SPECIAL FEATURE Rock star of the classical world visits MIT
Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel visited MIT during Patriot’s Day weekend to receive this year’s $75,000 Eugene McDermott Award in the Arts, conducting the MIT Symphony Orchestra in an open rehearsal and taking part in a panel discussion on music education.
OPERA REVIEW ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’
During Thanksgiving weekend, The Metropolitan Opera staged a rousing revival of Mozart’s great comic opera, “The Marriage of Figaro,” that was characterized by uncanny comic timing and keen acting. It wasn’t without a few weaknesses, however, which became apparent when the musical performance failed to match the acting in energy.
OPERA REVIEW Metropolitan’s Production of Aida Refreshing
The audience at the Metropolitan Opera was surely as dramatic as the performers on stage. Despite booing conductor Daniele Gatti for what it considered a lackluster performance of Verdi’s <i>Aida</i>, the audience seemed quite content with a repeated performance a little over a week later.
CONCERT REVIEW Levine Tackles the Greats
James Levine led the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a sold-out show of spiritual awakening last Saturday at Symphony Hall, presenting Stravinsky’s <i>Symphony of Psalms</i> and Mozart’s <i>Requiem in D minor</i>.
CONCERT REVIEW At Tanglewood, Merry Mozart and Moody Mahler
During the summer, the Boston Symphony Orchestra performs in bucolic western Massachusetts in the Tanglewood Music Festival — essentially a concert series on steroids of mostly classical music. A couple of weeks ago, I made the pilgrimage for a night of Mozart and Mahler. I was shaken.
Sec. of Energy Chu Pushes For Greater Technology Research
U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu urged the need to pursue energy research in a spirit akin to that of the seminal AT&T Bell Laboratories in his address last month at MIT as part of the Karl Taylor Compton lecture series.
MIT Files Patent Suit Against Biotech Company Affymetrix
MIT filed a lawsuit against biotechnology company Affymetrix last month, alleging the company’s GeneChip technology infringes an existing MIT patent.
CONCERT REVIEW Always Skillful, Often Breathtaking
The much-celebrated Emerson String Quartet performed in Boston last Friday, playing a mostly Dvorák concert that, through the juxtaposition of blasé and breathtaking, demonstrated concert magic.
Next House, NW35 Included as Options in Adjustment Lottery
Residence Exploration kicked off last Friday to introduce freshmen to the undergraduate dormitories at MIT. Many changes characterized this year’s REX, including the addition of Next House and the new dormitory NW35 to the Adjustment Lottery, as well as the exclusion of Bexley Hall in Dormitory Council-sponsored REX events.
Star Simpson Receives Pretrial Probation
Star A. Simpson ’10 was sentenced Monday to one year of supervised pretrial probation on a charge of disorderly conduct. The charge stems from a Sept. 2007 incident when she was arrested at gunpoint at Logan International after airport personnel mistook a circuit board on her sweatshirt for a bomb. The incident — and MIT’s public relations — incited national and local controversy.
Prof. Continues Hunger Strike
Fifteen MIT faculty members from different departments called for measures to ensure fairness in the grievance review of tenure denials after an African American associate professor began his hunger strike last week to protest what he believes are racist motives behind the denial of his tenure.
Hunger Strike Ignites Discussions of Racism at MIT
In 2007, MIT garnered attention in an unexpected light — through allegations of racism in its tenure process. An African American associate professor in the Biological Engineering Department charged that racism influenced his tenure denial, prompting his hunger strike, the resignation of an executive director, the withdrawal of an alumnus, and the initiation of an Institute-wide study on underrepresented minority issues.
Reactor Cited for Minor Violations By Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory was cited by federal officials for violating regulations because a worker was exposed to nearly a year’s worth of radiation in just one day.
Sherley Calls Hunger Strike Off After Day Twelve of Protesting
After 12 days of ingesting only water, vitamin supplements, and electrolytes, Associate Professor James L. Sherley of the biological engineering department ended his hunger strike last Friday, Feb. 16. Sherley, who is African American, went on a hunger strike to protest his tenure denial, which he claimed was tarnished by racial discrimination.
OLPC Sued for Allegedly Copying Keyboard Design
A Natick-based company filed a lawsuit against the One Laptop Per Child Foundation last Thursday, claiming OLPC copied its multilingual keyboard technology.
Members Elected to ’08 Panhel Board
The MIT Panhellenic Association has elected new members to its executive board, which will serve for the upcoming year. This line-up of elects was approved by the five MIT sororities last night after two slates were previously rejected. One goal for the newly-elected executive board will be to add a new sorority to the five currently existing in Panhel.
Presbrey Makes Millions With Startup
What with some successful startups making hundreds of millions of dollars these days, $6 million may not seem like a lot. But it is still enough to impress most college students, and Joseph W. Presbrey ’08 earned that very amount back in March 2006 by selling a social networking site for high school students to Alloy, a media and marketing company targeting young consumers.
CONCERT REVIEW Violin Virtuoso Tells Musical Tales
Last weekend, I saw Itzhak Perlman, the Israeli-American violinist and conductor, perform live. It was the first time I’d seen him live, although I grew up listening to recordings of his playing, and I was not disappointed. The concert, part of the Boston Celebrity Series, had Symphony Hall packed with people eager to see a living legend of classical music.
