Summer 2001

• MITE²S Well Represented in 2.007 Competition
• Let Us Know What's Happening in Your Life
• MITE²S 2001: A Learning Odyssey
• To Our Sponsors—Thank You
• MITE²S 2001: Growth Plan Reaches First Milestone
• MITE²S '97 Alumnae Wins McNair Award
• MITE²S Alum Among Top High School Seniors
• Ron Brown Scholarship Winners
• Pictures of MITE²S Past Sought
• Profile: Phillip De Leon, Ph.D.; MITES '84

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MITE²S Well Represented in 2.007 Competition

Getting their end of the seesaw closest to the ground while surviving the motion of the Tiltillator was the challenged face by the MIT students in the 2.007 (Introduction to Design and Manufacturing course) competition. The Titillator had a 10-foot-long seesaw beam and an eight-pound ball swinging from its center post. Once competing machines, the seesaw, and the center ball were in motion, the Titillator pitched like a ship caught in a storm.

William Lark (MIT '03, mechanical engineering; MITE²S '98) survived the storm, and was successful at lowering his end of the seesaw to tie for third place in the competition. As a result, he along with the other top place finishers and several other students, will be going to Osaka, Japan this summer for the International Design Competition (IDC).

Kateri Garcia (MIT '03, mechanical engineering; MITE²S '98) placed in the top 16, and is an alternate for the IDC. Kateri received a Wunsch Foundation Silent Hoist and Crane Award for her outstanding performance in the competition.

The 2.007 contest challenges students to use a limited set of materials to design and build a machine to accomplish a specific task. The basic kit contains elements such as aluminum, actuators, electric motors, pneumatic pistons, solenoids, and plumbing parts. If this sounds a lot like the MITE²S Mechanical Engineering Design Competition, that's because the 2.007 competition—formally known as the 2.70 design competition—inspired the MITE²S contest.

Let Us Know What's Happening in Your Life

Have you received a special award, honor, recognition? Tell us. You may see your achievement in this newsletter. Use the Alumni Locator so that we can keep your accomplishments current and to inform us about the college you attend, your major, and your career status. You can decide if you want the information posted on our web site. Check out the Alumni Profiles to see what other MITE²S alums are doing.

MITE²S 2001: A Learning Odyssey

By Karl W. Reid, Executive Director

Any similarity to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey or Homer's The Odyssey is intentional. An odyssey is an extended, adventurous wandering that yields personal growth. In the six-week MITE²S journey, participants study calculus, chemistry or biochemistry, physics, humanities, mechanical design, entrepreneurship, and two new courses this year: computer science and Lego Robotics. Both the amount and the content of the material reflect today's economic reality. The record 80 participants who arrive on June 24 face a different reality than the MITE²S graduates of just a decade ago. Simply knowing and applying a skill is not enough to lead. In today's information-driven global economy, one must know how to learn, constantly acquire new skills, be comfortable working on diverse teams, and thrive on challenge.

This summer's theme, 2001: A Learning Odyssey, reflects our mission to equip the next generation of leaders for their journey. Academically, MITE²S students get a taste of the MIT fire-hose while gaining mastery of the fundamental principles required of all engineers, scientists and mathematicians. Professionally, by means of the innovative Obik Explorer career assessment tool, guest speakers, and tours of the leading-edge Media and AI Labs, participants experience the “aha moment” when the vision of their career path comes into focus. Socially, these 16 year-olds, many of whom are away from home for the first time, mature immeasurably. Moreover, the friendships they forge, sometimes extending beyond their college years, challenge them to maintain high academic and personal standards while sharing their rich cultural heritage.

In the face of a tepid economy, we are especially grateful for the support of our major sponsors—and dozens of others—that enabled us to both expand MITE²S and maintain our “no fee” standard for all participants. Without their generosity, we would be unable to facilitate this adventure of personal growth.

We also want to thank the LG Balfour Foundation and the Chung '89/Donath '86 Family Fund for their support of our new initiative, the MITE²S Saturday Engineering Enrichment and Discovery (SEED) Academy. A new adventure begins next year for 20 ninth grade students from the Boston/Cambridge area who will journey through a multi-year, hands-on engineering curriculum to bolster their math, science, and communication skills. Who knows? Their trek may include a MITE²S summer session and matriculation to a fine institution of high learning, like MIT. The new journey begins January 2002.

