On a recent Monday morning, Vivienne Sze, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, spoke with enthusiasm about network architecture design. Her students nodded slowly, as if on the verge of comprehension. When the material clicked, the nods grew in speed and confidence. “Everything crystal clear?” she asked with a brief […]
Putting Projects At The Forefront
Rose Wang loves to work on projects — especially ones that exceed the bounds of her declared majors, economics and computer science. She thrives on do-it-yourself design solutions. Her latest involves making an aerodynamic drone. “We’ll see how that goes,” she says. So when Wang spotted a campus poster about a new project-centric program, the New […]
Taking The Engine For A Test Drive
Innovators, investors, and entrepreneurs worldwide are waiting on news of the first companies chosen to be part of The Engine. Founded by MIT, The Engine is a combination of long-term investment, resources, and services for founders working on “tough tech” that prioritizes high-impact solutions to big problems over early profits. This summer a group of […]
Genuine Enthusiasm For AI
On an afternoon in early April, Tommi Jaakkola is pacing at the front of the vast auditorium that is 26-100. The chalkboards behind him are covered with equations. Jaakkola looks relaxed in a short-sleeved black shirt and jeans, and gestures to the board. “What is the answer here?” he asks the 500 MIT students before […]
Solid-State Learning
When Jeffrey Grossman teaches solid-state chemistry, he keeps it moving. His shoes click across the front of the lecture hall floor with the cadence and energy of a tap dance. He spins toward the chalkboard and rapidly jots down equations. He pauses to hold up a large 3-D model of the atoms in a crystal […]