Endowment Reaches Nearly $10 Billion, Rises 19 Percent in 2007
MIT’s endowment increased by $1.6 billion, or 19.3 percent, during the 2007 fiscal year, reaching a total of $9.98 billion. The increase resulted primarily from investment returns of 22.1 percent, as reported by the MIT Investment Management Company.
Abnormal Radiation Level Reported
The MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory is currently being inspected by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after a worker was exposed to unusually high levels of radiation.
Prof. Begins Hunger Strike, Says Racism Cost Him His Tenure
An African-American associate professor began a hunger strike yesterday outside of the provost’s office, protesting what he claims were racist motives behind the denial of his tenure. Biological Engineering Associate Professor James L. Sherley first threatened the strike on Dec. 19, 2006 in a letter he titled, “A plea to end racism at MIT.” The letter prompted Provost L. Rafael Reif to announce plans to create a committee investigating minority hiring practices.
MIT Releases Preliminary Report on New Race Study
MIT released a preliminary report detailing recommendations on how the Institute can undertake a study on faculty race issues. The study is anticipated to be fully launched at the start of the 2007–2008 academic year, according to the report released on July 16.
Institute Tests New Alert System
The MIT Security and Emergency Management Office initiated a campus-wide emergency test drill in late August that consisted of sending messages via phone, e-mail, and text messaging to members of the MIT community. The office, which was launched on July 1, 2007, serves as a resource center for security-related issues. Approximately 26,000 e-mail messages were sent in under five minutes.
Police Chief Discusses Work, Family
<i>This is the fifth interview in a seven-part series introducing incoming students to some of MIT’s faculty, staff, and student leaders. Today, </i>The Tech<i> interviews MIT Police Chief John DiFava, who talks about his background with the Massachusetts State Police and security at MIT.</i>
Alumnus Withdraws From Corp. Citing Sherley, Racial Concerns
An African American alumnus and former MIT Corporation trustee withdrew from activities supporting MIT on July 2 in protest of the Institute’s handling of the tenure case of James L. Sherley. Sherley, an African American and former associate professor in the Biological Engineering Department, left MIT on June 30 after an unsuccessful hunger strike to have his tenure case re-examined.
Prof. Sadoway Advises Frosh to Talk to Faculty
<i>This is the third interview in a seven-part series introducing incoming students to some of MIT’s faculty, staff, and student leaders. Today, </i>The Tech <i>interviews Donald R. Sadoway, a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, who discusses his first impressions of MIT and how the Institute has changed and gives advice to freshmen for their first year.</i>
Space a Problem For Planned Arts Studio
Led by the E.M. Baker Foundation, a visual arts initiative has been started to set up a free, 24-hour arts studio for MIT students. The studio will become a reality once space has been allocated, according to Baker Foundation Chair Tina P. Srivastava ’09.
Prof. Sherley Locked Out Of BE Laboratory After June 30 Deadline Passes
James L. Sherley, the African American associate professor who went on a 12-day hunger strike in February to protest his tenure denial, met the end of his appointment last Saturday, June 30. Sherley, who worked for the Biological Engineering Department, faced locked doors when he attempted to work in his laboratory after June 30 in an effort to resist the deadline.
Subway Opens in Student Center After Many Delays
Subway opened in the Lobdell food court on Monday, June 11, after a construction period that “took a lot longer than we had hoped,” according to Richard D. Berlin III, director of Campus Dining. Subway will be open daily during the summer from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sherley Seeks Tenure Process Review; MIT Police Posted at Lab
James L. Sherley, an African American associate professor in the Biological Engineering Department, said that he remains steadfast in staying at MIT until the Institute assesses the validity of his charges of discrimination in the tenure process. According to Sherley, the administration agreed to reassess problems in the tenure process through an external panel in exchange for Sherley ending his hunger strike. The Institute says that there is no agreement for external review of the tenure process.
Lack of Water Closes Kresge Auditorium on Friday
A fault in Kresge Auditorium's water system occurred Friday, May 4, disrupting performances by the Festival Jazz Ensemble and the Musical Theatre Guild. The Campus Activities Complex shut down Kresge because of a failure in the fire sprinkler system related to a lack of running water. Water was restored at around 9:40 p.m.
EcoExpo to Showcase Student Groups
The first-ever EcoExpo will be held tomorrow, April 25, and will feature posters and displays from nearly 30 student-led groups concerned with environmental issues at MIT. Organized by the Students for Global Sustainability group, EcoExpo seeks "to convey the incredible energy and enthusiasm" at MIT and "to inspire new ideas, new connections, and a strengthened campus commitment to sustainability," according to the EcoExpo Web site. EcoExpo will be held in the TSMC lobby of the Stata Center, which faces the intersection of Main and Vassar Streets. Below is a sampling of the groups that will be featured at the event.
Uncontested GSC Candidates Elected
The Graduate Student Council's new officers have been elected and say they are looking to improve communication between the MIT senior administration and the GSC. President-elect Leeland B. Ekstrom G and Vice President-elect Johnna D. Powell G won uncontested elections on April 4 and will take office on May 2 at the GSC General Council meeting.
Student Center Hangout Back to 24 Hours
The recent reduction in the Student Center Coffeehouse's operating hours can be traced to homeless people using the location during early morning hours, according to Phillip J. Walsh, director of the Campus Activities Complex, which runs the Coffeehouse.