Events Calendar

Computers can get lost or stolen. Data can become corrupted. Hardware can fail. Setting up a solid backup system is key to avoiding data loss and restoring your data when catastrophe strikes. This session will cover what a good backup system looks like and what resources are available at MIT to help you confidently back up your stuff.

Professor Rochelle Terman from the University of Chicago at will speak at the MIT Security Studies Program's Wednesday Seminar.Summary: Public perceptions and representations of global affairs are central to International Relations (IR) scholarship, yet existing methodologies—such as surveys and media analysis—face temporal and coverage constraints. In this paper, we introduce a new, comprehensive dataset of country representations in millions of English-language books over 120 years. Harnessing the massive Google Books Ngram Corpus and cutting-edge text-as-data methods, we track the distribution of attention and meaning attached to 256 countries in both American and British print culture from 1900 to 2019. We measure both the frequency of country mentions and the semantic associations attached to them using dynamic word embeddings. Our analysis reveals enduring and evolving discursive frames—such as China’s association with growth/decline and Russia’s with grand strategy—demonstrating the persistence of country images in American public discourses. We validate our measures against established benchmarks and highlight their utility for studying international reputation, status, and public discourse. By expanding the temporal and substantive scope of text-based IR research, this study provides a valuable resource for examining long-term trends in public perceptions of global affairs and international relations.Dr. Austin Long will offer some reflections on the development of US nuclear policy, drawing on his experience as the Joint Staff deputy director, Strategic Stability Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate within the Department of Defense's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Do you have a long-term home for your research data? Somewhere it can be persistently accessed so that other researchers can replicate your research or to comply with journal or funder requirements? There are many options out there, but we're here to help you narrow it down. This short workshop runs through MIT Libraries' recommendations for data repositories, as well as some of the main characteristics to consider as you decide where your data should be made available.

Consciousness & Reality (C&R) 2025-26 Series: Inaugural ColloquiumIDENTITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS IN LARGE LANGUAGE MODELSWednesday, Oct 29th, 10 a.m. Pacific Time Online-only event. Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/99505485799?pwd=fYOUh2gCTEuDgP8JlEq3ey2dvTr9Ip.1DAVID CHALMERSUniversity Professor of Philosophy and Neural Science, New York University Co-director of the NYU Center for Mind, Brain, and ConsciousnessCan large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini be conscious? Can they be persons? What exactly are we talking to when we talk to a language model? I will briefly address the issue of LLM consciousness, and will address the issue of LLM identity in more depth. I will argue that the LLMs we interact with are at least quasi-agents with quasi-beliefs and quasi-desires, in a sense I will explain. They may fall short of being conscious beings with full-scale concepts and rationality, but even quasi-agency is enough to raise many crucial issues. I will also argue that the LLM quasi-agents that we interact with are best understood not as abstract models or even as hardware instances but as thread-bound quasi-agents, bound to conversation-based memory threads. I will draw some parallels with the TV show Severance.INTRODUCTION BY CHRISTOF KOCHNeuroscientist and Meritorious Investigator, Allen Institute Chief Scientist, Tiny Blue Dot Foundation----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THE EVENT This lecture will be accessible to an interdisciplinary audience. Members from all divisions of the participating institutes and universities (Caltech, MIT, Cambridge, Oxford, Stanford, UA, UCB and IMICS) are welcome to join. Select questions from the Q&A window will be answered after the lecture.ABOUT THE SERIES The Consciousness & Reality colloquium series promotes interdisciplinary investigations on mind, cognition, consciousness, and the nature of reality. Recordings of previous C&R colloquia can be made available by requesting access at this email address: vvf-exec@mit.edu

Ten minutes for your mind@2:50 every day at 2:50 pm in multiple time zones:Europa@2:50, EET, Athens, Helsinki (UTC+2) (7:50 am EST) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88298032734Atlantica@2:50, EST, New York, Toronto (UTC-4) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85349851047Pacifica@2:50, PST, Los Angeles, Vancouver (UTC=7) (5:50 pm EST) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85743543699Almost everything works better again if you unplug it for a bit, including your mind. Stop by and unplug. Get the benefits of mindfulness without the fuss.@2:50 meets at the same time every single day for ten minutes of quiet together.No pre-requisite, no registration needed.Visit the website to view all @2:50 time zones each day.at250.org or at250.mit.edu

PPSM Seminar

Abstract. The incorporation of main group elements into molecular and polymeric materials is frequently exploited to achieve unusual properties and to enable new functions. For instance, tricoordinate boron’s participation in pi-delocalization can have a dramatic effect on the optical properties by selectively lowering the LUMO orbital levels. The electron-deficient character of boron also enables dynamic Lewis acid-base interactions, which trigger strong perturbations of the electronic structure and enable assembly of novel supramolecular materials. Our group has developed versatile approaches for incorporating borane Lewis acids and Lewis pairs into conjugated molecular, macrocyclic and polymeric materials with a view at potential applications in organic electronics, sensing, (photo)catalysis, bioimaging, and therapeutics. In this talk, I will discuss some of our recent discoveries, highlighting the effect of B-N Lewis pair functionalization on the material properties and the impact in diverse application fields.

