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.
Columbia’s Colombo Will Be Dean for Student Life
Costantino “Chris” Colombo, dean for student affairs at Columbia University’s undergraduate schools, was chosen as MIT’s new dean for student life. Colombo, whose appointment is effective beginning Aug. 18, will move into Next House with his family.
Alexander Vladimir d’Arbeloff ’49
Alexander Vladimir d’Arbeloff ’49, a visionary entrepreneur who co-founded Boston-based high-tech company Teradyne before becoming the eighth chairman of the MIT Corporation, died peacefully on Tuesday, July 8, surrounded by family. He was 80.
Missing ’95 Alumna Arrested in Afghanistan
Aafia Siddiqui ’95, missing since 2003, was arrested in Afghanistan and was arraigned Tuesday morning in Federal District Court in New York City. She is accused of picking up an assault rifle and shooting at U.S. personnel when she was in Afghan police custody.
AYCTE Pilot for Simmons Dining Canceled Amid Controversy Over Implementation
Simmons residents were officially informed on Thursday that their dorm would return to an a la carte dining system in the fall, reversing a July 24 announcement that a new trial of the “all you care to eat” buffet system would be tested instead.
Colleges Grow More Earth-Conscious to Lure New Students
Harvard pledged this month to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2016. The University of New Hampshire became the first school in the nation this year to use landfill methane gas as its prime energy source. And the College of the Atlantic in Maine plans to open green dormitories with composting toilets in August.
In Short
CORRECTION TO THIS ARTICLE: The Aug. 8, 2008 In Short section incorrectly named the position that Karl W. Reid ’84, director of the MIT Office of Minority Education, will hold when he leaves MIT and joins the United Negro College Fund of Fairfax. He will hold the position of senior vice president of academic programs and strategic initiatives, not a liaison position.
Charles Yardley Chittick ’22
Charles Yardley Chittick ’22, who was honored this past June as the oldest MIT alumnus, died on Friday, July 18. He was 107.
Police Log
<i>The following incidents were reported to the MIT Police between July 1, 2008 and Aug. 4, 2008. This summary does not include incidents such as false alarms, general service calls, or medical shuttles.</i>
Anna Tang’s Motion For More Freedoms Denied Wednesday
A motion to grant Anna L. Tang greater freedoms was denied in a hearing on Wednesday at Middlesex Superior Court. Tang, a former Wellesley College student, is accused of stabbing Wolfe B. Styke ’10 seven times in his Next House residence on Oct. 23, 2007.
News Briefs
Summer residents of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity were relocated after an internal water pipe burst and caused minor water damage to the interior structure of the building.
Robert C. Seamans Jr. ScD ’51
Robert C. Seamans Jr. ScD ’51, an MIT alumnus who was a leading NASA administrator during the Apollo program, the ninth secretary of the U.S. Air Force and the dean of MIT’s School of Engineering from 1978–81, died on June 28. He was 89.
News Briefs
Eight buildings were without MIT Cable service from June 23–26. The outage was likely created by power surges related to electrical work that was being done in Next House (W71), according to the Information Services and Technology Web site 3DOWN.
Big Paycheck or Service? Students Are Put to the Test
A prominent education professor at Harvard has begun leading “reflection” seminars at three highly selective colleges, which he hopes will push undergraduates to think more deeply about the connection between their educations and aspirations.
Surge in Overseas Applicants Driven by Weak Dollar
The faltering U.S. dollar, which has steadily lost value against major currencies around the world, has produced a silver lining for foreign students and the American universities that recruit them.
Lawyer: Student in NW16 Basement Was ‘Hacking’
More than four weeks after Michael P. Short G was arrested after being found in an off-limits location in NW16, felony charges are still pending against him. Despite silence from officials at MIT, Short’s lawyer seems optimistic that the charges will eventually be dropped as in previous hacking-related cases.
MIT Grad Jobless, Selling Himself the Old-Fashioned Way
Joshua S. Persky ’81, an out-of-work investment banker, has been hunting for a job on Wall Street for more than six months. Recently he got so frustrated he decided to get a little creative.
Barbara Liskov Named Institute Professor
Associate Provost for Faculty Equity Barbara H. Liskov became an Institute Professor, achieving the highest faculty rank at MIT, on July 1.
In Short
EZRide Shuttle will increase its service and implement new stop locations in University Park beginning Monday, July 14. Service on Sidney St. will be relocated to Landsdowne St. to provide better commute service for MIT graduate students, according to the Graduate Student Council. See http://www.charlesrivertma.org/program_ezride_advisories.htm.
A Close Call: Student Groups Escape $27K Network, Phone Bill
Student groups were billed $27,000 in unexpected charges for phones and network in June, covering the fiscal year from July 2007 to June 2008. The MIT administration has agreed to cover the charges this year, but plans for who would pay similar charges next year remain uncertain.