Bomb squad called to New House
Cambridge Police Bomb Unit and MIT police responded early this morning to a report of “suspicious materials” in New House. Police evacuated New House and Next House, and cordoned off Amherst Alley near MacGregor. At around 2 p.m., MIT announced that the materials posed no threat to campus safety, and that the area was safe to re-enter.
Building the future campus
MIT has begun laying out the future of our campus. By coalescing several of the Institute’s ongoing and future campus development projects under a broad planning initiative dubbed “MIT 2030,” Institute administrators and faculty hope to realistically envision where the campus will be in 20 years. MIT recently sold $750 million in 100-year bonds to help finance development projects in the MIT 2030 framework.
Burns to give Commencement address
Today, at the end of MIT’s 150th anniversary celebrations, the Institute holds its 145th commencement ceremony. MIT will be awarding degrees to 983 undergraduates and 1,471 graduate students. Collectively, 1,161 bachelor’s degrees, 1,547 master’s degrees, and 609 doctoral degrees were awarded by MIT, according to Registrar Mary Callahan.
Lewin gives final lecture In emotional goodbye, physics prof. wows 26-100
With a crown of tousled grey hair on his head, a shroud of rainbow-stripes on his shoulders, and a large plastic fuchsia ring twisting around his left middle finger, legendary physics professor Walter H. G. Lewin set down his piece of dull yellow chalk for the last time, marking the completion of his final lecture at MIT.
MITIMCo real estate development (expected over next decade)
MITIMCo real estate development (expected over next decade)
Academic construction and renovation (expected over next decade)
Academic construction and renovation (expected over next decade)
26 admitted from waitlist
Despite a significant increase in the number of students given a spot on this year’s waitlist, fewer undergraduates were admitted off the list due to a high admissions yield — 65 percent of admitted students accepted offers to enroll. About 1000 applicants for the Class of 2015 were waitlisted, compared to 722 students for the Class of 2014. Of the students who chose to remain on the waitlist this year, only 26 (3.6 percent) were admitted.
Emily, always.
Emily Obert ’11 fell on a clear warm day almost exactly like today. The kind of day when, in her faint Virginia twang, she might order you to stop sitting around and go outside.
Help Desk relocates to E17
Help Desk will soon have a new home. The MIT IS&T Computing Help Desk is relocating to the first floor of Building E17 at 40 Ames St. Help Desk’s N42 location will close at 1 p.m. today, and weekday walk-in hours from 9:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. will resume Monday in E17. Additional customer service operations are moving to the sixth and seventh floors of E19.
News Briefs
Theresa M. Stone SM ’76, MIT’s executive vice president (EVP) and treasurer, announced on May 17 that she would step down from her position in the fall, which she has held since February 2007.
Shorts (left)
TOKYO — Japan underestimated the danger of tsunamis and failed to prepare adequate backup systems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, a team of inspectors from an international nuclear regulator said Wednesday in a critical report that came as the Japanese prime minister prepared to face a no-confidence vote in Parliament.
Fighting spreads in Yemen, raising fear of civil war
SANAA, Yemen — Yemen edged closer to civil war Wednesday as fighting spread to new parts of the country and government troops waged increasingly bloody street battles with opposition tribesmen for control of crucial areas in the capital.
Tornadoes hit Mass.
Those of you staying in the Boston area after Commencement can look forward to a great weekend, with highs around 70°F and lots of sun. The work week might bring some worse weather, with a 30 percent chance of showers on Monday.
Multiple tornadoes touch down in Massachusetts, causing fatalities
BOSTON — At least four people were killed when tornadoes touched down Wednesday in Springfield, Mass., and a number of nearby towns. The twisters flipped vehicles, collapsed buildings and stunned residents who are not used to such violent storms.
A reflection, and farewell, from the UA president
I want to begin by thanking The Tech for the opportunity to write in this Commencement issue, which coincides with the culmination of the MIT150 sesquicentennial celebration. The Undergraduate Association (UA) is at a defining point in its history. Over the past several weeks, the UA has been described as “weakened,” “poorly-functioning,” and “unwilling to cooperate.” Disproportionate emphasis on this negative perspective has diminished some undergraduates’ confidence in their representative body. My goal in writing this letter is to leave students with an improved outlook on the state of the UA by providing a different perspective on this year’s successes and failures and by examining upcoming opportunities and challenges.
LETTERS TO THE CLASS OF 2011
Commencement always stands at the intersection of the past and the future. We honor the 50th reunion class for all they have accomplished in their lives. For the undergraduate and graduate students who will receive their degrees, it marks the joyful culmination of years of toil, now completed. At the same time, we gather not simply to recognize what has been done, but to look ahead to an infinite number of new possibilities, just beginning.
EDITORIAL 150 celebration hit the mark
You only turn 150 once, and MIT pulled out all the stops for its sesquicentennial. This past semester’s anniversary celebrations were, for the most part, what celebrations should be. From the 150 Exhibit at the MIT Museum to FAST Art to the Open House, MIT150 was fun. We hope that today’s commencement activities tie it all together nicely.
The job crisis: Solved in 10 pages?
