Prof. Daron Acemoglu speaks with Bloomberg Businessweek Daily hosts Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec about American politics. “In my mind, worryingly, there is a little bit of a theory which is that all of these actions are aimed at centralizing power in the hands of an executive presidency with fewer and weaker checks which come either from institutions or norms.”
Prof. John Sterman speaks with Guardian reporters Dharna Noor and Oliver Milman about the climate concerns surrounding increased oil production in Venezuela. “If there are millions of barrels a day of new oil, that will add quite a lot of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and the people of Earth can’t afford that,” says Sterman.
New York Times reporter Rebecca Elliott spotlights Phoenix Tailings, a startup co-founded by MIT alumni that is developing a sustainable process for refining rare-earth refining in the United States. Elliott notes that Phoenix Tailings created a closed-loop design for their manufacturing method that “distinguishes this process from the more energy-intensive techniques used in China, where workers scoop up molten metal with ladles.”
Prof. Carlo Ratti speaks with Reuters reporter Catherine Early about the growing number of initiatives aimed at creating more walkable neighborhoods in urban cities. “Small, tangible changes – like pedestrianizing a block, repainting a square, or hosting a street festival – help people understand what proximity feels like in practice,” Ratti explains. “When people are involved in shaping their environment, skepticism often turns into ownership.”
Prof. Jonathan Gruber speaks with David Frum from The Atlantic’s “The David Frum Show” to shed light on the American healthcare system and health care disparities. “The issue in the U.S. is there are the haves and the have-nots—the haves get comparable health care to the rest of the world at a much higher price; the have-nots get worse health care at a much higher price,” says Gruber. “There’s really two fundamental challenges in U.S. health care: There’s disparities, and there’s costs.”
Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Maggie Prosser spotlights senior Alice Hall, who was selected as one of the 2026 Rhodes Scholars. “Never stop trying to learn, especially from the people around you,” says Hall. “You don’t have to be a Rhodes scholar to change the world. Just be yourself.”
Vivian Chinoda '25, Alice Hall, Sofia Lara, and Sophia Wang '24 have been named 2026 Rhodes Scholars, reports Michael Nietzel for Forbes. “This class of U.S .Rhodes Scholars will pursue studies across the social sciences, humanities, and biological and physical sciences,” writes Nietzel.
Boston 25 spotlights Vivian Chinoda '25, Alice Hall, Sofia Lara, and Sophia Wang '24 who have been named 2026 Rhodes Scholars. “The students will attend the University of Oxford as part of the Rhodes scholar program, which awards more than 100 scholarships worldwide each year for students to pursue two to three years of graduate studies.”
Vivian Chinoda '25, Alice Hall, Sofia Lara, and Sophia Wang '24 have been selected as 2026 Rhodes Scholars, reports Lila Hempel-Edgers for The Boston Globe. “It’s just a thrill and an inspiration to meet each one of them,” said Prof. Nancy Kanwisher, who co-chairs MIT’s Presidential Committee on Distinguished Fellowships. “You just can’t believe how accomplished they are and how thoughtful they are about the major problems facing the world.”
In an opinion piece for the Financial Times, Prof. Evan Lieberman, director of the MIT Center for International Studies, spotlights how states, cities, corporations, and civil society are working to advance climate action. “Today, over 300 U.S. cities have made climate commitments, action plans, or are participating in co-operative initiatives,” Lieberman writes, “Large cities are connecting with global partners through organizations such as C40 Cities, a group of mayors representing some 700mn people worldwide.”
In an opinion piece for The New York Times, Prof. Mai Hassan and her colleague Suliman Baldo highlight the impact of international communities in developing a “road map for peace in Sudan.” They write: “With further discussions expected to take place on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly this week, who gets a seat at that negotiating table could either pave the way for democratic rule or solidify the grip of the very military leaders who derailed Sudan’s democratic transition.”
New York Times reporter Catherine Porter spotlights Roofscapes, an MIT startup founded by Olivier Faber MArch '23, Tim Cousin MArch '23 and Eytan Levi MArch/MSRED '21 that aims to transform the zinc-roofed buildings in Paris into accessible green spaces as part of an effort to decrease building temperatures while improving quality of life. “We have an opportunity with all these untouched surfaces to do something that is virtually impossible anywhere else in a city like Paris,” explains Levi. “There’s a new way you can live.”
Boston Globe reporter Yogev Toby spotlights the Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow program (MEET), an MIT initiative that brings together Israeli and Palestinian high school students to provide education in “computer science and innovation while promoting intercultural dialogue.” The program was designed to serve as a way to “bridge the social, economic, and ideological divide through innovation and entrepreneurship,” Toby explains. “The idea is to create connection and understanding through shared professional interests, dialogue, and teamwork.”
Prof. Catherine Wolfram speaks with Financial Times reporter Simon Mundy about the EU’s decision to begin applying the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) next year. “I’m not sure the Europeans quite realize just how powerful the CBAM was as an incentive for other countries to adopt carbon pricing,” says Wolfram. “It’s really started a global conversation.”
Prof. Daron Acemoglu speaks with WBUR’s Here & Now co-host Scott Tong about the role of institutions in the overall prosperity of nations and some of the current challenges facing the US. “It’s a very important part of rebuilding democracy that we have to make experts trusted again. And that has to start with us,” says Acemoglu. “We have to be much more down to Earth. We have to be honest about when we are certain of something and when we are uncertain. And, I think we have to make certain that it’s not our political views that drive our advice or our analysis.”