A new class is giving MIT students the opportunity to examine the historical and practical considerations of urban farming while developing a real-world understanding of its value by working alongside a local farm’s community. Course 4.182 (Resilient Urbanism: Green Commons in the City) is taught in two sections by instructors in the Program in Science, Technology, […]
Read MoreTag: School of Architecture and Planning
Giving buildings an “MRI” to make them more energy-efficient and resilient
Older buildings let thousands of dollars-worth of energy go to waste each year through leaky roofs, old windows, and insufficient insulation. But even as building owners face mounting pressure to comply with stricter energy codes, making smart decisions about how to invest in efficiency is a major challenge. Lamarr.AI, born in part from MIT research, […]
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New therapeutic brain implants defy the need for surgery
What if clinicians could place tiny electronic chips in the brain that electrically stimulate a precise target, through a simple injection in the arm? This may someday help treat deadly or debilitating brain diseases, while eliminating surgery-related risks and costs. MIT researchers have taken a major step toward making this scenario a reality. They developed microscopic, […]
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Q&A: How MITHIC is fostering a culture of collaboration at MIT
The MIT Human Insight Collaborative (MITHIC) is a presidential initiative with a mission of elevating human-centered research and teaching and connecting scholars in the humanities, arts, and social sciences with colleagues across the Institute. Since its launch in 2024, MITHIC has funded 31 projects led by teaching and research staff representing 22 different units across MIT. […]
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Battery-powered appliances make it easy to switch from gas to electric
As batteries have gotten cheaper and more powerful, they have enabled the electrification of everything from vehicles to lawn equipment, power tools, and scooters. But electrifying homes has been a slower process. That’s because switching from gas appliances often requires ripping out drywall, running new wires, and upgrading the electrical box. Now the startup Copper, founded […]
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Injectable antenna could safely power deep-tissue medical implants
Researchers from the MIT Media Lab have developed an antenna — about the size of a fine grain of sand — that can be injected into the body to wirelessly power deep-tissue medical implants, such as pacemakers in cardiac patients and neuromodulators in people suffering from epilepsy or Parkinson’s disease. “This is the next major […]
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A new advising neighborhood takes shape along the Infinite Corridor
On any given day, MIT’s famed 825-foot Infinite Corridor serves as a busy, buzzing pedestrian highway, offering campus commuters a quick, if congested, route from point A to B. With the possible exception of MIT Henge twice a year, it doesn’t exactly invite lingering. Thanks to a recent renovation on the first floor of Building 11, […]
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MIT Schwarzman College of Computing welcomes 11 new faculty for 2025
The MIT Schwarzman College of Computing welcomes 11 new faculty members in core computing and shared positions to the MIT community. They bring varied backgrounds and expertise spanning sustainable design, satellite remote sensing, decision theory, and the development of new algorithms for declarative artificial intelligence programming, among others. “I warmly welcome this talented group of […]
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Blending neuroscience, AI, and music to create mental health innovations
Computational neuroscientist and singer/songwriter Kimaya (Kimy) Lecamwasam, who also plays electric bass and guitar, says music has been a core part of her life for as long as she can remember. She grew up in a musical family and played in bands all through high school. “For most of my life, writing and playing music […]
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Laurent Demanet appointed co-director of MIT Center for Computational Science and Engineering
Laurent Demanet, MIT professor of applied mathematics, has been appointed co-director of the MIT Center for Computational Science and Engineering (CCSE), effective Sept. 1. Demanet, who holds a joint appointment in the departments of Mathematics and Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences — where he previously served as director of the Earth Resources Laboratory — succeeds […]
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A beacon of light
Placing a lit candle in a window to welcome friends and strangers is an old Irish tradition that took on greater significance when Mary Robinson was elected president of Ireland in 1990. At the time, Robinson placed a lamp in Áras an Uachtaráin — the official residence of Ireland’s presidents — noting that the Irish […]
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By attracting the world’s sharpest talent, MIT helps keep the US a step ahead
Just as the United States has prospered through its ability to draw talent from every corner of the globe, so too has MIT thrived as a magnet for the world’s most keen and curious minds — many of whom remain here to invent solutions, create companies, and teach future leaders, contributing to America’s success. President […]
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What does the future hold for generative AI?
