John Paradiso writes for BostInno about this year’s 2.007 robotics competition, which was based on the movie Back to the Future. "The game boards, where the students drive their robots, are a DeLorean with a backdrop of the clock tower. The robots drive all over the DeLoreans to give them fuel, and climb the clock tower,” says Prof. Amos Winter.
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Professor Dava Newman as the NASA deputy administrator, writes Janelle Nanos for BetaBoston. “It’s an enormous honor to serve at NASA in times when our country is extending humanity’s reach into space while strengthening American leadership here on Earth,” says Newman.
Jordain Carney writes for The Hill that the Senate has approved Professor Dava Newman to be NASA’s next deputy administrator.
In an article for The Huffington Post about teaching kids computer programming, Joni Blecher highlights the robotic garden developed by researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and CSAIL. The garden has “over 100 flowers that can be controlled via a Bluetooth-enabled device.”
In a piece for The Huffington Post, Zeynep Ilyaz explains how Prof. Sangeeta Bhatia serves as an inspiration to her, citing her research advances in biotech and medicine, and her mentorship of women pursuing careers in STEM fields. “Dr. Bhatia is constantly looking for the next groundbreaking discovery in health, which makes her an excellent role model for girls and women,” Ilyaz writes.
Middle school students from Lincoln County, Maine spent February vacation creating electronics as part of an educational program developed by the Edgerton Center, reports Rob Nesbitt for WCSH-TV. "Normally kids would not be exposed to this level of electronics until, maybe at the earliest, junior year of high school," explains Edgerton instructor Bob Vieth.
MIT researchers have developed a garden filled with origami robots, LED flowers that can bloom on command and mechanical insects, reports Nidhi Subbaraman for BetaBoston. The garden was developed in an effort to make programming more accessible to children.
Carolyn Johnson of The Boston Globe reports on the annual Chain Reaction event hosted by the MIT Museum. “More than 20 all-ages teams united homemade machines to create a giant post-Thanksgiving chain reaction,” writes Johnson.
Nidhi Subbaraman of BetaBoston writes about the symposium held in honor of the 100th anniversary of the MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, highlighting SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s talk. Musk said that investment in becoming a “multi-planet” species is crucial to the future of humanity.
Jeff Foust of Space News writes that President Barack Obama has nominated MIT Professor Dava Newman to become the next deputy administrator of NASA. "Dava will add a unique perspective to the agency and a fresh look at the space program at a critical time,” said Lori Garver, former deputy administrator of NASA.
Boston.com reporter Erin Connolly writes about the MIT panel on women in STEM, highlighting the personal stories of three panel participants. “We really need to make sure that women have the privilege to move forward in any field we want,” said MIT senior Tami Forrester during the event.
Mónica Feliú-Mójer writes about the Latinas in STEM Foundation, created by five MIT alumae, for Scientific American. “We want to spread awareness about STEM and to encourage Latinas in K-12 grades,” says co-founder Diana Albarrán Chicas.
Rodrique Ngowi writes for the Associated Press about ScratchJr, an app co-developed by MIT researchers to help young children think creatively and develop skills in math and science. “Children as young as 5 can use the app to craft their own interactive stories and games,” writes Ngowi.
The Boston Globe writes about Professor Sangeeta Bhatia's commitment to mentoring her students. “It's heartening to know that, tucked away in labs all over our region, solution-driven scientists like Sangeeta Bhatia are tinkering and building — and encouraging others to do the same.”
In a piece for The Boston Globe, Jennifer Smith writes about the Math Prize for Girls competition held at MIT over the weekend. “Now in its sixth year, the Math Prize for Girls competition is aimed at deflating gender stereotypes that organizers say dissuade young women from entering technology-based fields,” writes Smith.