July 1, 2023
Greetings! Here’s a roundup of the latest from the MIT community.
 
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Equity, Computing, and Education
Sadler smiles while holding lots of Legos. Her shirt says, “protect black youth.” The background is a sign that says “Lifelong Kindergarten.”
   
MIT graduate student Cecilé Sadler brings STEM and coding activities to the local community organization blackyard, and investigates what makes a positive learning environment for the students. Her work is “deeply rooted in the belief that you can plant seeds in people.”
Full story via MIT News →
Top Headlines
Researchers uncover a new CRISPR-like system in animals that can edit the human genome
The first RNA-guided DNA-cutting enzyme found in eukaryotes, Fanzor could one day be harnessed to edit DNA more precisely than CRISPR/Cas systems.
Full story via MIT News →
 MIT Heat Island
Surprise! Weaker bonds can make polymers stronger
By adding weak linkers to a polymer network, chemists dramatically enhanced the material’s resistance to tearing.
Full story via MIT News →
 MIT Heat Island
Mario Draghi PhD ’77 says war and inflation “didn’t come out of nowhere”
In a recent visit to MIT, the former prime minister of Italy and former president of the European Central Bank detailed three forces dampening global economic growth.
Full story via MIT Sloan→
 MIT Heat Island
Day of AI curriculum meets the moment
Global participation in MIT RAISE’s free K-12 program more than doubles in its second year.
Full story via MIT News →
 MIT Heat Island
QS ranks MIT the world’s No. 1 university for 2023-24
Ranking at the top for the 12th year in a row, the Institute also places first in 11 subject areas.
Full story via MIT News →
 MIT Heat Island
#ThisisMIT
Four MIT Medical employees stand side by side and pose for a portrait on sunny day. Text via @‌mit.health: MIT Medical employees enjoying our annual “Fun-in-the-Sun” food truck bonanza! Opera, dancing, delicious cuisine and more!
Follow @mit.health on Instagram→
In the Media
MIT Chancellor: What are the challenges facing higher education? // Al Jazeera
Chancellor Melissa Nobles discusses challenges facing higher education, touching on the importance of diversity, inclusion, and affordability in higher learning, as well as her research on race and politics.
Full story via Al Jazeera→
Opinion: EPA must prioritize life-cycle emissions in building materials policy // The Hill
Randolph Kirchain and Hessam AzariJafari of the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub emphasize the importance of encouraging development of building materials with low lifetime carbon impact.
Full story via The Hill→
Weaker polymer bonds produce stronger materials, researchers claim // Plastics Today
Researchers from MIT and Duke University have discovered that introducing weaker bonds into a material can produce stronger polymers.
Full story via Plastics Today→
John B. Goodenough, 100, dies; Nobel-winning creator of the lithium-ion battery // The New York Times
John Goodenough, who worked at MIT Lincoln Laboratory for over 20 years and played a “crucial role in developing the revolutionary lithium-ion battery,” has died at age 100.
Full story via The New York Times→
Watch This
Screenshot of Sally Kornbluth recording a video of herself in a living room with a fireplace in the background
In a new video, MIT President Sally Kornbluth shares her reaction to Thursday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on affirmative action at colleges and universities across the nation. “MIT has never been more excellent, and it has never been more diverse. And I see these factors as inextricably intertwined,” she says. “As we go into this long holiday weekend, please know that I’m working closely with faculty and administrative leaders to understand the decision fully. And we will dedicate ourselves to maintaining the diverse and inclusive environment that we’ve all worked so hard to build.”

You can also read President Kornbluth’s earlier letter to the community affirming MIT’s commitment to maintaining a richly diverse community, as well as a blog post by Dean of Admissions and Student Financial Services Stu Schmill on how a diverse student body advances education.

Watch the video→
“
I want to show why materials are so cool. I’ve seen it time and time again on the microscope. I see students see at the nanoscale for the first time. Their eyes light up, and their jaws drop — they are seeing things that, in reality, very few people in the world see live.
—Associate Professor James LeBeau on the impetus for a new “Breakerspace,” coming soon to the Infinite Corridor
Full story via the Department of Materials Science and Engineering →
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