MISTI 2.0 selects first winners

MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) has awarded four student projects funding for international collaborations through its new initiative, MISTI 2.0.

MISTI 2.0 encourages MISTI alums to build on their international experience by teaming with former host country employees and other relevant partners to pursue collaborative research and projects. By integrating their applied knowledge from MISTI training and internships abroad, students can continue fostering global collaborations between faculty, research scientists and peers and learn how to facilitate projects across cultures.

Of the 18 proposals received, four were awarded funding. Three were awarded in the School of Engineering, and one was in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. MISTI worked with MIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) members to select awardees.

Students will use the grant money to collaborate with international partners in India, China, Belgium and Germany. MISTI will provide cultural preparation for the students before departure and host an international project management workshop.

"Since today's technical innovations are global in scope, MIT graduates must be able to work closely with colleagues from all over the world to maintain leadership. The educational impact of MISTI 2.0 on the future of these students is immense," said Afarin Bellisario, founder and president of Transtrategy Inc., an MIT alum and VMS Mentor

MIT's largest international program, MISTI is a pioneer in applied international studies. Since 1994, the program has placed nearly 4,000 MIT students in professional internships and research positions with its network of leading companies, universities, research institutes and NGOs around the world. MISTI currently operates in ten countries: Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Spain. The program is a part of the Center for International Studies.

MISTI 2.0 AWARDEES

A Financial Literacy Campaign to Foster the Penetration of Microfinance Institutions in Rural Karnataka, India (India)

Arun Chandrasekhar and Horacio Larreguy Arbesu

Department of Economics

A Rural Household Energy Production Cooperative (China)

Scot Frank, Amy Qian and Wendi Zhang

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Multi-scale Population Connectivity in the Great Barrier Reef (Belgium)

Latifah Hamzah

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Quantitative Stress Measurements of Bulk Microdefects in Multicrystalline Silicon (Germany)

Vidya Ganapati

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science