lex Brown combines social issues and satiristic humor, and Berlin-based Sung Tieu uses different spatial configurations to reflect political questions,” writes Lee.
Latinx students were celebrated at the first MIT Latinx graduation celebration at the Media Lab on May 31, reports Arrman Kyaw for Diverse Issues in Higher Education. “It was an honor to plan the first Institute-wide Latinx graduation ceremony, a process that began over a year ago with the mission to recognize not only the academic achievements of our community but also this large milestone within our culture and heritage,” says Isabella Salinas ’23, president of the Latino Cultural Center.
On Friday, June 2, MIT celebrated the Class of 2023 with its undergraduate commencement ceremony, during which Chancellor Melissa Nobles addressed the graduates and students walked across the stage on Killian Court to receive their diplomas on a summer-like day. The Boston Herald featured a series of photographs from the event.
Boston.com reporter Susannah Sudborough spotlights Mark Rober’s Commencement address to the MIT Class of 2023, during which Rober provided “three bits of life advice in a humor-filled commencement speech.” Rober relayed to graduates that “if you want to cross the river of life, you’re gonna get wet. You’re gonna have to backtrack. And that’s not a bug, that’s a feature. Frame those failures and slips like a video game, and not only will you learn more and do it faster, but it will make all the successful jumps along the way that much sweeter.”
During his Commencement address at MIT, Mark Rober urged graduates to embrace their accomplishments and boldly face any challenges they encounter," writes Ashley Soebroto for The Boston Globe. Rober emphasized that “the degree you’re getting today means so much to you precisely because of all the struggle and setbacks that you’ve had to endure.” Elisa Becker-Foss, who graduated with a master’s in finance, noted that it was “very cool to be here, and after all the hard work to finally find one day to come together and celebrate.”
President Sally Kornbluth spoke with reporters from The Tech about her first months as president of MIT and her vision for her time leading the Institute. “MIT is a pretty decentralized place, so I am taking some time to get to know every nook and cranny,” says Kornbluth. She adds that in terms of her top priorities as president, “there's no question that climate change is at the very top of the list.”
President Sally Kornbluth discusses her goals for her tenure as president of MIT. “We are at an inflection point in many societal problems, particularly climate change but a host of others, where MIT can really make an impact on the world. I hope when people look 5 years, 10 years, 20 years down the line they can look back and say, ‘MIT really helped move the needle on these problems,’” says Kornbluth. “I [also] really hope MIT remains a leader in tapping into the broadest range of human talent.”
NBC Boston highlights the work of the Officer Sean A. Collier Memorial Fund, an organization set up in his memory by Officer Collier’s family that raises “funds to help young athletes and the families of fallen officers,” reports Monica Madeja. “I think he’d be thrilled,” says retired MIT Police Sgt. Rich Sullivan, who was Collier’s boss at the department and helps run the fund. “[Sean] was big into donating and giving back to people, and I think he’d be beside himself to see what we’ve done for him.”
Forbes contributor Michael T. Nietzel writes about the STARS College Network, “a new effort to help students from small-town communities and rural America enroll in and graduate from college” that MIT is participating in.