As we strive to meet these challenges, we seek allies who share our sense of mission, urgency, and infinite possibility. We invite you to join us in creating the future.” — MIT President L. Rafael Reif
Discovery Science
Basic science research at MIT has led to the discovery of the first human cancer gene, the first experimental confirmation of the existence of the quark, and the first chemical synthesis of penicillin. Yet often, with basic research, it is only when the discoveries are in hand that we begin to recognize their world-changing applications. The challenges posed by the 21st century are formidable and intriguing—and MIT is uniquely capable of translating scientific breakthroughs into practical solutions.
Health of the Planet
Global challenges around issues of environment and sustainability demand society’s immediate attention. MIT is aligning its capabilities to lead and mobilize the effort to understand and address these challenges. Our cross-disciplinary initiatives and research activities around energy, the environment, and water and food start at home, with the development of a more sustainable campus, and extend to all corners of the world. Our talented faculty and students forge solutions with sweeping positive consequence and MIT is poised to lead in ensuring a healthy future for our planet and for humankind.
Human Health
Advances in science and engineering have vaulted us into an exciting age of health care. Yet infectious diseases, age-related disorders, and rising health care costs are among the major challenges facing humanity. At MIT, we are deeply committed to improving all elements and aspects of human health. We’re convinced that the advances humanity needs most will emerge from the kind of creative, unconventional collaborations that are this Institute’s hallmark. MIT has the unique capabilities, partnerships with hospitals and industry, and critical mass necessary to make bold strides in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and to develop ideas rapidly from bench to bedside.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
At MIT, innovation embodies the integration of theory and practice, art and science, thinking and making—the rich intersection of “mind and hand” in our motto. In fields as varied as genomics, economics, and robotics, MIT has consistently reframed problems as opportunities and transformed opportunities into impact. While the global innovation economy that shaped our history is changing, we remain committed to creating solutions faster and more effectively at every scale, and our students remain committed to making a difference in the world. At MIT, we have the power to engineer ambitious new innovation ecosystems in Massachusetts and around the world that are suited to our times and our students.
Teaching, Learning, and Living
At MIT, education is at a moment of reinvention. We are exploring new avenues in the science of learning—and reaching for a greater understanding of how people learn at all levels, from pre-K–12 to lifelong students. In our classrooms, residences, and maker spaces, we are reinvigorating our traditional practices of making and doing while accelerating pedagogical innovation through digital tools and experiential education. With programs and facilities that support our students in all aspects of their lives, we are enriching and expanding our campus living and learning experience. And through digital learning efforts like MITx and OpenCourseWare, we are continuing to provide quality educational opportunities to all those with the drive and talent to seize them.
The MIT Core
MIT has long been a powerful magnet for brilliant minds from across the globe. But attracting top talent requires more than the promise of an exceptional community. Students need to know they will have the resources to focus on their passions, and faculty need to know they will have support for their game-changing ideas. Undergraduate financial aid, graduate fellowships, reinvigorated residential spaces, and faculty professorships are crucial to ensuring MIT can continue to draw and nurture outstanding people. And the entire MIT community requires the education, research, and innovation facilities that will allow it to collaborate, flourish, and realize its exceptional potential.