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.

Speaker: Alex Lubotzky (Weizmann Institute & the Hebrew University, Simons Distinguished Visiting Professor, MIT)Title: High Dimensional Expanders (HDX) and their applications in pure math and computer scienceAbstract:Expander graphs have been an intensive topic of research in math and CS during the last six decades. In the last two decades a high dimensional theory has emerged with (very different) applications in math & CS.In this series of 8 independent (but related) lectures we present some aspects of the theory of HDX and its applications, a number of open problems and suggestions for further research.A more detailed plan:1. Thursday 2/20/25, 4:30pm, 2-190 (Math Colloquium); refreshments served at 4pm in 2-290  Introduction: three main problems(a) Gromov overlapping property(b) Locally testable codes(c) Are all groups sofic?2. Tuesday 2/25/25, 4:15-5:15pm, 32-G449 (Theory of Computing Colloquium), refreshments served at 4pmGood Locally testable codes3. Wednesday 2/26/25, 9:30-11am, 2-449Expander graphs: combinatorics, spectral gap, representation theory(Kazhdan property (T), property (\tau) and more) and property testing4. Wednesday 3/5/25, 9:30-11am, 2-449Geometric & topological expanders, Coboundary expanders, Random simplicial complexes and Property testing5. Wednesday 3/12/25, 9:30-11am, 2-449From Ramanujan graphs to Ramanujan complexes6. Wednesday 3/19/25, 9:30-11am, 2-449Stability and group approximation, Garland Theorem and the p-adic Deligne central extensionsWednesday 3/26/25 - Spring vacation7. Wednesday 4/2/26, 9:30-11am, 2-449Some more CS: Agreement tests, direct product test; PCP8. Wednesday 4/9/25, 9:30-11am, 2-449Are there non-sofic groups? The Aldous-Lyons conjecture and more

Looking for a new apartment? We will have local realtors and apartment community representatives available to talk with you about living options near campus.

February 26, 2025 - July 17, 2025Hidden 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.

Join a member of our Visitor Experience Team for this 45-minute introductory tour of the MIT Museum. Learn about the collection, our history, and get your questions answered by our gallery experts. Space is limited, please speak to a visitor experience representative at the admission desk when purchasing museum tickets if you would like to participate in the tour.Every Wednesday at 11am Free with museum admission

Are you new to MIT and MIT Spouses & Partners Connect? Want to learn about how to participate in our meetings and groups? Have questions about living, working, and/or parenting in Boston? Meet with Jennifer Recklet Tassi, the Program Manager, and Viktoriia Palesheva, the Program Assistant, and ask your questions about life at MIT and in Boston.If you'd like to attend, just send an email to spousesandpartners@mit.edu to let us know you're coming.

A martial art known for its many health benefits, tai chi is a moving study in meditation.Designed for small spaces, this class covers fundamental skills including postures, hand, and footwork. A short Yang style tai chi form will be taught.Special clothing is not necessary, but athletic shoes and loose fitting pants are recommended.Registration is required on our wellness class website. If you do not already have an account on this website, you'll need to create one. This is fee-based class and open to the entire MIT community.

Dr. Michael Mazarr from the RAND will speak at the MIT Security Studies Program's Wednesday Seminar.In this seminar, Dr. Mazarr will discuss the political and technical dimensions of the U.S.-China competition in the domain of artificial intelligence, based on recent research projects at RAND.

Have some fun(nel) on a tunnel or sun(nel) walk! Join us for a 30-minute volunteer-led walk either through MIT’s famous tunnel system or around Killian Court. As the weather gets warmer, walk leaders may choose to take the group outside. Is the weather warm and you missed the start? Find the group on Killian Court and join in!Location details: Meet in the lobby with the big mirror, right inside the Collier Memorial entrance to Stata. Location photo below.Sun(nel) Walk Leaders will identify themselves by holding a white flag at the meeting location.Prize Drawing: Attend a walk and scan a QR code from the walk leaders to be entered into a drawing for a getfit canvas boat tote bag at the end of the getfit challenge. The more walks you attend, the more entries you get. Winner will be drawn and notified at the end of April. Winner does not need to be a getfit participant.Disclaimer: These walks are led by volunteers. In the rare occasion when a volunteer isn’t able to make it, we will do our best to notify participants. In the event we are unable to notify participants and a walk leader does not show up, we encourage you to walk as much as you feel comfortable doing so. We recommend checking this calendar just before you head out!Getfit is a 12-week fitness challenge for the entire MIT community. These walks are open to the entire MIT community and you do not need to be a current getfit participant to join.

