Speaker: Xinyu Fang (Harvard)Title: Outline of the argument for Mordell's conjectureAbstract:I will present an outline of the argument for the proof of Mordell's conjecture, following Section 5 of Lawrence-Venkatesh. Specifically, I will explain how to reduce Mordell's conjecture to two key inputs: the existence of a good abelian-by-finite family (the Kodaira-Parshin family) and the finiteness of rational points whose fiber along the finite map has large Galois orbits (proven using p-adic Hodge theory).Reference:$\bullet$ Lawrence and Venkatesh, Diophantine problems and $p$-adic period mappings, Section 5.

Dinner and Learn with Marcie Black.Marcie Black earned three degrees from MIT: a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (6-1), a Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (6-P), and a PhD in Electrical Engineering (EECS-Doctoral) under Institute Professor Mildred Dresselhaus. At MIT, she was involved in Microsystems Technology Laboratories, Phonathon Volunteer, and Varsity Women's Gymnastics (1991-1992). She was also a Baker House, East Campus, and Sigma Kappa member.Marcie is currently CEO and co-founder of Advanced Silicon Group, where she combines her expertise in team building, project management, IP strategy, and company culture with her technical background in electronic materials, optics, semiconductors, solar cells, batteries, and nanotechnology. Her impressive career includes founding Bandgap Engineering, focusing on black silicon solar cells, and working as a technical staff member at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Earlier in her career, she worked as a device engineer at Motorola. Her achievements include an R&D 100 award in 2009 and recognition as one of Mass High Tech's "Women-to-Watch in 2010". She has authored over 30 papers and holds more than 15 patents.

Join evolutionary biologist Menno Schilthuizen to explore a new dawn of natural history, practiced by community scientists in their own urban jungle.Imagine taking your smartphone-turned-microscope to an empty lot and discovering a rare mason bee that builds its nest in empty snail shells. Or a miniature spider that hunts ants and carries their corpses around. With a team of citizen scientists, that's exactly what Menno Schilthuizen did — one instance in the evolutionary biologist's campaign to take natural science to the urban landscape where most of us live today. In this delightful book, The Urban Naturalist, Schilthuizen invites us to join him, to embark on a new age of discovery, venturing out as intrepid explorers of our own urban habitat — and maybe in the process do the natural world some good.Copies of The Urban Naturalist will be available for purchase onsite from the MIT Press Bookstore.

VOLTA led by MIT Visiting Artist Janessa Clarkand choreographed in collaborationwith the performersA multimedia dance work that explores the relationship between the body, technology, and our impact on the natural world.performed by MIT studentsDAINA AUGUST '28ARROW B '26ARIEL McGEE '26MONICA PETULLA '26NINA PETULLA '26KYLIE WALSH '25MEGAN A ZHAN YAMOAH '20(G)PERFORMANCES:April 3, 4, and 5@ 8pm in W97 Black Box

A celebration of creativity and community at MITArtfinity is a new festival of the arts at MIT featuring 80 free performing and visual arts events, celebrating creativity and community at the Institute. Artfinity launches with the opening of the new Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building on February 15, 2025, continues with a concentration of events February 28-March 16, and culminates with the Eugene McDermott Award in the Arts public lecture by 2025 recipient artist and designer Es Devlin on May 1, 2025, and a concert by Grammy-winning rapper and Visiting Professor Lupe Fiasco on May 2, 2025. Artfinity embodies MIT’s commitment to creativity, community, and the intersection of art, science and technology. We invite you to join us in this celebration, explore the diverse events, and experience the innovative spirit that defines the arts at MIT.About the Artists Artfinity features the innovative work of MIT faculty, students, staff, and alumni, alongside guest artists from the Greater Boston area and beyond.About the Activities & Events All 80 events are open to the public, including dozens of concerts and performances plus an array of visual arts such as projections, films, installations, exhibitions, and augmented reality experiences, as well as lectures and workshops for attendees to participate in. With a wide range of visual and performing arts events open to all, Artfinity embodies MIT’s commitment to the arts and the intersection of art, science, and technology.About the Presenters Artfinity is an institute-sponsored event organized by the Office of the Arts at MIT with faculty leads Institute Professor of Music Marcus Thompson and Professor of Art, Culture and Technology Azra Akšamija. Departments, labs, centers, and student groups across MIT are presenting partners.Visit arts.mit.edu for more information about the arts at MIT.

This year’s theme, “على خطى الخوارزمي” (“Following in the Footsteps of Al-Khwarizmi”), honors individuals who have shaped science, technology, music, and art, inspiring the next generation of Arab leaders and creators.The conference will bring together leaders, innovators, and experts to discuss the latest advancements and challenges in technology, entrepreneurship, and science in the MENA region.