House Republicans, led by Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), recently released their Plan for America’s Job Creators. The document, as well as a shortened summary version, can be accessed from . When I first opened the full document, I thought I had chosen the summary by mistake. As Paul Krugman notes, it “has to rely on extra-large type and lots of pointless pictures to bulk it out even to 10 pages.” Indeed, the equivalent of four pages of the document consists of images of cars at the gas station, scissors cutting red tape, and the like. Another page is a platitude-ridden introduction that could be substituted by manic repetition of the phrases “common-sense,” “pro-growth,” “job creators,” and “remove Washington” to the same effect.
Living with Alzheimer’s
“When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not, but I am getting old, and soon I shall remember only the latter.”
Picture of a real leader
Last week Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’75 addressed a joint session of Congress, almost a week after President Obama delivered a major policy speech on the Middle East to the U.S. State Department. Both men outlined bold and unprecedented plans for ensuring security and peace in the region and deserve commendation for their strong support of a sincere and lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace. However, Palestinian refusal to accept Israel as the Jewish state, Fatah’s reconciliation with Hamas, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ rejection of direct negotiations with Israel pose serious threats to the peace process.
GOING DIGITAL Maps of paint
Google Art Project was only unveiled in February, but already it has professional artists and amateur art lovers alike raving. It’s no wonder that people are impressed. A visit to the home page gives a crystal clear close-up of a famous painting. In the introduction video, painting after painting presents itself in proper Google Maps style as a voice tempts us to “discover hidden secrets, or get in close to see the most miniscule details, like the brushstrokes of van Gogh.”
ALBUM REVIEW Lost with a Valleyheart
By all rights, Los Angeles duo She Wants Revenge should trade in climaxes. The narratives of most of the songs on Valleyheart point dutifully at an acrobatic guitar solo or a cathartic spray of lovelorn bellowing that simply doesn’t arrive. The subwoofers are wired, but the bass never drops; the opener “Take The World” is five minutes spent absent-mindedly waiting for a gear change to kick. This furrow in their otherwise confident songwriting is baffling, but it makes the album sound like a series of promises breaking.
ARCHITECTURE@MIT MIT welcomes 21st century design
Archiprix International is an exhibition of the best graduation projects from top architecture design programs around the world. The biennial event was founded in 2001 in Rotterdam, Netherlands, as an attempt to create a global context for architecture education, and Archiprix now has 1527 participating universities. This year, MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning is hosting Archiprix International 2011, from the end of May to beginning of June.
Will Mavericks be able to beat the Heat?
The champs from the East, the Miami Heat, are here for a reason,
Men’s Rugby claims Div. III Cup
Going 5-1 in the regular fall season and 8-1 in the spring, the MIT Men’s Rugby team took its awesome streak one step further by winning the Division III Championship at the North East Rugby Football Union Cup Tournament. MIT went down to the tournament in Newport, R.I. on May 14 as the second seed in their division. In the first match the Engineers overtook the division’s third seed team, Springfield, scoring and converting tries throughout the game. Despite 10 points being awarded to and earned by Springfield as the result of MIT penalties, MIT won the match 29-10.
Sports Shorts
Two of MIT’s baseball players received recognition in the College Sports Information Directors of America’s Academic All-American Program. The award comes as a result of strong athletic performance in addition to consistent and impressive academic performance.
Women’s Track takes 4th at OC
The MIT Women’s Track and Field team capped off the most successful year in program history with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship over the weekend. The Engineers collected 14 All-America nods and finished with 45 team points. Coach Halston Taylor’s program also clinched the Deb Vercauteren national Program of the Year award, given to the team that registers the best combined finishes at the NCAA Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
NOT RELATED TO TIGER Five things I hate
Reviewing my recent Tech pieces, I noticed that my columns have been very positive and upbeat. Trying to come up with a way to balance out all of this positivity, I remembered a video by ItsKingsleyBitch, one of my favorite vloggers, titled “Things I Hate.” It gave me an idea: I should write a “Things I Hate” column.
You’ve got a degree from MIT, but can you cook?
Congratulations, Class of 2011! You’ve made it through four years in TFP; a countless number of late-night p-sets, excruciating examinations, sessions of procrastination filled with AngryBirds and Facebook stalking, too many gallons of caffeine to count, and a vast canvas of memories too large to comprehend. In between those episodes of work and fun, there were Ramen noodles, Lean Cuisine boxes, Domino’s Pizza with the infamous cheesy bread, and stashes of free food that were collected from random locations on campus (but who cares, right? It’s free food!). But now, you’re at the end of your time at MIT. As you enter the “real world,” it may be necessary to start cooking. If the thought of holding a spatula makes you hyperventilate, take a few deep breaths — The Tech has you covered. Below are a few easy recipes that will make you look like a culinary genius while also ensuring that the fire alarm doesn’t get tripped off every time you get near a stove.
Institute Double Take
A thick fog engulfs the Harvard Bridge on April 26, obscuring Boston from view. As a photographic element, fog is often used to evoke emotions of serenity or mystery. To get the most dramatic effects out of fog, try to capture both a clear, crisp foreground in addition to a fading background to give the photograph a sense of depth while providing a direction for the viewer to follow. It’s usually best to capture fog at dawn or dusk — luckily this is when most fog occurs — as there is still enough ambient lighting from street, car, and building lights to shine through the fog, adding beautiful, diffuse light sources while the rest of the landscape is still barely illuminated by the sun.