Mechanistic insights into (bio)catalysts from unpaired electronsUnpaired electrons play an important role in numerous redox-driven catalytic processes. Controlling their location and exploiting the interactions with their environment can provide key mechanistic information into these catalytic reactions. In this talk Dr. Roessler will discuss how her research group is exploiting and developing EPR-based techniques in conjunction with biochemistry, electrochemistry and materials chemistry to gain mechanistic insights into metalloenzymes and electron-transfer based catalytic reactions more generally.Roessler will showcase how pulse EPR is helping to understand the proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism in respiratory complex I and then introduce film-electrochemical EPR spectroscopy (FE‑EPR) as a new tool to investigate surface-bound molecular catalysts, including enzymes. With operando FE-EPR we can monitor the evolution of radicals during catalysis in real time, providing a novel way to benchmark small-molecule electrocatalysts. Our current work is focussed on extending FE‑EPR to metalloenzymes and membrane proteins.

In this small discussion group, we will examine Buddhist approaches to mindfulness, focusing attention, and developing self-compassion and compassion. Prof. Teng will provide tips on how these practices can help to navigate the stresses of academic life. Students will participate in guided meditation exercises. Sign-up is limited to eight students. Free books and meditation cushions will be provided.Emma J. Teng is the T.T. and Wei Fong Chao Professor of Asian Civilizations at MIT. She teaches classes in Chinese culture, Chinese migration history, Asian American history, East Asian culture, and women’s and gender studies. Professor Teng has published numerous books and articles and is a leading figure in her field. She has received various awards in recognition for her teaching and research.Free books and meditation cushions will be provided. Sign-up is limited to eight students.Location to be confirmed after registration.

Poster Session at Cookies, Coffee & ScienceJoin us for a special edition of Cookies, Coffee & Science on Wednesday, April 2nd at 2:00 PM! This unique scientific event will feature a Poster Session, where you’ll have the opportunity to engage with presenters, and meet the newly admitted BCS graduate students to welcome them into our community!Listed below are the labs and poster presenters for the event:Corradin – Xochitl Luna: Connecting Noncoding Genetic Variants to Microglial Function in Multiple SclerosisMiller/Fiete – Adam Eisen: Propofol anesthesia destabilizes neural dynamics across cortexSur – Gregg Heller & Emma Odom: Integration of visually tuned inputs by pyramidal neurons in mouse visual cortexGabrieli – Gun Ahn: Predicting Suicidal Attempts Using Resting-State fMRI and Psychosocial Data: A Machine Learning Study from the ABCD CohortPoggio – Daniel Mitropolsky: Computation by Assemblies of Neurons, and Algorithms for LanguageTedLab – Thomas Clark: TBAFan – Adrienne Kashay & Navid Ghazi: Perturb and watch the brain in action: Toward the physical basis of learning and memoryDiCarlo – Yudi Li: What's behind? Modeling human visual inference relying on internal modelsFedorenko – Hope Kean: Deduction and Induction Dissociate in the Human BrainBoyden – Camille Mitchell: Towards in situ single-molecule protein sequencing with expansion microscopyHarnett – Mila Halgre: Cortical & thalamic population dynamics during a visually evoked 3-5 Hz rhythmHeiman – Francisco Garcia: Cell type-specific targeting of the brain vasculature delays progression of neurodegeneration in vivoMcDermott – Lakshmi Govindarajan: Confidence in Sound Localization Reflects Calibrated Uncertainty EstimationBrown - Karla "Ale" Montejo: Circuit And Metabolic Mechanisms Of Oscillatory Modulation Under Propofol And SevofluraneWe look forward to seeing you there!

The Spatial Distribution of Income in Cities: Cross-Country Evidence and Theory | David Lagakos

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

Would you like to turn setbacks into opportunities for growth? Cultivate a non-judgmental perspective toward yourself and the world? Treat yourself with greater compassion?Created by the Resilience and Prevention Program at Mass General Hospital, this engaging 4-part workshop series offers the tools and strategies you need to build resilience. Come learn and practice evidence-based skills that will help you navigate life’s challenges with confidence.The Resilience Training workshops are presented as a series. Attendance required at all 4 sessions!Other event dates in this series:Date, Time, and SessionWed April, 2, 2025 3pm-4pm Part 1: Introduction to Resilience and MindfulnessWed April 9, 2025 3pm–4pm Part 2: Self-CompassionWed April 16, 2025 3pm–4pm Part 3: MentalizationWed April 23, 2025 3pm–4pm Part 4: Creating a Resilience Plan

MIT Program in Polymers and Soft Matter (PPSM) Seminar

Come relax with us and enjoy some fun conversation! No need to RSVP: just show up with your friends!

