New wind tunnel + air pollution guidelines + math life

MIT Weekly June 11, 2022 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](. 21st Century Wind Tunnel # MIT’s new [Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel]( replaces a campus landmark that dated to 1938 — and is now the most advanced wind tunnel in U.S. academia. “Our goal was to bring our vintage tunnel into the 21st century and beyond, and we did that,” says Professor Mark Drela. [Full story via MIT News]( | [Watch the video]( Top Headlines Engineers develop nanoparticles that cross the blood-brain barrier Tested using a new brain tissue model, the particles may be able to deliver chemotherapy drugs for glioblastoma. [Full story via MIT News →]( [MIT Heat Island]( Study finds natural sources of air pollution exceed air quality guidelines in many regions MIT research highlights the opportunity to rethink global air quality guidelines. [Full story via MIT News →]( [MIT Heat Island]( MIT PRIMES = A Plus for Youth Math program mentoring helps high schoolers advance in research. [Full story via MIT News →]( [MIT Heat Island]( MIT Corporation elects nine term members, three life members Term members will serve five years on MIT’s board of trustees. [Full story via MIT News →]( [MIT Heat Island]( QS ranks MIT the world’s No. 1 university for 2022-23 Earning the top spot for the 11th straight year, the Institute also places first in 12 subject areas. [Full story via MIT News →]( [MIT Heat Island]( #ThisisMIT # [Tweet via @danielleboyerr→]( In the Media Science must overcome its racist legacy // Nature In an editorial for Nature, Chancellor Melissa Nobles, Chad Womack of the UNCF, Professor Ambroise Wonkam of Johns Hopkins University, and Elizabeth Wathuti of the Green Generation Initiative detail the long history of racism in science and outline their work as guest editors of a series of special Nature issues focused on racism in science. [Full story via Nature→]( Stratton Student Center to undergo renovations // The Tech Next spring, the Stratton Student Center is set to undergo significant renovations, which will include “refreshing the physical space inside and outside the building, launching the Wellbeing Lab, updating dining options, and upgrading the existing infrastructure.” Chancellor Melissa Nobles explains, “This project is all about putting MIT’s students at the center of our student center.” [Full story via The Tech→]( MIT is creating a digital twin of the Earth to help model climate change // Radio Boston Associate Provost Richard Lester and Professor Noelle Selin discuss MIT’s Climate Grand Challenges. “To me, the Climate Grand Challenges effort really represents that we’re kind of at a frameshift when thinking about the climate problem,” says Selin. “A climate challenge is a whole of society challenge, and therefore it really has to be a whole of MIT challenge.” Lester hopes the CGC will “inspire a new generation of students to roll up their sleeves, put their shoulders to the wheel, and help us solve this problem.” [Full story via Radio Boston→]( MIT researchers develop gel to make pills easier to swallow // CBS Boston Researchers from MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital developed a new drug-delivery gel that could make medicines easier to swallow. “The gel is made out of plant-based oils and doesn’t have to be refrigerated. The hope is that it can one day be used to help children and adults who have trouble swallowing pills.” [Full story via CBS Boston→]( MIT Pride # The month of June features a special assortment of gatherings hosted by [MIT LBGTQ+ Services]( which works year-round to enhance the experiences of the Institute’s LBGTQ+ community. Pride-related events this month include the Boston Dyke March Parade, an MIT Pride Tea Dance, a Pride-themed student social, and more. [Learn more via MIT LGBTQ+ Services→]( Listen # A recent episode of the [BioGenesis]( podcast from the Department of Biology and the Whitehead Institute features graduate student Jade Varineau, who investigates what goes wrong when errors in genetic code confuse the cells that form facial structures. She’s analyzing cells in a dish to glean a fundamental understanding of how mutations can disrupt development — with an eye toward informing future treatments for craniofacial disorders. [Li]( to the episode]( Reshaping MIT # MIT’s campus has undergone a major reinvention since 2011. Historic buildings were ushered into the modern age. New residence halls opened, and libraries were revamped. A new facility was dedicated to groundbreaking work in nanotechnology. A portal between academia and industry — and a new gateway to MIT — was established in Kendall Square, while homes for music, design, computing, and Earth and environmental sciences took shape. The current issue of [MIT Spectrum]( highlights the spaces for learning, living, discovering, and making that were created and renewed in that time. [Full story via MIT Spectrum→]( This edition of the MIT Weekly was brought to you by [the hunt for the Holy Cannoli](. 🇮🇹 Have feedback to share? Email mitdailyeditor@mit.edu. Thanks for reading, and have a great week! —MIT News Office [Forward This Email]( [Subscribe]( [MIT Logo] Massachusetts Institute of Technology 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