Time: 2:00 PMLocation: Cambridge, MA

Stop by before you start your day to grab a coffee or tea and a breakfast treat! Connect with old friends, meet new ones, and let's talk about the kind of events you'd like to see from the WL this semester.Please RSVP so we know how much coffee to brew!

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

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  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

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

Looking for an interesting read?The Book Discussion group will host virtual meetings via Zoom. Please write to Maxine Jonas (jonas_m@mit.edu) to be added to their mailing list. They (almost always) meet on the fourth Wednesday of the month, at 11:30am – 1pm.Upcoming titles: September 25: The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (736 pages, 2023, fiction) October 23: Silenced Whispers by Afarin, Bellisario (348 pages, 2024, fiction) with the author! December 11: The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins and the Fight for Women in Science by Kate Zernike (363 pages, 2023, non-fiction) January 22: Chasing Beauty, the Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner by Natalie Dykstra (508 pages, 2024, non-fiction) February 26: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (368 pages, 2022, fiction) March 26: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (205 pages, 1937, classic) April 23: A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle (224 pages, 1991, non-fiction) May 28: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (400 pages, 2022, fiction)

Join us on Wednesday, February 26 to learn about SDM’s graduate certificate in systems and product development! Our one-year program for mid-career professionals features an integrated core class built on the fundamentals of systems engineering, system architecture, and project management. You’ll study and work alongside students in the master’s program, earning credits for MIT coursework and completing the journey with a capstone project tailored to your real-world experience. The program is designed to let you keep working while you study.In this session, program staff will answer your questions about the curriculum and application process. Our engineering and management certificate gives you the tools to incorporate systems principles in your approach to problems in any organization.

Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine Info SessionJoin Prehealth Advising for a virtual info session hosted by Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. Courtney Thoreson, Graduate Admissions Recruiter, will provide an in-depth overview of their MD and MD-PhD programs along with discussing Mayo Clinic 3 campuses, including the flagship campus in Rochester, Minnesota, as well as locations in Arizona and Florida.Mayo Clinic has a strong history of accepting MIT applicants into both their MD and MD-PhD programs, making this a great opportunity to learn more about the application process, curriculum, research opportunities, and what makes Mayo Clinic’s medical education unique. Don't miss this chance to ask questions and gain insights directly from the admissions team!

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.

Professor James Fearon from Stanford University will speak at the MIT Security Studies Program's Wednesday Seminar.According to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (and many others), “the post-Cold War world is over.” One reason for this view is the increase in interstate conflict involving major powers in the last 10 years -- both actual, as in the Russia-Ukraine war, and feared, as in the case of possible war over Taiwan. The return of major power military conflict should be surprising and puzzling. Even from a “Realist” perspective, current military and economic conditions are such that the countries with the most military capability have little to fear or gain from each other, in terms of invasion or attack. In this seminar, Professor Fearon will stress two main sources of contemporary major power conflict: Competing nationalist claims on territory, and the intrinsic threat that democracies and dictatorships pose to each other, as it is common knowledge that powerful democratic states would typically prefer to see dictatorships transition to democracy, and vice versa. In the contract-poor environment of international politics, these forms of revisionism create incentives for arms build ups that can in turn create incentives for preventive wars. Combined with facts about technological and economic change and US foreign policy (in particular) over the last 25 years, this account applies to some major post-Cold War conflicts and to the return of serious military competition between major powers.

All MIT faculty, students, and staff can visit and borrow from Harvard simply by registering. The MIT Libraries have arranged for on-site registration here on campus to help streamline the process.Come to Hayden Library on one of our registration days on Feb. 13, 19, and 26:1) Bring your MIT ID and government-issued ID2) Log into Borrow Direct via Touchstone. DUO authentication is required; please have your mobile phone set up with DUO.3) Then you can go to the Harvard card office (Smith Center) to get your borrowing card.Smith Campus Center 1350 Massachusetts Ave., 8th floor Phone: 617.496.7827 Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm; Closed Sat, Sun, and university holidaysAlready have Harvard access and need to renew? Bring your Harvard ID (you must still have this) to Hayden Library on one of our registration days and follow steps 1&2 above to reactivate.Can't come to Hayden on one of these dates? You can also apply online and confirm your affiliation via a Zoom appointment. You can then pick up your card at Harvard's Smith Center ID office at your convenience. Learn more about using Harvard's libraries at libraries.mit.edu/harvard.

