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Research at MITMIT's commitment to marrying education with the creation of knowledge provides a fertile setting for research that has spawned a host of scientific breakthroughs and technological advances. Past achievements include the creation of modern food preservation processes, the first chemical synthesis of penicillin and vitamin A, the development of inertial guidance systems, modern technologies for artificial limbs, high-speed photography, and the magnetic core memory that made possible the development of digital computers. Research Expenditures by Primary Sponsor for Fiscal Year 2007 (figures
in millions)
More recently, researchers at MIT have created a new type of matter—a gas of atoms that shows high-temperature fluidity; developed a semi-conductor polymer that can detect the presence of TNT vapor even at the concentration of parts per billion; are developing a process that will eliminate all liquid from solid-state batteries, doubling or tripling their capacity; and have harnessed the construction talents of tiny viruses to build "nanowire" structures for use in very thin lithium-ion batteries, with a goal of building a battery the size of a grain of rice. In addition to breaking new ground in the convergence of engineering and the life sciences, MIT has recently launched the MIT Energy Initiative, an Institute-wide effort to tackle the world's energy challenges. MITEI's research goals focus on improving today's energy systems, including using energy more efficiently, and developing alternative energy sources that can enable a sustainable energy future. MIT is one of the leading research universities in the country. During the academic year, approximately 3,500 researchers work with faculty and students on projects funded by government, foundations, and industry. Approximately 2,900 graduate students are appointed as research assistants and 700 are appointed as teaching assistants; 1,500 are supported on fellowships. MIT has one of the most respected technology transfer programs in the country. In each of the past five years its Technology Licensing Office has signed more than 100 option and license agreements. Interdisciplinary Centers, Labs, and ProgramsAdvances in knowledge, together with an awareness of how modern society functions, have led researchers to tackle complex problems that can no longer be resolved from the vantage point of a single academic discipline. At MIT, faculty and students from different fields work together in interdisciplinary centers, laboratories, and programs that extend beyond departmental or school boundaries. These research units include: Broad Institute
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