Researchers at MIT have developed “3D-printed glass blocks shaped like a figure eight that snap together like LEGOs,” reports Brian Heater for TechCrunch. “The team points to glass’ optical properties and its ‘infinite recyclability’ as reasons for turning to the material,” writes Heater.
IEEE Spectrum reporter Willie D. Jones spotlights Prof. Wesley Harris, who has “not only advanced the field of aerospace engineering but has also paved the way for future generations to soar.” Jones notes Harris’ commitment to “fostering the next generation of engineers, particularly students of color.” Harris explains: “I’ve always wanted to be like my high school teacher—a physicist who not only had deep knowledge of the scientific fundamentals but also compassion and love for Black folks.”
MIT researchers have developed a new filtration material, created from natural substances, that could be used to remove “forever chemicals” like PFAS and heavy metals from drinking water, reports Matt Fortin for NBC Boston. "That's a huge advantage of our system, which is that we are using fully renewable, biodegradable and compatible material to resolve this long-lasting problem," explains postdoc Yilin Zhang.
Writing for Nature, Prof. Ritu Raman explores how she drew upon her childhood experiences attending different schools across three continents to inform her teaching practices. “Although my pedagogy is still very much a work in progress, my current philosophy involves three main factors: pipettes (knowing when to put on some gloves and teach hands-on); practice (learning when to step aside and enable independent exploration); and patience (centering optimism in my view of students and science),” writes Raman. “With pipettes, practice and patience, I hope to embrace and enjoy the nonlinear nature of teaching and learning.”
WBUR’s Erin Trahan highlights how the MIT Museum will be presenting selections from the Woods Hole Film Festival with “monthly titles that broadly encompass ‘science on screen.’” Trahan notes that on “Oct. 26, the MIT Glass Lab co-presents a documentary about a master Italian glass blower, ‘Sono Lino.’ Erik Demaine, MIT professor of computer science, and Peter Houk, MIT instructor and artistic director of the Glass Lab, will introduce the film.”
Graduate student Zoe Fisher speaks with Yusuf Khan of The Wall Street Journal’s about what inspired her to pursue a career in nuclear engineering, noting that being able to fight climate change firsthand is one of the key reasons she wanted to make a career in nuclear.. “It’s a cool thing to study that is going to have a lot of broader impacts,” Fisher says.
In an article for Forbes, Robert Clark spotlights how MIT researchers developed a new model to predict irrational behaviors in humans and AI agents in suboptimal conditions. “The goal of the study was to better understand human behavior to improve collaboration with AI,” Clark writes.
Boston Globe columnist Scott Kirsner spotlights Prof. Mitchel Resnick, Prof. Neil Gershenfeld, and the late Prof. Emeritus Woodie Flowers and their work developing programs that “get kids excited about, and more proficient in, STEM.” Kirsner underscores: “Each of the initiatives brings some of the hands-on problem solving, messiness, and collaborative prototyping elements of MIT’s culture into the wider world. And they’ve all had a big impact on the way kids learn about technology.”
MIT researchers have developed a new filtration material capable of removing PFAS and heavy metals from water while possessing “antimicrobial properties that prevent the filters from becoming fouled over time,” reports Sujita Sinha for Interesting Engineering. “By combining silk and cellulose and using a method that aligns the silk molecules into nanofibrils, [the researchers] created a hybrid material with unique properties perfect for water filtration,” explains Sinha.
Prof. Asegun Henry has been named a 2024 Grist honoree for his work developing a “sun in a box,” a new cost-effective system for storing renewable energy, reports Grist. Based on his research, Prof. Henry has founded Fourth Power, a startup working to build a prototype system that will hopefully “allow us to decarbonize electricity,” says Henry.
Prof. Michael Strano joins “Somewhere on Earth” podcast host Gareth Mitchell to discuss how he and his colleagues developed tiny batteries that could be used to power cell-sized robots. Roughly the thickness of a human hair, the new battery can create a current by capturing oxygen. “I would say we're making the LEGOs, the building blocks that go into robots,” Strano says. “We’re building the parts and it's an exciting time for the field.”
During an interview with Lisa Mullins of WBUR’s Here & Now, graduate student Emelie Eldracher '22 shares the excitement she felt after winning the 2024 Paralympics silver medal win in the mixed-four crew and delves into her research at MIT focused on developing a low-cost system to gather biomechanical feedback for athletes and help improve their performance. “I really hope to contribute to the sphere and hopefully we can use AI in a way that influences athletes to help them get that one-hundredth of a second, as our coach likes to say,” Eldracher explains. “Because if you add up all the one-hundredths of a second in a race, that could be the difference between a medal or not.”
New Yorker reporter Dhruv Khullar spotlights how researchers from across MIT are using AI to advance drug development. Khullar highlights the MIT Jameel Clinic, the Broad Institute and various faculty members for their efforts in bridging the gap between AI and drug research. “With AI, we’re getting that much more efficient at finding molecules—and in some cases creating them,” says Prof. James Collins. “The cost of the search is going down. Now we really don’t have an excuse.”
Graduate student Emelie Eldracher '22 has won a silver medal in the Mixed PR3 Coxed Four A Final at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, reports Brendan Kurie for The Boston Globe. “It was the third consecutive silver medal for the United States in the event, but this year’s boat was filled with first-time medalists,” explains Kurie.
TechCrunch reporter Kyle Wiggers spotlights Codeium, a generative AI coding company founded by MIT alums Varun Mohan SM '17 and Douglas Chen '17. Codeium’s platform is run by generative AI models trained on public code, providing suggestions in the context of an app’s entire codebase. “Many of the AI-driven solutions provide generic code snippets that require significant manual work to integrate and secure within existing codebases,” Mohan explains. “That’s where our AI coding assistance comes in.”