Professor Moungi Bawendi wins 2023 Chemistry Nobel Prize
On Oct. 4, Moungi Bawendi, the Lester Wolfe Professor of Chemistry, was announced as a winner of the 2023 Chemistry Nobel Prize by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for his work in “the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots.” Bawendi shared the prize with his postdoctoral advisor, Louis Brus of Columbia University, and Alexei Ekimov of Nanocrystals Technology.
More details emerge on MIT and Graduate Student Union agreement
On Sept. 25, President Kornbluth announced in an email to the MIT community that the administration and the MIT Graduate Student Union (GSU) reached an agreement. That same day, the GSU announced that the contract had been ratified, according to an X account with the handle @MITGradUnion. The contract vote passed in favour, with 999 voting for it, and 44 people against—a split of 95.8 percent and 4.2 percent, respectively.
President Kornbluth shares update on ongoing listening tour
On Sept. 21, President Sally Kornbluth shared an update on her ongoing listening tour via an email sent to MIT community members. Since assuming the presidency of MIT in January, President Kornbluth has kept records of what she has seen on campus and heard from students, staff, and faculty to better understand the state of affairs at MIT.
Weekend showers
Have you been noticing how it seems to be gray and rainy every weekend, then sunny as soon as Monday rolls around? What’s up with that? In any case, it’ll be gray and drizzly again this weekend. I hope you get the chance to soak up these last days of nice weather, because there’s a good chance we won’t be getting something this warm again until spring. There’s a cold front coming in this weekend which will remind us all that it is, in fact, October in New England.
2023 MIT security and fire safety report released
The MIT Police Department released its Annual Security and Fire Safety Report Sept. 19. The report highlights the policies undertaken by MIT to reduce crime and mitigate risk, as well as the resources available to victims of violent crimes. Furthermore, the report contains statistics on crimes committed on campus and in non-campus locations ranging from 2020 to 2022. The statistics encompass crimes reported to MIT Police, other campus security agencies, and local police agencies.
Add Date, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Student Holiday
Oct. 6 is the Add Date. It is also the last day to drop half-term subjects.
Stratton Student Center Reopens after Renovations
On Sept. 12, the Stratton Student Center reopened after its complete closure in April 2023. First opened in 1968, the Student Center, known as the “Stud,” experienced catastrophic water pipe damage in February.
Orientation Held for Class of 2027
Orientation for the Class of 2027 began on Aug. 27 and ended Sept. 1. Many events were packed into the week, including residential exploration (REX) and a Convocation address from President Sally Kornbluth.
Mostly clear skies ahead
A lovely sunny weekend is arriving as a higher pressure system moves towards the eastern US this week. Showers may interrupt the clear skies when the outskirts of Hurricane Nigel pass by on Saturday. According to our friends at the Northeast River Forecast Center, some flooding is possible through the weekend.
Local 26 Union Rallies to Protest MIT’s Café Closures
On Sept. 7, the Local 26 union, which represents MIT Dining staff, held a rally in front of the Strata Center to protest MIT’s handling of the Steam and Koch café closures. Displaced staff, current workers, and supporters assembled to air their grievances with MIT Dining management.
Maria Zuber becomes Presidential Advisor; Search for Vice Provost of Research Begins
In an email to the MIT Community, President Kornbluth announced that Maria Zuber, Professor of Geophysics, will become MIT’s Presidential Advisor for Science and Technology Policy. Zuber is currently Vice President for research at MIT, with previous roles as the department Head for Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences as well as a stint at NASA.
Tentative Agreement Reached with the MIT Graduate Student Union
In a brief statement to the MIT community, the MIT Bargaining Team negotiating with the MIT Graduate Student Union (MIT GSU) have announced a tentative agreement. The GSU will now have to vote on ratifying the agreement.
MIT Dining Announces Closure of Steam and Koch Cafés
The Steam and Koch Cafés, formerly located in Buildings 7 and 37 respectively, are permanently closing. In a statement to the Tech, Mark Hayes, Director of Campus Dining, said that Campus Dining “undertook several enhancements” to continue to make healthy food accessible across campus.
SOLE announces reopening timeline of the Student Center
In an email to the MIT community, Student Organizations Leadership and Engagement (SOLE) laid out a reopening timeline for the Stratton Student Center. The Student Center, which was closed in February due to water pipe explosions, has been undergoing renovations for the past seven months.
Search for Institute Community and Equity Officer begins
Following the recent departure of Institute Community and Equity Officer (ICEO) John Dozier, President Sally Kornbluth announced the creation of a search committee in a national search for a Vice President for Equity and Inclusion. In her announcement Aug. 4, President Kornbluth wrote that because “health of our community” is dependent on the Institute’s ability to respond to challenges in equity and inclusion, the new ICEO leader would report directly to her.
MIT Information Systems and Technology unveils new notification system
Mark Sillis, Vice President for Information Systems and Technology at MIT, wrote in an email to the MIT community Aug. 9, that the IST department is “implementing a new notification system called MIT Atlas Alert,” which will provide “prompt notifications” of disruptions to IT services including internet, phone, and email. Atlas Alert will be conveyed via email, the Atlas mobile app, and text messages, and is intended to reach the community through multiple channels in the event that one system is down.
MIT to invite students and employees to participate in Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Surveys
In an email to the MIT community dated Aug. 17, Chancellor Melissa Nobles announced mandatory harassment prevention training for faculty, staff and third year graduate students for the fall 2023 semester. Additionally, during the 2023-24 academic year, MIT will invite members of the community to participate in a sexual harassment and misconduct survey. According to the email, students were surveyed by the Institute in 2014 and 2019, but the upcoming survey will “mark the first time the Institute is surveying staff and faculty.” The survey will be confidential and voluntary.
U.S. Department of Education investigating legacy admissions at Harvard
On July 25, the U.S. Department of Education opened a civil rights investigation into the legacy admissions policy at Harvard University. This move comes after the Supreme Court ruled affirmative action unconstitutional on June 29, prompting further scrutiny of the college admissions process.