Professor Emeritus Jack Dennis, pioneering developer of dataflow models of computation, dies at 94
The influential first leader of the Computation Structures Group at MIT played a key role in the development of asynchronous computing.
Les Perelman, expert in writing assessment and champion of writing education, dies at 77
The longtime MIT faculty member and former dean established an influential writing program at the Institute and was known for his fierce criticism of automated essay grading.
Richard Hynes, a pioneer in the biology of cellular adhesion, dies at 81
Professor, mentor, and leader at MIT for more than 50 years shaped fundamental understandings of cell adhesion, the extracellular matrix, and molecular mechanisms of metastasis.
Professor of the practice Robert Liebeck, leading expert on aircraft design, dies at 87
A giant in aviation, Liebeck had taught at MIT since 2000 and was a pioneer in the famed Blended-Wing Body experimental aircraft.
MIT community in 2025: A year in review
Top stories highlighted the Institute’s leading positions in world and national rankings; new collaboratives tackling manufacturing, generative AI, and quantum; how one professor influenced hundreds of thousands of students around the world; and more.
Nuno Loureiro, professor and director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, dies at 47
In his 10 years at MIT, Loureiro helped illuminate the physics occurring at the center of fusion vacuum chambers and at the edges of the universe.
Professor Ioannis Yannas, pioneer of regenerative medicine who invented artificial skin for the treatment of severe burns, dies at 90
A beloved member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering for nearly 60 years, Yannas helped save the lives of thousands of burn victims through his research and innovation.
Alan Whitney, MIT Haystack Observatory radio astronomer who pioneered very long baseline interferometry, dies at 81
Longtime research scientist who served as associate director and interim director helped guide Haystack to decades of influential leadership in the development and refinement of the VLBI technique.
Remembering Professor Emerita Jeanne Shapiro Bamberger, a pioneer in music education
The former department chair was an early innovator in the use of artificial intelligence to both study and influence how children learn music.
Remembering David Baltimore, influential biologist and founding director of the Whitehead Institute
The longtime MIT professor and Nobel laureate was a globally respected researcher, academic leader, and science policy visionary who guided the careers of generations of scientists.
Professor Emeritus Rainer Weiss, influential physicist who forged new paths to understanding the universe, dies at 92
The longtime MIT professor shared a Nobel Prize for his role in developing the LIGO observatory and detecting gravitational waves.
Professor John Joannopoulos, photonics pioneer and Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies director, dies at 78
Over 50 years at MIT, the condensed-matter physicist led the development of photonic crystals, translating discoveries into wide-ranging applications in energy, medicine, and defense.
Harvey Kent Bowen, ceramics scholar and MIT Leaders for Global Operations co-founder, dies at 83
Bowen’s innovative work helped transform ceramics and manufacturing education at MIT and beyond.
Professor Emeritus Peter Temin, influential and prolific economic historian, dies at 87
The longtime MIT scholar and former department head used the tools of economics to shed new light on historical events and their profound implications for today’s society.
Professor Emeritus Keith Johnson, pioneering theorist in materials science and independent filmmaker, dies at 89
Longtime MIT solid-state physicist brought theoretical insights to an experiment-driven discipline — and later, to film.