The Law and Economics of Lawyers: Evidence from the Revolving Door in China's Judicial System | Shaoda Wang

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

Speaker: Ali Maalaoui (MIT)Title: The Conformal Fractional Dirac Operator and the Fractional Spinorial Yamabe problem.Abstract:I will first discuss the classical Spinorial Yamabe problem and its geometric relevance. Then I will review the construction of conformally invariant powers of the Dirac operator. I will focus in particular on the Caffarelli and Silvestre type extension and the renormalized energy expansion in the fractional setting. I will also address the construction of a Q-curvature operator in the critical case emphasizing the similarities with the case of differential forms.

As part of MIT's Day of Climate, this professional development session provides training for the Climate Change Charades activity.Focused on elementary school-aged learners, climate change charades will address the gap in accessible, engaging, and interactive climate education.Learners act out or describe climate change-related concepts, helping to reinforce their understanding in a fun, collaborative way. Inspired by Climate Fresk workshops, which break down the complexities of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports, this activity will utilize a similar concept to make learning about climate change more accessible.By acting out different environmental and climate phenomena, students will deepen their comprehension of key climate concepts while also building communication and teamwork skills. The interactive play allows for the responsible introduction of potentially climate-anxiety inducing topics to impressionable ages. This game can be used as an icebreaker, an introduction to more advanced topics, or a way to reinforce content already covered in class.Register for this in-person session.

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.

The MIT wrestling club holds practices in the du Pont Wrestling Room on weeknights 5:30-7pm. All levels of experience welcome! Whether you're looking to learn how to grapple or just want to get in a good workout, wrestling practice is a good time to learn technique, get in some live goes, and have fun with a great group of people.Current schedule is: structured practice MTRF, open mats W, and technique sessions 9-10:30am on Saturday. For more information, contact wrestling-officers@mit.edu.

Sacred Snaps: Photovoice for Interfaith Engagement, the new co-authored book from Routledge, is an invitation to see and engage religion, diversity, and inclusion through the lens of the mobile phone camera. We would like to invite you to join us at this interactive book launch event where you won’t just hear about a new tool for interreligious and intercultural engagement, but where you will get to experience it.

While Zurich is a center of global finance, it also has a century-old commitment to public benefit and nonprofit housing, implemented through a cooperative model of resource-sharing. Moreover, these cooperatives have been at the forefront of innovations in architecture and urban design. While the Zurich model cannot be fully transferred to cities in the United States, there are lessons to be learned from its long-standing commitment to nonspeculation within a for-profit real estate market and for the role of design in that work. At this event, Susanne Schindler, an architect and urban historian who co-authored Cooperative Conditions: A Primer on Architecture, Finance and Regulation in Zurich, will describe key aspects of Zurich’s cooperative housing system.A panel of leading local officials and practitioners will then discuss whether and how the Zurich approach could be applied or adapted for use in Boston and other communities in eastern Massachusetts. This event is co-sponsored by the MIT Morningside Academy for Design, the MIT Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism, and the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Join MIT Professors David Mindell, Suzanna Berger, and 2024 Nobel Prize winner Simon Johnson to discuss Mindell's new book, The New Lunar Society, on how we can create our industrial future with inspiration and lessons from the originators of the industrial revolution.Climate change, global disruption, and labor scarcity are forcing us to rethink the underlying principles of industrial society. In The New Lunar Society, David Mindell envisions this new industrialism from the fundamentals, drawing on the eighteenth century when first principles were formed at the founding of the Industrial Revolution. While outlining the new industrialism, he tells the story of the Lunar Society, a group of engineers, scientists, and industrialists who came together to apply the principles of the Enlightenment to industrial processes. Those principles were collaboration, the marriage of practice and scientific knowledge, and the belief that the world could progress through making things.Copies of The New Lunar Society will be available for purchase onsite from the MIT Press Bookstore.