Understanding the brain + MIT patents + tackling climate change

[view in browser]( MIT Weekly [MIT Logo] April 20, 2024 Greetings! Here’s a roundup of the latest from the MIT community.  Want a daily dose of MIT in your inbox? [Subscribe to the MIT Daily](. Understanding Brain Circuits #[Portrait headshot of Mark Harnett in a lab room lit only with red light]( Associate Professor [Mark Harnett]( studies the electrical properties of neurons and how they enable neural circuits to perform the computations underlying brain functions such as learning and memory. “My lab’s ultimate goal is to understand how the cortex works,” he says. [Full story via MIT News →]( Top Headlines Women in STEM — A celebration of excellence and curiosity An MIT Values event showcased three women’s career journeys and how they are paving the way for the next generation. [Full story via MIT News →]( [News thumbnail]( A crossroads for computing at MIT The MIT Schwarzman College of Computing building will form a new cluster of connectivity across a spectrum of disciplines in computing and artificial intelligence. [Full story via MIT News →]( [News thumbnail]( Erin Kara named Edgerton Award winner The award recognizes exceptional distinction in teaching, research, and service at MIT. [Full story via MIT News →]( [News thumbnail]( For more open and equitable public discussions on social media, try “meronymity” A communication system whose users reveal only a few verified aspects of their identity can empower less confident participants to speak up, researchers report. [Full story via MIT News →]( [News thumbnail]( MIT tops among single-campus universities in US patents granted For the 10th consecutive year, the Institute ranks No. 2 among all colleges and No. 1 among colleges with one main campus, underlying the impact of innovation and critical role of technology transfer. [Full story via MIT News →]( [News thumbnail]( #ThisisMIT #[Nine members of the women's openweight 2V8+ wearing the gold medals they won at the Knecht Cup. Text via @‌MITAthletics: Congrats to women's openweight crew for claiming the 2V8+ gold medal and the V8+ bronze medal at the Knecht Cup on Sunday! Full Story: ( [Follow @MITAthletics on X→]( In the Media Kornbluth cheers for MIT to tackle climate change // The Boston Globe Boston Globe reporter Jon Chesto spotlights how MIT President Sally Kornbluth is “determined to harness MIT’s considerable brainpower to tackle” climate change. [Full story via The Boston Globe →]( Want a mood boost? Get out there and try something new // The Washington Post Adjunct Professor Tali Sharot explores how to spark happiness and embrace novelty. “The neurons in our brains stop responding to things that don’t change,” says Sharot. [Full story via The Washington Post→]( What’s wrong with this picture? Deepfake detectives want you to take a closer look // The Boston Globe The “AI: Mind the Gap” exhibition at the MIT Museum explores the “social, cultural, and political implications of deepfakes and other forms of generative AI.” [Full story via The Boston Globe →]( Scientists discover extensive brain-wave patterns // Scientific American MIT scientists have uncovered evidence that the different layers of the brain’s cortex generate different brain waves. “The findings may have implications for understanding — and even treating — neuropsychiatric conditions.” [Full story via Scientific American→]( Watch This #[Jessica Banks holds mallet with gloved hands while facing wall with punctured holes]( Jessica Banks SM ‘01, ENG ’07 went from studying physics to robotics to running her own furniture company; today, she co-hosts “Hack My Home,” a home renovation reality show on Netflix. At MIT, Banks discovered the machine shop and learned how to build things, which set her on the path to start RockPaperRobot, a kinetic furniture company with pieces that can change shape or move. Banks’ innovative and functional designs led her to “Hack My Home,” which began airing last summer. “I hope people come away from this show with a new sense of flexibility of thinking,” she says. [Watch the video→]( [“] Dialogue is useful when the goal is not to win or lose, but to learn together. The word comes from the Greek dialogos, which suggests a free flow of meaning between people. … The goal of dialogue is collective learning by “thinking together.” In short, a dialogue culture is an inclusive culture. —Vice President for Equity and Inclusion Karl W. Reid on the power of dialogue [Full story via ICEO News→]( Digit 7350.023 Total miles logged by participants in this year’s March-a-Marathon, which is more mileage than round trips from the MIT campus to London, Paris, San Francisco, or Brussels [Learn more via getfit→]( This edition of the MIT Weekly was brought to you by [underwater battle bots](. 🤿 Have feedback to share? Email mitdailyeditor@mit.edu. Thanks for reading, and have a great week! —MIT News [Forward This Email]( [Subscribe]( [MIT Logo] This email was sent to {EMAIL} because of your affiliation with MIT, or because you signed up for our newsletters. [subscribe]( [update preferences]( [unsubscribe]( [view in browser]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Youtube]( [Instagram]( MIT News Office · 77 Massachusetts Avenue · Cambridge, MA 02139 · USA