Agustín Rayo named dean of SHASS
Philosophy professor brings deep experience in campus leadership to his role as head of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
Giving robots social skills
A new machine-learning system helps robots understand and perform certain social interactions.
Cures for the health insurance enrollment blues
An experiment in Indonesia shows how much subsidies and in-person assistance spur people to get insurance — and how many people stop trying.
Punishment for the people
Professor Lily Tsai’s new book explains how “retributive justice,” the high-profile sanctioning of some in society, helps authoritarians solidify public support.
MIT economist Joshua Angrist shares Nobel Prize
Cited for work building the foundations of “natural experiments” in economic research, Angrist is honored along with David Card and Guido Imbens.
Citizens emerge from the slums
PhD student Ying Gao's research reveals that the urban poor in the developing world are politically engaged and capable of effecting change.
New views of autocracy emerge from historic archives
Political science PhD student Emilia Simison has found that despotic regimes vary, and the move to democracy doesn’t necessarily guarantee policy change.
Comparing seniors who relocate long-distance shows where you live affects your longevity
Analysis of Medicare data finds location matters, not just past health behavior.
How authoritarian leaders maintain support
Study finds public anticorruption campaigns bolster leaders, even when such measures lack tangible results.
A sleep study’s eye-opening findings
Experiment with working poor in India finds no impact from more night sleep, though naps help; rest quality may be key.
Study highlights long road toward gender parity in the geosciences
Researchers find improvement in relative retention of women but predict decades of sustained effort are required to achieve gender parity.
Thirty-eight extraordinary MIT students named 2021 Burchard Scholars
Undergraduates selected for the competitive program enjoy a seminar series and conversations over dinners with distinguished faculty.
Study reveals a universal travel pattern across four continents
Globally, people follow a “visitation law” — an inverse relationship between distance and frequency of visits.
Study: Culture influences mask wearing
In the U.S. and globally, cultures with a high level of collectivism tend to encourage masking during the pandemic.
Market report: Rising stock wealth does boost spending, employment
Study brings new data to a longstanding question, with findings policymakers can apply.