To Our Sponsors—Thank You

We wish to thank the following corporations, foundations, and individuals who have provided major financial support for the MITE²S 2001 summer session (as of this printing):

• 3M
• Abbott Laboratories Fund
• Chung '89/ Donath '86 Family Fund
• Citigroup Foundation
• Eastman Kodak Company
• Ford Motor Company Fund
• General Motors Foundation
• Goldman Sachs and Company
• Alfonso and Maria Gonzalez
• IBM Corporation
• Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
• Ronald A. (1954) and Carol Kurtz Fund for Minority Students
• Lemelson Foundation
• Merck & Company, Inc.
• Merrill Lynch
• MIT
• National Instruments
• Sierra Monolithics
• Texaco
• Reginald Van Lee '79
• Verizon

We also wish to thank the many individuals who contribute to the William H. Ramsey '51 Fund, which helps ensure the long-term stability of the program.

MITE²S 2001: Growth Plan Reaches First Milestone

Through the generous support of our sponsors, the MITE²S 2001 summer session will host a record 80 students. From 651 applicants, 40 females and 40 males from 29 states and Puerto Rico will be attending the program. Among the participants will be 41 African Americans, 17 Mexican Americans, 4 Native Americans, 6 Puerto Ricans, and 12 from other Hispanic groups.

The participants were selected by a committee of 24 MIT faculty, students, and administrators (including admissions officers) and MITE²S instructors and alumni. Selections were based on high school grades, standardized test (PSAT or SAT I) scores, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, essays, and teacher recommendations.

MITE²S '97 Alumnae Wins McNair Award

Jeannette E. Stephenson (MIT '02, computer science and engineering; MITE²S '97) is the 26th recipient of the Ronald E. McNair Scholarship Award. While maintaining a high grade point average, she is conducting research in bioinformatics. Ms. Stephenson is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers; MIT's Black Women's Alliance, and the MIT Gospel Choir. She also sits on the leadership team of the MIT Black Christian Fellowship.

The Ronald E. McNair Scholarship Award recognizes a Black undergraduate who has demonstrated strong academic performance and who has made a considerable contribution to the minority community. The Black Alumni/ae of MIT (BAMIT) established this award in honor of Ronald McNair (Ph.D.) '77, physicist and astronaut, who died in the 1986 explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. Dr. McNair was well known for his involvement in the MIT and surrounding community.

MITE²S Alum Among Top High School Seniors

Lindsey Fraser Christian (MITE²S 2000) was named one of the top Black high school seniors by Ebony magazine. Lindsey and the other 28 students were recognized for their scholastic excellence and for their substantial contributions through volunteer work and social activism.

Ms. Christian graduates from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC. While maintaining high grades, she was editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and a junior writer for the Washington Post. During MITE²S, Ms. Christian won an award for outstanding market plan in EntrePrep. She plans to attend MIT and study electrical engineering and computer science.

Ron Brown Scholarship Winners

MITE²S 2000 alumni Saundra Quinlan and Dylan Solomon are 2001 Ron Brown Scholars. Ms. Quinlan plans to attend MIT, while Mr. Solomon plans to attend Stanford. During MITE²S, Ms. Quinlan received a William Ramsey Award for exhibiting the “Spirit of MITE²S” and an award for best performance in physics.

The Ron Brown Scholar Program awards scholarships to academically talented, highly motivated African American high school seniors who have demonstrated financial need, social commitment, and leadership potential. The Program honors the memory of the late Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown, who in addition to his many accomplishments was a visionary, a unifying force, an inspiring leader and public servant.

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Pictures of MITE²S Past Sought

As we strive to develop the MITE²S web site, we face one especially daunting challenge: finding pictures of earlier classes. So, if you have pictures of your MITE²S experience—especially if you attended in the 1970's and 1980's—we would appreciate copies. Just send them to MITE²S Program; MIT; 77 Massachusetts Avenue; Room 1-211; Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. If you have them in digital form, please e-mail to mites@mit.edu. Thanks.

Profile: Phillip De Leon, Ph.D.; MITES '84

Dr. Phillip De Leon received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1989 and his Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin in 1990. In 1990, he was awarded an AT&T Bell Laboratories' Cooperative Research Fellowship for graduate studies. He received his Masters of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1992 and 1995, respectively.

Currently, Dr. De Leon is an Associate Professor at New Mexico State University in the Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Associate Director of the Center for Space Telemetering and Telecommunications.

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Last updated: 27 June 2001