![According to Corban Swain, a first-year PhD student in biological engineering, a great headshot relies on fine facial details and angles of light: “Fifty-plus percent is just forming a connection with the person … just to break the tension. [Then there are] angular things, where you put the light, the shoulders, a head tilt. You know when photographers do that? They’re actually doing stuff!...](/sites/default/files/styles/term_page__news_article/public/images/201802/MIT-Profile-Swain.jpg?itok=9MTlBw20)
Exploring his depth of field
Photographer, poet, and PhD student in biological engineering Corban Swain pursues diverse interests with a keen eye.
“American Panda,” set on MIT campus, explores cultural stereotypes
New novel set by dentist-turned-writer Gloria Chao ’08 reveals the protagonist's struggles between Taiwanese and American cultural values.
Seeking materials that match the brain
Polina Anikeeva explores ways to make neural probes that are compatible with delicate biological tissues.
Sealing the cracks in public education
MIT senior Yazmin Guzman wants to change the educational landscape to provide opportunities to all K-12 students.
Jennifer Rupp: Engineering practical ceramics
Assistant professor in EECS is developing materials with novel structures and useful applications, including renewable energy and information storage.
Applying philosophy for a better democracy
In Justin Khoo’s new class, students explore how language affects censorship, dissent, truth, and propaganda.
After receiving Killian Award, Richard Schrock reflects on a life in chemistry
The award, he says, is an honor equal to his Nobel Prize, which he received in 2005.
A deep dive into the effects of trade
MIT economist David Atkin looks beneath the surface of global commerce.
Decoding human cognition
MIT senior and Marshall Scholar Liang Zhou wants to elucidate the neural basis for our thoughts and intuitions.
From undisciplined to interdisciplinary
Math professor Philippe Rigollet, once a “not very disciplined” student, moves between computer science and statistics.
Making preventive medicine more accessible
MIT senior Anjali Misra is drawn to health care problems that don’t have easy answers.
Innovation, meet organization
Economist John Van Reenen studies the creation and use of technology, from the R&D lab to the workplace.
Using mechanical forces to improve wound healing
Dennis Orgill SM ’80, PhD ’83 applies mechanical engineering principles to the operating room.
Changing lives with heart, humor, and engineering
MIT senior and Marshall Scholar Nick Schwartz wants to solve the energy problem — and make people smile along the way.
Dongkeun Park: Winding his way to medical insights
Francis Bitter Magnet Lab researcher continues a decades-long pursuit to create a revolutionary magnet for nuclear magnetic resolution spectroscopy.