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Designing the Future / Winter 2017

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From the President

President's Letter: Inventing Excellent Answers

To outsiders, MIT can appear to be a place where people are good at “getting the right answers.” But I believe a more revealing distinction is that the people of

Designing the Future

New Intersections for Design, Science, and Publishing

In early 2016, the MIT Media Lab and the MIT Press launched the online, open-access Journal of Design and Science (JoDS). Media Lab Director Joi Ito points to JoDS as

Designing the Future

Neri Oxman's Krebs Cycle of Creativity

The Krebs Cycle of Creativity, by designer, architect, and MIT Media Lab faculty member Neri Oxman PhD ’10, was featured in the Journal of Design and Science (JoDS) in January

About the Cover: Designing the Future

The cover of Spectrum’s Winter 2017 issue zooms in on bio-inspired design. After visiting a Taiwanese wetsuit manufacturer, mechanical engineering and mathematics faculty member Anette (Peko) Hosoi returned to campus

Flight School

A roster of experts steers students through the inner workings of the airline industry

Designing Robotic First Responders

The bounding, four-legged machine known as MIT Cheetah II does wear a few spots in homage to its wild muse. But Sangbae Kim, associate professor of mechanical engineering, isn’t aiming

The Prototype Moment

Maria Yang zeroes in on early stage product design

Models of Identity

Fox Harrell extracts the hidden values in technical systems

Building for the Big If

Lindley Winslow aims to detect dark matter with a remarkable magnet

Wide-Open Spaces

Want creative thinkers? Help kids create, says Mitch Resnick

Plural Urbanism

An excerpt from Brent Ryan’s new book on urban design

Designing with (Not Just for) Communities

MIT D-Lab supports practical solutions to local problems

Fully Invested

Andrew Lo harnesses the tools and technologies of finance for the common good

An Incubator for Ambitious Innovation

The Engine will accelerate “tough tech” solutions

Surfacing Solutions

Bilge Yildiz is in search of materials for a sustainable energy future

Hot Shots

MIT postdocs deliver a disruptive rapid vaccine development platform

Year Two: MIT’s Climate Action Plan

Report outlines MIT’s progress, next steps in the fight against climate change

A Bright New Beginning for the Samuel Tak Lee Building

A rejuvenated home for MIT’s urban development and real estate programs

Formative Research

David ’77 and Lucia Bacon support undergraduate scientists

Attracting and Supporting the Best

The Daniel and Gail Rubinfeld Fellowship in the Department of Economics

Students Piece Together the Impact of Annual Giving

Community of committed donors strengthens the core of MIT