Speaker: Zhenhua Liu (Princeton)Title: General behavior of area-minimizing subvarietiesAbstract:We will review some recent progress on the general geometric behavior of homologically area-minimizing subvarieties, namely, objects that minimize area with respect to homologous competitors. They are prevalent in geometry, for instance, as holomorphic subvarieties of a Kahler manifold, or as special Lagrangians on a Calabi-Yau, etc. A fine understanding of the geometric structure of homological area-minimizers can give far-reaching consequences for related problems.Camillo De Lellis and his collaborators have proven that area-minimizing integral currents have codimension two rectifiable singular sets. A pressing next question is what one can say about the geometric behavior of area-minimizing currents beyond this. Almost all known examples and results point towards that area-minimizing subvarieties are subanalytic, generically smooth, and calibrated. It is natural to ask if these hold in general. In this direction, we prove that all of these properties thought to be true generally and proven to be true in special cases are totally false in general. We prove that area-minimizing subvarieties can have fractal singular sets. Smoothable singularities are non-generic. Calibrated area minimizers are non-generic. Consequently, we answer several conjectures of Frederick J. Almgren Jr., Frank Morgan, and Brian White from the 1980s.

Speaker: Cris Negron (University of Southern California)Title: 3-dimensional field theories for derived categories of quantum group representationsAbstract: I will discuss existence, and constructions, of 3-dimensional field theories for derived categories of quantum group representations. The distinguishing point here is that the state spaces in these theories will be infinite dimensional, and the theory will only be defined on 3-manifolds with nonvanishing outgoing boundary. I will emphasize motivations from mathematical physics and implications for representation theory. (Physics predicts, for example, the existence of deformations of quantum group representations along the relevant Langlands dual group, which then enables deformations of the corresponding theory by local systems.) This is joint work with Agustina Czenky.

Time: 3:00 PMLocation: Beverly, MA

Talk Title: Leveraging molecular symmetry to explore unique magnetochemical properties of iron-sulfur clusters

Struggling to stay on track with your writing? This four-session workshop series will help you navigate common challenges and develop strategies for a more productive writing process. We will explore how to manage your time and set realistic expectations, harness perfectionism to your advantage, build a strong working relationship with your dissertation advisor or PI, and use constructive procrastination as a tool for maintaining a healthy writing routine. Each session will be interactive and designed to equip you with practical skills to improve your writing habits.Pre-registration is required to participate and light refreshments will be served.

Speaker: Evita Nestoridi (Stony Brook)Title: Shuffling via transpositionsAbstract: In their seminal work, Diaconis and Shahshahani proved that shuffling a deck of $n$ cards sufficiently well via random transpositions takes $\frac{1}{2} n \log n$ steps. Their argument was algebraic and relied on the combinatorics of the symmetric group. In this talk, I will focus on a generalization of random transpositions and I will discuss the underlying combinatorics for understanding their mixing behavior and indeed proving cutoff. The talk will be based on joint work with S. Arfaee.

Come join us as we celebrate the opening of the MIT-LUMA Lab! Full agenda can be found on the Eventbrite page linked above.Global Commons and New Ecologies: The Inaugural Convening of the MIT-LUMA LabA landmark collaboration between the MIT School of Architecture and Planning and the LUMA Foundation, the MIT-LUMA Lab will champion research, creative practice, and pedagogy that address regional and global climate challenges. The lab will operate at the nexus of climate science, technology, art, ecology, and design.The MIT-LUMA Lab’s inaugural convening, Global Commons and New Ecologies, will feature public presentations, film screenings, and celebrations. Speakers from MIT, LUMA, and beyond will elaborate on the Lab’s mission to design for climate resilience and forge new paths for collaboration through research, practice, and innovation.Please note: This is a multi-day event. The first day of this event will be held on April 2, from 4:15 pm to 7:30 pm at the MIT Media Lab, 6th Floor (75 Amherst Street, Building E14-648). The second day will take place on April 3, from 10:15 am to 5:15 pm at the MIT ACT Cube (20 Ames Street, Building E15-001).

