Special events and guest speakers

Large crowds gathered at MIT's Kresge Oval to observe the solar eclipse using special glasses or catching a glimpse from telescopes, reports Monica Madeja of NECN.

More than 100 people gathered on the lawn of the Wallace Observatory to view the solar eclipse, reports CBS Boston. “I think it just happens to be a special event where the entire country is able to see the same event at the same time,” says Senior Research Support Associate Tim Brothers.

More than 5,000 people gathered at MIT’s Kresge Oval to watch the solar eclipse, reports Michael Levenson, Steve Annear and Sara Salinas of The Boston Globe. In addition to a few hundred pairs of eclipse glasses, two telescopes were available to detect sunspots and sun flares.

In this video, Jason Brewer of FOX 25 reports from MIT’s Kresge Oval, where an estimated 5,000 people gathered to watch the partial solar eclipse.

In this video, CBS Boston reports on the fourth annual Boston Strong Invitational Basketball Tournament held at MIT, which benefits the Sean A. Collier Memorial Foundation. 

The MIT Media Lab has awarded its first Disobedience Award to Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and Prof. Marc Edwards, for their work drawing attention to the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, reports Scott Malone for Reuters. "They saw…an actual harm that was occurring and they did what they needed to do to intervene," explains Joi Ito, director of the Media Lab.

In an article for HuffPost, Alvaro Fernandez writes about Solve’s 2017 Global Challenge, which is dedicated to brain health. Fernandez writes that, “through the Brain Health Challenge, we are seeking to unearth and support innovative solutions to improving brain health and fitness for all.”

During a panel discussion during the Koch Institute’s 16^th Annual Cancer Research Symposium, participants discussed how the convergence of biology and engineering could accelerate treatments for cancer and other diseases, writes Robert Weisman for the Boston Globe. “To my mind, this is the 21st century’s innovation story,” said President Emerita Susan Hockfield.

Fortune reporter Aaron Pressman highlights how in her address during the 2017 Investiture of Doctoral Hoods, MIT alumna Lisa Su, CEO of Advanced Micro Devices, urged doctoral graduates to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. "The world is starving for new ideas and great leaders who will champion those ideas," said Su. 

CNBC reporter Anita Balakrishnan writes about MIT’s 2017 Commencement. During his address, Apple CEO Tim Cook noted that at MIT and Apple, people “love hard problems, we love to search for new ideas, and we especially love finding these ideas — the ones that change the world.”

MIT’s 2017 Commencement exercises featured an address by Apple CEO Tim Cook, who urged graduates to use their skills to help people around the world, reports the AP. “Measure impact in humanity; not in the likes, but the lives you touch and the people you serve,” said Cook. 

Reuters reporter Ross Kerber writes about MIT’s 2017 Commencement exercises, which featured an address by Apple CEO Tim Cook. Cook urged graduates to infuse technology with human values, explaining that he is concerned “about people thinking like computers, without values or compassion, without concern for consequence.” 

In his address at MIT’s 2017 Commencement exercises, Apple CEO Tim Cook urged MIT graduates to pursue work in service of humanity, reports Erin Fuchs for Yahoo Finance. “When you keep people at the center of what you do it can have an enormous impact,” he said.

Writing for The Boston Globe, Sara Salinas highlights how in his MIT Commencement address, Apple CEO Tim Cook urged graduates to make the world a better place. “If you strive to create the best, give the best, do the best for everyone, not just for some, then today all of humanity has good cause for hope,” said Cook. 

Boston Globe reporter Steve Annear writes that MIT students will have an opportunity to chat with NASA astronaut Jack Fischer, an MIT alumnus who is currently aboard the International Space Station.