When OpenAI introduced ChatGPT to the world in 2022, it brought generative artificial intelligence into the mainstream and started a snowball effect that led to its rapid integration into industry, scientific research, health care, and the everyday lives of people who use the technology. What comes next for this powerful but imperfect tool? With that […]
Read MoreMIT launches Day of Design to bring hands-on learning to classrooms
A new MIT initiative known as Day of Design offers free, open-source, hands-on design activities for all classrooms, in addition to professional development opportunities and signature events. The material engages pK-12 learners in the skills they need to solve complex open-ended problems while also considering user, social, and environmental needs. Inspired by Day of AI and Day […]
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Study links rising temperatures and declining moods
Rising global temperatures affect human activity in many ways. Now, a new study illuminates an important dimension of the problem: Very hot days are associated with more negative moods, as shown by a large-scale look at social media postings. Overall, the study examines 1.2 billion social media posts from 157 countries over the span of […]
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Graduate work with an impact — in big cities and on campus
While working to boost economic development in Detroit in the late 2010s, Nick Allen found he was running up against a problem. The city was trying to spur more investment after long-term industrial flight to suburbs and other states. Relying more heavily on property taxes for revenue, the city was negotiating individualized tax deals with […]
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3 Questions: Measuring the financial impact of design in the built environment
The various aspects of design — such as creation, function, and aesthetic — can be applied to many different disciplines and provide them with a value. While this is universally true for architecture, it has not traditionally been acknowledged for real estate, despite the close association between the two. Traditionally, real estate valuation has been […]
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School of Architecture and Planning welcomes new faculty for 2025
Four new faculty members join the School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P) this fall, offering the MIT community creativity, knowledge, and scholarship in multidisciplinary roles. “These individuals add considerable strength and depth to our faculty,” says Hashim Sarkis, dean of the School of Architecture and Planning. “We are excited for the academic vigor they bring […]
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“FUTURE PHASES” showcases new frontiers in music technology and interactive performance
Music technology took center stage at MIT during “FUTURE PHASES,” an evening of works for string orchestra and electronics, presented by the MIT Music Technology and Computation Graduate Program as part of the 2025 International Computer Music Conference (ICMC). The well-attended event was held last month in the Thomas Tull Concert Hall within the new Edward […]
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Staff members honored with 2025 Excellence Awards, Collier Medal, and Staff Award for Distinction in Service
On Thursday, June 5, 11 individuals and four teams were awarded MIT Excellence Awards — the highest awards for staff at the Institute. Cheers from colleagues holding brightly colored signs and pompoms rang out in Kresge Auditorium in celebration of the honorees. In addition to the Excellence Awards, staff members received the Collier Medal, the […]
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Pedestrians now walk faster and linger less, researchers find
City life is often described as “fast-paced.” A new study suggests that’s more true that ever. The research, co-authored by MIT scholars, shows that the average walking speed of pedestrians in three northeastern U.S. cities increased 15 percent from 1980 to 2010. The number of people lingering in public spaces declined by 14 percent in […]
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School of Architecture and Planning recognizes faculty with academic promotions in 2025
Seven faculty in the MIT School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P) have been honored for their contributions through promotions, effective July 1. Three faculty promotions are in the Department of Architecture; three are in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning; and one is in the Program in Media Arts and Sciences. “Whether architects, urbanists, […]
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Study shows a link between obesity and what’s on local restaurant menus
For many years, health experts have been concerned about “food deserts,” places where residents lack good nutritional options. Now, an MIT-led study of three major global cities uses a new, granular method to examine the issue, and concludes that having fewer and less nutritional eating options nearby correlates with obesity and other health outcomes. Rather […]
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A bionic knee integrated into tissue can restore natural movement
MIT researchers have developed a new bionic knee that can help people with above-the-knee amputations walk faster, climb stairs, and avoid obstacles more easily than they could with a traditional prosthesis. Unlike prostheses in which the residual limb sits within a socket, the new system is directly integrated with the user’s muscle and bone tissue. […]
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Supporting mission-driven space innovation, for Earth and beyond
As spaceflight becomes more affordable and accessible, the story of human life in space is just beginning. Aurelia Institute wants to make sure that future benefits all of humanity — whether in space or here on Earth. Founded by Ariel Ekblaw SM ’17, PhD ’20; Danielle DeLatte ’11; and former MIT research scientist Sana Sharma, […]
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Collaborating with the force of nature
Common sense tells us to run from molten lava flowing from active volcanoes. But MIT professors J. Jih, Cristina Parreño Alonso, and Skylar Tibbits — faculty in the Department of Architecture at the School of Architecture and Planning — have their bags packed to head to southwest Iceland in anticipation of an imminent volcanic eruption. […]
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Professor Emeritus Barry Vercoe, a pioneering force in computer music, dies at 87
MIT Professor Emeritus Barry Lloyd Vercoe, a pioneering force in computer music, a founding faculty member of the MIT Media Lab, and a leader in the development of MIT’s Music and Theater Arts Section, passed away on June 15. He was 87. Vercoe’s life was a rich symphony of artistry, science, and innovation that led […]
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VAMO proposes an alternative to architectural permanence
The International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia holds up a mirror to the industry — not only reflecting current priorities and preoccupations, but also projecting an agenda for what might be possible. Curated by Carlo Ratti, MIT professor of practice of urban technologies and planning, this year’s exhibition (“Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective”) proposes a “Circular […]
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New imaging technique reconstructs the shapes of hidden objects
A new imaging technique developed by MIT researchers could enable quality-control robots in a warehouse to peer through a cardboard shipping box and see that the handle of a mug buried under packing peanuts is broken. Their approach leverages millimeter wave (mmWave) signals, the same type of signals used in Wi-Fi, to create accurate 3D […]
Read MoreFace-to-face with Es Devlin
Es Devlin, the winner of the 2025 Eugene McDermott Award in the Arts at MIT, creates settings for people to gather — whether it’s a few people in a room or crowds swelling a massive stadium — arenas in which to dissolve one’s individual sense of self into the greater collective. She herself contains multitudes; […]
Read MoreSummer 2025 reading from MIT
Summer is the perfect time to curl up with a good book — and MIT authors have had much to offer in the past year. The following titles represent some of the books published in the past 12 months by MIT faculty and staff. In addition to links for each book from its publisher, the […]
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