Time: 3:30 PMLocation: Cambridge, MA

Are you a sophomore (or first year) and considering a career in medicine? Join Prehealth Advising for an info session on how to develop a strong application for medical school and other health profession programs. Attendees will learn receive an overview of the medical school application process along with information on MCAT timelines and test prep, strategies for volunteering & shadowing, and the pros & cons of applying as a junior or taking a gap year.This event will focus on sophomores, but ALL students & alumni are welcome to attend!

Time: 4:00 PMLocation: Norton, MA

A Special Lecture Series Presented by the MIT Program in Science, Technology, and Society and the Knight Science Journalism ProgramJoin us on Wednesday, April 2nd, from 5:15-6:45 pm in E51-145 for a special talk by Usha Lee McFarling.Radical Collaborations and Entrepreneurial Energy: Building a Thriving Science Journalism EcosystemFrom the moon landing to the sequencing of the human genome, science journalists have chronicled technology’s most transformational moments and its thorniest debates. Today, despite the critical need for such illumination and discussion, the field of science journalism faces threats both economic and political. In this talk, Usha will discuss the current landscape, and explore ways the field and its dedicated community of practitioners can meet these challenges through powerful new collaborations, an entrepreneurial spirit, and by embracing some of the central tenets of the humanities such as creativity, a focus on values, and deeper explorations of ambiguity. These new pathways are needed to ensure accurate information about science and technology reaches the general public for informed decision-making, an essential part of a functioning democracy, but also to allow that public to explore science more fully and to experience its beauty, joy, and wonder.About Usha Lee McFarlingUsha Lee McFarling is a national science correspondent for STAT. She previously reported for the Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Knight Ridder Washington Bureau, and the San Antonio Light. Her work on the diseased state of the world's oceans earned the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for explanatory journalism and a 2006 Polk award. Her reporting has also earned the Victor Cohn prize for excellence in medical science reporting, the Bernard Lo, MD award in bioethics, and numerous other awards. Usha graduated from Brown University with a degree in biology and later earned a master's degree at UC Berkeley after spending years studying the behavior of desert woodrats. She was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow from 1992-3.To Attend the LecturePlease fill out this RSVP form if you plan to attend in-person. The talk is free and open to all members of the MIT community. We hope to see you there!

Every Wednesday night 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 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).

Many people think gentle yoga is too easy and not an effective form of fitness. Think again! You can practice yoga in ways that are both active and gentle at the same time.Come enjoy the many known benefits of yoga through:the practice of active yet gentle, rhythmic movementheld yoga poses and vinyasa flow (moving from pose to pose via the breath)pranayam (breath work)relaxation and meditationIn this well-rounded class, Celeste LeMieux, 500 hr certified Kripalu Yoga Instructor, provides clear instructions and modifications, making it accessible and beneficial to practitioners of all ages and stages of yoga practice and life.You will leave class feeling both stretched and strengthened while also feeling more calm and relaxed. This class is the perfect mid-week reset for body and mind. Come see how less really can be more!Registration is required on our wellness class website. If you do not already have an account on this website, you'll need to create one. This is fee-based class and open to the entire MIT community.

Refuge @ MIT. Join our weekly gathering for Christian students and seekers as we have worship, prayer and Bible study each Wednesday evening. We share some food and enjoy an in depth Bible study, open to all students at MIT.

Time: 3:00 PMLocation: Beverly, MA

Time: 6:00 PMLocation: Cambridge, MA

Due to the success of last semester’s Board Games Night, we’re excited to bring you Board Games Night 2.0!Whether you’re ready to strategize or just roll the dice and let fate decide, there's a spot for everyone. And of course, no Greek gathering is complete without delicious pita gyro to keep the "kefi" alive.Join us, and we guarantee you won’t be boared!---This event is funded by the GSC.

Time: 7:00 PMLocation: Cambridge, MA

The Sixth Annual MIT Playwrights LabA weeks-long festival of new student plays from Senior Lecturer Ken Urban’s Course 21T.355 workshopped and performed by professional actors and directors.SCHEDULE OF STAGED READINGSdead swans by Emily Kang Wednesday, April 2 at 8pmHidden Occult Activity by Vera McCoy Wednesday, April 9 at 8pmEscape Velocity by Aquila Simmons Wednesday, April 16 at 8pmHereafter by Ariel McGee Wednesday, April 30 at 8pmWhat Remains of the Sun by Sofia Galiana Wednesday, May 7 at 8pmAll readings will take place in Building W97-160Free and open to the publicThe MIT Playwrights Lab is made possible thanks to the generous funding of the Richard Price Rudy (1968) and Robert Paul Rudy (1937) Memorial Fund.