Moderate Start to November
There’s a high-pressure system over the northeast in the coming days giving us a hopefully dry weekend. Light winds on Friday may feel chilly but the weekend ahead looks to be warmer. This weekend could be a great opportunity to take a break by getting outside to enjoy some more moderate temperatures before we cool down in time for winter. There are fall leaves on the ground but no snow quite yet, but it might be time to start thinking about unearthing your winter gear.
MIT net assets drop for the second consecutive year
In the pool of peer institutions, MIT was among the few that experienced a dip in endowment value in the past fiscal year.
John Urschel speaks about graduate studies in mathematics, professional football, and career aspirations
Professor John Urschel of the Mathematics Department was appointed as an assistant professor in the fall of 2023. Urschel completed his PhD at MIT in 2021 and was a former NFL player for the Baltimore Ravens for three years.
Showers to not rain on your parade
An upper level trough is edging towards the East Coast just in time to dampen your weekend plans.
MIT holds Fall Career Fair
Around 4044 people attended the fair, with lectures and recitations canceled to encourage attendance.
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.