Charles M. Vest, champion of diversity and openness
Former MIT president Charles M. Vest — a tireless advocate for research and science, and a passionate supporter of diversity and openness — died of pancreatic cancer at his home in the Washington area on Dec. 12. He was 72.
Four MIT seniors are among Marshall Scholarship winners
Four MIT seniors recently received the prestigious Marshall Scholarship. According to the MIT News Office press release, these undergraduates — Kirin J. Sinha, Catherine E. Koch, Colleen Loynachan, and Grace C. Young — will join the 30 other U.S. winners in pursuing a graduate degree for two years at the U.K. institution of their choice.
American and British spies infiltrate fantasy realm of online games World of Warcraft and Second Life
Not limiting their activities to the earthly realm, U.S. and British spies have infiltrated the fantasy worlds of World of Warcraft and Second Life, conducting surveillance and scooping up data in the online games played by millions of people across the globe, according to newly disclosed classified documents.
Sipser appointed Acting Dean of the School of Science
Effective Dec. 16, 2013, Michael Sipser, head of the Department of Mathematics, will become the interim dean of the School of Science according to an MIT News Office press release.
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: Final presentations by students in 2.009
On Monday, Dec. 9, students in 2.009: Product Engineering Processes, presented their final projects in Kresge Auditorium. The students worked together in teams of sixteen to eighteen throughout the semester to develop products and build prototypes related to the wellness-oriented theme dubbed “Be Well.” Each team was given a $6,500 budget to design their product and build prototypes. The event, a well-organized production complete with live music, began promptly at 7:30 p.m. with a musical performance by organist Epp Sonin.
MBTA expands T hours
The MBTA announced last week a one-year pilot late night service operating on Saturdays and Sundays beginning this spring. Expanded hours will not run on Friday nights. According to the Boston Globe, the new service will run until 3:00 A.M. with the last train leaving the city at 2:30 a.m. and will include the all train lines, the Silver Line, and 15 bus routes: 1, 15, 22, 23, 28, 32, 39, 57, 66, 71, 73, 77, 111, 116, and 117. Train fares will remain the same for late night hours as other times: $2 for a subway and $1.50 for a bus.
EECS implements new maternity leave policy
The Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department (Course 6) has agreed to fund a third month of paid maternity leave for its female graduate students, beyond the two-month maximum through the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education (ODGE). The new policy will become effective in Spring 2014, according to department head Anantha Chandrakasan.
Dahleh is ESD acting director
Munther A. Dahleh has been named the acting director of the Engineering Systems Division (ESD). He began his new position on Dec. 1, stepping down from his previous position as Associate Department Head of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), which David J. Perreault has been appointed.
MIT Medical responds to gastroenteritis outbreak on campus
MIT Medical and Urgent Care saw an increase in people with acute gastroenteritis this week. MIT Medical saw 16 patients during the day on Wednesday with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, according to a statement to the MIT News Office from Associate Medical Director Howard M. Heller.
Nelson Mandela, 95, passes away Thursday night
Nelson Mandela, who led the emancipation of South Africa from white minority rule and served as his country’s first black president, becoming an international emblem of dignity and forbearance, died Thursday night. He was 95.
Building 12 could be demolished by Summer 2014
Turning left off of the infinite corridor at Cafe Four could soon lead to a new destination. Director of Campus Planning, Engineering & Construction Richard L. Amster, confirmed that Building 12 could be demolished as early as this summer, pending approval by the City of Cambridge. The removal of the building will make way for the Nano-Materials, Structures, and Systems Lab (nMaSS), which is projected to be completed in 2018.
NEWS BRIEFS
According to an MIT News Office press release, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) included five MIT professors in the group of 388 scientists it named as fellows last Tuesday.
Willis H. Ware, computer engineer, dies
Willis H. Ware SM ’42, an electrical engineer who in the late 1940s helped build a machine that would become a blueprint for computer design in the 20th century, and who later played an important role in defining the importance of personal privacy in the information age, died Nov. 22 at his home in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 93.
1983: MIT’s first sorority rush
Editor’s Note: This article originally ran 30 years ago in Issue 54 of Volume 103 of The Tech on Friday, Dec. 2, 1983. “From the Archives” is the first of a recurring segment where we reprint articles from The Tech’s archives that are relevant or interesting to today’s MIT community.
Retailer Amazon announces drone delivery plan
SAN FRANCISCO — Hard to believe, but there was once a time when the visionaries worked for the government. Rebuilding a ruined Europe, putting a man on the moon, ending poverty, connecting the American interior with highways — these were immense tasks undertaken, and often achieved, by bureaucrats.
Oxytocin and social behavior
Scientists have been eager to see if the hormone oxytocin, which plays a role in emotional bonding, trust, and many biological processes, can improve social behavior in people with autism. Some parents of children with autism have asked doctors to prescribe it, although it is not an approved treatment for autism, or have purchased lower-dose versions of the drug over the counter.