Said and Done

Said and Done is the monthly photo-rich publication from MIT's School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, integrating feature articles with news, research and events to give you a distilled overview of the school’s endeavors.

You can also go deeper — following links to profiles, research briefs, performances, and presentations. For the complete January 2011 edition, visit Said and Done. A few highlights include:

Kaiser elected Fellow of the American Physical Society
David Kaiser has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), following nomination by the APS Forum on the History of Physics. The citation reads: "For his outstanding publications that combine technical mastery of twentieth-century physics with a deep knowledge of recent developments in the history, philosophy, and sociology of science."
More at Said and Done

Acemoglu named by Foreign Policy as a Top Global Thinker of 2010
In a Reuters interview following the announcement, Daron Acemoglu discusses the historical roots of economic and political success.
Full story

Forthcoming events
January 27-28, 2011
Economics Symposium to launch MIT's 150th celebration: From Theory to Practice to Policy

The kick-off symposium of MIT's sesquicentennial will celebrate the role of MIT’s faculty and students in advancing the fields of economics and finance, in putting developments into practice, and in contributing to the design of public policy. Nobel laureates, policy makers, and academic and industry experts will address three broad questions:

• What are the key recent scientific developments and the major unresolved issues of economics and finance?
• What are the central challenges in economic policy?
• How can one assess the contributions of, and limitations of, recent advances in financial economics?

More at Said and Done

Bookshelf
The research of MIT's School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences most often appears in the form of books and publications, as well as music and theater productions. These gems of the School provide new knowledge and analysis, innovation and insight, guidance for policy, and nourishment for lives.
See the bookshelf

Kaiser and Alexander create MIT's sesquicentennial books
MIT150 and MIT Press have partnered to bring out two books for MIT's sesquicentennial year, both created by members of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. David Kaiser, associate professor in the Program in Science, Technology and Society, is the editor of Becoming MIT: Moments of Decision. Philip Alexander, research associate in the Program in Writing and Humanitic Studies, is the author of A Widening Sphere: Evolving Cultures at MIT. 
More at Said and Done

3 Questions: Evelyn Fox Keller on the nature-nurture debates
In a new book, the prominent historian of science dismisses the ‘unanswerable’ question of whether heredity or the environment matter more in human development. Story by Peter Dizikes, MIT News
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A hardy Constitution
In Ratification historian Pauline Maier delivers new knowledge about how the U.S. Constitution was adopted. The New York Times calls Ratification an "ur-text" of American history. Story by Peter Dizikes, MIT News
More at Said and Done

Quanta Chair in Chinese Culture established
The Institute has embarked on a major, long-term effort to promote intellectual and technological exchange ... A major part of the Institute’s effort will also be the expansion of the study of China at MIT. A new chair in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, The Quanta Professorship in Chinese Culture, has recently been established thanks to a $5 million donation. 
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New faculty 2010
The newest faculty members of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences come with diverse backgrounds and vast knowledge in their fields: digital media, linguistic anthropology, economics, contemporary literature and media studies, French studies, and political science.
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MISTI | Bringing the MIT innovation spirit to China
A project to bridge ecology and bioengineering to benefit human health and a study on urban development in steep-slope areas are among MIT research collaborations in Greater China that will receive funding as part of a new program administered by the MISTI (MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives) Global Seed Funds.
More at Said and Done

Précis | newsletter of the Center for International Studies
Précis covers the wide range of Center activities and accomplishments. The current issue includes an interview with Diane Davis, who recently received a USAID grant for studies of urban resilience; an excerpt from Democratic Insecurities: Violence, Trauma, and Intervention in Haiti by Erica Caple James; and an essay, "Much Ado About Decline," by graduate student Joshua Shifrinson.
More at Said and Done

Scope | publication of the Graduate Program in Science Writing
Scope showcases work by students in the School's Graduate Program in Science Writing over the course of their year-long studies. The publication includes news articles, features, essays, book reviews, radio podcasts, and videocasts.
More at Said and Done

Richard L. Cartwright, emeritus professor of philosophy, dies at age 85
A founding figure of philosophy at MIT, he was especially known for his influence on colleagues and students.
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There Hack They
Professor Emeritus of Linguistics, and Special Assistant to the Chancellor, Jay Keyser, believes that the MIT hacker is to be admired for pulling off the collegiate world's cleverest and most elegant pranks. In this video, Keyser describes some of his favorite hacks, and burrows into the psychology of hack culture at MIT.
More at Said and Done

Said and Done | Full Edition | January 2011

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