Inaugural Book is Published

October 2, 1991

As a new administration steers MIT toward the 21st century, 16 faculty and staff members have expressed their visions of the future in a book published by the MIT Press.

MIT: Shaping the Future, edited by Professor Kenneth R. Manning, had its genesis in the inauguration last May of Charles M. Vest as the Institute's 15th president. A copy of the book, which includes President Vest's inaugural address, was presented to him on September 21 before the start of the MIT Community Ball.

The 16 essays were written in response to an invitation from The Inauguration Committee to the MIT community to reflect on issues facing MIT and society in general in the next century. The commemorative volume ($9.95, paperback) takes its title from the Inaugural Year theme.

Dr. Manning, Thomas Meloy Professor of Rhetoric and the History of Science, said in the preface that a principal purpose of the book was to provide "a deeper understanding of the community [Dr. Vest] has chosen to join and lead.

"While the essays present a wide range of perspectives on the nature of MIT's mission in education and research, Dr. Manning said, they "cannot and do not attempt to represent the full spectrum of concerns relevant to the MIT experience.

"For example," he said, there are "no essays on the changing demographics of the MIT student body, the status of engineering education, or the role of ethics in scientific research-all issues of current and ongoing concern."

According to the MIT Press, the 16 essays "create a snapshot of MIT today and a guide to its possible future. The insights they offer will be of interest to anyone concerned with the role of science and technology in American society and the future of scientific and technical education."

The book "places equal emphasis on local, national, and global issues, providing a current sampling of the state of concerns and opinions around MIT," the publisher's note adds, continuing:"Topics include the question of whether technology does in fact shape the future; the relationship between technical and liberal education; the Institute's role in exploring options for such societal issues as productivity and pollution; the changing nature of the research library; the proper balance between national and international interests in education and research; and the relationship between MIT and industry.

"Also included are personal reflections on teaching, on women students at the Institute, on the mission of MIT, and on the possibility of transforming the Institute into a therapeutic community.

"Other essays discuss recent breakthroughs in linguistics, combustion technology, and the application of systems dynamics to precollege education."

The contributors and their essay titles are as follows:Rosalind Williams, Class of 1922 Associate Professor of Writing, "Does Technology Shape the Future?"Robert K. Weatherall, Director of the Office of Career Services, "Equality of the Sciences at MIT."Ann F. Friedlaender, Class of 1941 Professor of Civil Engineering and Economics and former Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Science, "Technology and the Liberal Arts."Cynthia Griffin Wolff, Class of 1922 Professor of Literature, "Mary, Theresa, and Elizabeth."Eve Odiorne Sullivan, Senior Editorial Assistant, Laboratory for Nuclear Science, "Addictions and Recovery at MIT."

Alan V. Oppenheim, Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering, "A Personal View of Education."Michael L. Dertouzos, Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and Director of the Laboratory for Computer Science, "Leadership through Science and Technology."Alfred R. Doig, Jr., Assistant Dean for Resource Development, School of Engineering, "The University As Quality." Catherine V. Chvany. Professor of Russian, "Toward International Education at MIT."Jay K. Lucker, Director of Libraries, "The Research Library in the Information Age."Robert C. Berwick, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and Computational Linguistics, "Electronic Organs of the Mind: Language and Computation for the 21st Century."Jay W. Forrester, Germeshausen Professor of Management, Emeritus, "System Dynamics: Adding Structure and Relevance to Precollege Education."Janos M. Beer, Professor of Chemical and Fuel Engineering, "Clean Utilization of Fossil Fuels."Edward B. Roberts, David Sarnoff Professor of Management of Technology, "An Environment for Entrepreneurs."Thomas R. Moebus, Director of theIndustrial Liaison Program, "MIT and Industry: The Legacy and the Future."Lester C. Thurow, Dean of the Sloan School of Management and Professor of Management and Economics, "The Bear in the Woods."At present the book is available only at the MIT Press Book Store. It will be distributed nationally in the spring.

A version of this article appeared in the October 2, 1991 issue of MIT Tech Talk (Volume 36, Number 7).

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