Authors can transform mountains of information into an engaging book by employing the craft of storytelling. In this masterclass, Dr. Ainissa Ramirez, the award-winning author of The Alchemy of Us, will share lessons including how to hook a reader, ways to develop a theme, how to nurture one's voice, and ways to build a structure to create your own book. She also will provide tips on ways to incorporate the human element into a book project by employing a range of sources -- from interviews to archival materials. Participants can expect in-class activities to punch-up their prose.About the InstructorAinissa Ramirez, PhD. is an award-winning scientist and science communicator. A graduate of Brown University, she earned her doctorate in materials science and engineering from Stanford. Ramirez began her career as a scientist at Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey and later worked as an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Yale.Ramirez is passionate about getting the general public excited about science. She has appeared as a science expert on CBS, CNN, NPR, ESPN, The History Channel, and PBS. She has also written for Time, Forbes, The Atlantic, Science, Nature, and Scientific American. Her most recent book, The Alchemy of Us (MIT Press, 2020) was a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize, and was selected as a top science book by both Smithsonian Magazine and Science Friday. Her expertise in communicating science to the public has also been lauded by the American Institute of Physics and the American Physical Society, for which she was elected a Fellow.Currently, Ramirez is writing a series of nonfiction children's science books for MIT Kids Press/Candlewick and Charlesbridge. You can find out more about her at www.ainissaramirez.com.

Talk Title: Cognition as actionTalk Abstract:Every time you read a talk announcement, attempt to place a name, or wonder how else you could spend that precious hour, you're in some sense making a choice: a choice of what to think about. Drawing on this analogy, my research applies the tools of rational choice theory and quantitative behavioral science to model and measure the inner workings of the mind. Through case studies in decision making, memory recall, and planning, I will show how this approach can deepen our understanding of how the mind works, why it works that way, and what we can do to make it work better.This talk will NOT be live streamed.

Writing Together Online offers structured time to help you spring into writing and stay focused this semester. We offer writing sessions every workday, Monday through Friday. Join our daily 90-minute writing sessions and become part of a community of scholars who connect online, set realistic goals, and write together in the spirit of accountability and camaraderie. The program is open to all MIT students, postdocs, faculty, staff, and affiliates who are working on papers, proposals, thesis/dissertation chapters, application materials, and other writing projects. For more information and to register, go to this link or check the WCC website. Please spread the word and join with colleagues and friends.Register for Spring 2025 Writing Challenge 1Choose those sessions that you want to attend during Challenge 1: February 10th through March 21stMondays 9:00–10:30amTuesdays 8–9:30am and 9:30–11amWednesdays 9:00–10:30amThursdays 8–9:30am and 9:30–11amFridays 8–9:30am and 9:30–11amMIT Students and postdocs who attend at least 5 sessions per challenge will be entered into a raffle of three $25 Amazon gift cards. The raffle will take place on Friday, March 21st. The more you participate, the more times you will be entered into the raffle of prizes.For more information and to register, check the WCC website. Please spread the word and join with peers and friends.The funding support for this program comes from the Office of Graduate Education

Sun Ra, Parliament-Funkadelic, George Clinton, Erykah Badu, Octavia E. Butler, Digable Planets, Janelle Monae, Flying Lotus, Grace Jones, Missy Elliott, and moreA new exhibit in Lewis Music Library celebrates the visionary contributions of Afrofuturist artists across various genres and mediums. From the cosmic jazz of Sun Ra and the psychedelic funk of Parliament-Funkadelic and George Clinton, to the neo-soul of Erykah Badu and the sci-fi narratives of Octavia E. Butler, these artists have pushed the boundaries of creativity and imagination.This event is presented as part of Artfinity: A celebration of creativity and community at MIT.

Hidden within MIT’s Distinctive Collections, many architectural elements from the earliest days of the Institute’s architecture program still survive as part of the Rotch Art Collection. Among the artworks that conservators salvaged was a set of striking windows of gypsum and stained-glass, dating to the late 18th- to 19th c. Ottoman Empire. This exhibition illuminates the life of these historic windows, tracing their refracted histories from Egypt to MIT, their ongoing conservation, and the cutting-edge research they still prompt.The Maihaugen Gallery (14N-130) is open Monday through Thursday, 10am - 4pm, excluding Institute holidays.

The first 2 sessions in March will be held on Zoom.Meet other expecting and first time parents of infants under one year to connect, share information, and support each other. Bring your concerns, questions, and experiences to the group. And of course, your babies are welcome! This peer led group is organized by MS&PC members Kathrin and Maria.Contact Kathrin hauserkathrin1994@gmail.com or Maria maria.korompili24@gmail.com for more information.