Speaker: Torsten Wedhorn (TU Darmstadt)Title: Moduli of truncated thingsAbstract: G-shtukas (classical and p-adic) for a reductive group G and their moduli spaces play an important role in the Langlands program (equi-characteristic and p-adic). Similarly, moduli spaces of G-displays can be viewed as period spaces for Shimura varieties in mixed characteristic. In this talk I will explain a general formalism how to construct moduli spaces of G-bundles on certain algebraic stacks. I will apply this formalism to construct and study moduli spaces of (truncated) G-shtukas, (truncated) G-displays, and (truncated) prismatic Breuil-Kisin-Fargues modules, focussing on the case of local G-shtukas

Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025 Location: 46-3002 (Singleton Auditorium)Speaker: Aakanksha Singhvi, Ph.D. Affiliation: Associate Professor, Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutch Cancer Research CenterHost: Dr. Steve FlavellTalk title: Glial molecular heterogeneity and roles in neural function, aging, and Parkinson’s diseaseAbstract: Molecular interactions between the two major cell types of the nervous system, glia and neurons, underlie neural development and functions. Compared to neurons, however, molecular understanding of glial functions remains sparse. Beyond fundamental insight into how the nervous system works, this critical knowledge gap is also disease-relevant, given that glial dysfunction is seen in many neurological disorders.My lab investigates glia biology in vivo at single-cell resolution using C. elegans as a powerful molecular-genetic platform that we helped establish. We previously identified glial factors that modulate neuron properties, uncovered that tricellular epithelia-glia-neuron mechanobiology coupling impacts neural aging, and built the complete molecular atlas of C. elegans glia – which revealed extensive molecular heterogeneity and sex-dimorphism across nervous system glia.We had also previously discovered that glial engulfment/pruning is a conserved function in C. elegans and found that glia dynamically modulate engulfment based on neuron activity. Engulfment of neuron-fragments is a critical and disease-linked, but molecularly less-defined, glial function. We now report our finding that multiple genes linked to Parkinson’s disease (PD), the fastest growing neurodegenerative disorder, act in glia to regulate glial engulfment downstream of neuron activity. Further, mechanistically these genes act differently in glia compared to their reported neuronal roles, via a pathway conserved in humans. Thus, our findings link glial engulfment to PD; and highlight the importance of evaluating disease-gene functions by (glial) cell-context for complete assessment of their roles in disease etiology.

Becoming Ungovernable: Hill Peoples, Decentralized Resistance and Buddhist Nationalism in Southeast Asiapresented by : Dr David Thang Moe, Research Affiliate, MIT Center for International StudiesWhy does the central state, shaped by Buddhist nationalism, become an enemy of ethnic and religious minorities in Hill Southeast Asia—a region referred to as Zomia by James Scott and others? In what ways do decentralized resistance movements across Southeast Asia’s villages and valleys—particularly in Myanmar and its diasporic communities—challenge the military power of the central state? How might ungovernable communities in these hill areas reimagine a new nation that moves beyond Buddhist state nationalism and military dictatorship? Drawing on his firsthand experiences and his forthcoming monograph, Beyond Buddhist Nationalism (Oxford University Press), David Moe will explore the politics of civil war, Buddhist nationalism, ethnic conflict, everyday forms of decentralized resistance, diasporic mobilization, efforts toward ethnic reconciliation, and a new vision for a democratic and inclusive future of nationhood.

Student authors will read from their work collected in this year's edition of Angles. There will be light refreshments.Co-hosted by Comparative Media Studies/Writing and MIT Libraries.

Join us for a fireside conversation hosted by Daniela RusBio: Eric Horvitz, MD, PhD, is Chief Scientific Officer at Microsoft where he leads initiatives at the intersection of science, technology, and society, with emphases on artificial intelligence, biosciences, and healthcare. His research contributions have advanced AI through innovations in perception, reasoning, and decision-making under uncertainty.Dr. Horvitz is known for his contributions to AI theory and practice, with a focus on principles and applications of AI amidst the complexities of the open world. His direction-setting research efforts include harnessing probability and utility in machine learning and reasoning, developing models of bounded rationality, constructing systems that perceive and act via interpreting multisensory streams of information, and pioneering principles and mechanisms for supporting human-AI collaboration and complementarity. His efforts and collaborations have led to fielded systems in healthcare, transportation, ecommerce, operating systems, and aerospace.Beyond his scientific work, he has pursued programs, organizations, and studies on ethics, values, and safety with applications and influences of AI. He founded and chairs Microsoft’s Aether committee on AI, effects, and ethics in engineering and research. He established the One Hundred Year Study on AI at Stanford University and co-founded and served as board chair of the Partnership on AI (PAI). He served as a Congressionally appointed commissioner on the National Security Commission on AI, where he chaired the line of effort on ethical and trustworthy AI.Dr. Horvitz received the Feigenbaum Prize and the Allen Newell Prize for his fundamental contributions to the science and practice of AI. He received the CHI Academy honor for his work at the intersection of AI and human-computer interaction. He has been elected fellow of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), the Association of Computing Machinery(ACM), Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American College of Medical Informatics, and the American Philosophical Society.Dr. Horvitz currently serves on the advisory boards of the Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) and Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI). He served as a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), president of the AAAI, as a member of the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB) and Computing Community Consortium (CCC), and on advisory committees for the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).He received Ph.D. and M.D. degrees at Stanford University. Before moving into the role of Chief Scientific Officer, he served as director of Microsoft Research overseeing research labs in Redmond, Washington; Cambridge, Massachusetts; New York City, New York; Montreal, Canada; Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Bangalore, India. More information can be found on his home page. A selected list of publications can be found here.

On Wednesday nights you are invited to come to The Table for peaceful Christian worship in the Chapel at 5:15 pm and dinner in the Main Dining Room of W11 at around 6:30 pm.We worship with beautiful songs, open conversation about the Scriptures, prayers and a simple sharing of communion around the altar. Then we enjoy dinner together and good company together. Whether you come every week or just drop by once in a while, there is a caring community for you at the Table.You are truly welcome to come as you are: undergrad, grad, or post-doc; sure of your faith or wondering what it is all about; gay, straight, bi, trans, questioning. Please join us for no-pressure worship and fellowship.Hosted by the Lutheran Epsicopal Ministry @ MIT. For more information, or to verify gathering times during holiday and vacation periods, please contact chaplains Andrew Heisen (heisen@mit.edu) and Kevin Vetiac (kvet246@mit.edu).Please note that we will not meet during the week of Thanksgiving nor between Christmas and New Year's Day. Please see our website (le-ministry.mit.edu) for updates on meeting times and locations as well as additional details.

Time: 1:00 PMLocation: Cambridge, MA

Come join the MIT Women’s Chorale as we experience the joy of making music together! New singers from throughout the MIT community are welcome on Wednesdays evenings, beginning on September 10, from 7 to 9 pm in Building 4 as we practice for our December concert.The Chorale, a concert choir focused on music for treble voice, is led by our talented music director, Nhung Truong, who makes each rehearsal a pleasure.We ask that prospective singers contact us at mitwc@mit.edu to register with us and be placed on an e mail list to receive necessary information. Further details are available on our website.https://web.mit.edu/womensleague/womenschorale/

Time: 4:30 PMLocation: Cambridge, MA

The irony of artificial intelligence is that it often reveals more about human intelligence than machines themselves.From AI in the home to robots in the workplace, the presence of AI all around us compels us to question its potential and recognize the risks. What has become clear is that the more we advance AI technology and consider machine ability versus human ability, the more we need to mind the gap.Researchers at MIT have been at the forefront of this evolving field. The work presented in this exhibition builds on the pioneering contributions of figures such as Claude Shannon and Seymour Papert, while highlighting contemporary research that spans computer science, mechanical engineering, neuroscience, and the social sciences.As research probes the connections between human and machine intelligence, it also underscores the profound differences. With AI now embedded in everyday life — from smart assistants in our homes to robots in the workplace — we are challenged to ask critical questions about its potential, its risks, and the boundaries between machine ability and human capability.Join us in shining light on the tremendous promise, unforeseen impacts, and everyday misconceptions of AI in this riveting, interactive exhibition.Learn more about the exhibition.

Imagine different worlds in Cosmograph: Speculative Fictions for the New Space Age, an exhibition that brings art and science together to examine possible futures where outer space is both a frontier for human exploration and a new territory for exploitation and development by private enterprise.We are living at the dawn of a New Space Age. What will the future hold? Will space elevators bring humanity's space junk to turn it into useful material here on Earth? Will asteroid mining be the next frontier in prospecting? Will the promise of geo-engineering turn into a nightmare of unintended consequences?Explore these possibilities and more in our new exhibition that blurs the lines between fact and fantasy, and art and science.

MIT is not a place so much as it is a unique collection of exceptional people.What is essential at MIT is asking questions others may not ask, trying the unexpected in pursuit of a greater solution, and embracing distinctive skills and combinations of talents. Whether encompassing global issues, ventures into space, or efforts to improve our daily lives, stories told in this exhibit showcase the process of discovery that sits at the heart of MIT.Delve into the experimental culture and collaborative spirit of the MIT community in this dynamic and interactive exploration of groundbreaking projects and ongoing innovation."MIT’s greatest invention may be itself—an unusual concentration of unusual talent, forever reinventing itself on a mission to make a better world." — President L. Rafael ReifLocated in the Brit J. (1961) and Alex (1949) d'Arbeloff GallerySupported by the Biogen Foundation