literature, languages and writing archive

Literature awards - Awards given in MIT Literature for the academic year 2007-2008. June 10, 2008

Foreign Languages & Literatures awards - Awards given in MIT Foreign Languages & Literatures for the academic year 2007-2008. June 4, 2008

What role for America? MIT students weigh in - MIT senior Ali Wyne recalls how four years ago he couldn't get anyone to talk politics. But that has changed with the current presidential campaign, and now Wyne is showcasing his fellow students' new political energy in "America in the World: MIT Speaks." May 29, 2008

'Pay attention to the urbanization of major population centers' - Essay by MIT student Angelica Weiner, excerpted from "America in the World: MIT Speaks," a booklet of 25 essays by a diverse group of student leaders to describe what they think the United States must do to make the world a better place in 2008. May 29, 2008

Three MIT faculty named Guggenheim fellows - Three MIT professors were named Guggenheim fellows for their "stellar achievement and exceptional promise for continued accomplishment," the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation announced this month. April 11, 2008

Junot Díaz wins Pulitzer for 'Oscar Wao' - MIT professor Junot Diaz' acclaimed debut novel, "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," enjoyed another wondrous round of literary praise today, winning the Pulitzer Prize for fiction just one month after receiving the National Book Critics Circle Award. April 7, 2008

Author-illustrator Macaulay to speak at MIT April 1 - David Macaulay, the acclaimed illustrator and author whose books, especially "The Way Things Work," animate the overlap between art and engineering, will discuss how he works in a free public lecture on April 1 at MIT. March 19, 2008

Book, exhibit showcase MIT faculty - When Andrea Frank came to MIT in 2003, she found world-class minds conducting cutting-edge research, eager to discuss their work. Today Frank, a lecturer at MIT, has woven together those voices and faces in the book "Visions: MIT Interviews." March 18, 2008

Book critics honor Díaz with top novel prize - MIT professor Junot Díaz has won the National Book Critics' Circle Award for fiction, for his first novel, "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao." March 7, 2008

IAP poetry course to mark 10th year - Pleasures of Poetry, the IAP literature course that offers poetry scholars and fans a daily hour-long reading and discussion session throughout January, celebrates its 10th year in 2008. December 12, 2007

'Wondrous Life' tops critics' fiction lists - "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," by Junot Díaz, associate professor in writing and humanistic studies, has been named best novel of the year by critics at Time and New York magazines, topping their influential "must-read" lists. December 12, 2007

'Howtoons': MIT's do-it-yourself for kids - Splurt! Urgghh! Ping! Thump! Boom boom bap! It's not exactly cutting-edge technology, but those could be the sounds of future scientists and engineers in the making when they read the MIT-spawned comic book, "Howtoons." December 5, 2007

Condry discusses anime's global reach - Ian Condry, MIT associate professor and Mitsui Career Development Chair in foreign languages and literatures, will discuss "Explaining Anime's Global Power" on Nov. 29, to set the stage for the MIT production, "Madness at Mokuba." November 27, 2007

Reporting now from the future - A producer of the megahit computer game, "The Sims," and a folklorist who specializes in Harry Potter fan-fiction will join industry and academic leaders in the conference, Futures of Entertainment 2, to be held Nov. 16-17 at MIT. November 14, 2007

Writer Ana Castillo focuses on inequality - Ana Castillo, an MIT visiting professor, is a novelist, poet, essayist and painter who has used every means necessary--the clack of typewriters, the flap of mimeograph machines, the tick of e-mail--to tell the tales that had to be told. November 6, 2007

Junot Díaz to read from acclaimed novel - MIT Associate Professor Junot Díaz will read from his critically acclaimed new novel, "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," during an appearance at 6 p.m. on Sept. 12 at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge. September 12, 2007

Levenson wins science film award - Thomas Levenson, associate professor of science writing at MIT, has won the inaugural Walter P. Kistler Science Documentary Film Award for his work on the NOVA miniseries "Origins." June 27, 2007

Foreign Languages & Literature awards - Recent achievements by members of the MIT community. June 6, 2007

Literature awards - Recent achievements by members of the MIT community. June 6, 2007

'WACK!' weighs impact of feminist art - "WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution," published by MIT Press to accompany an exhibition of the same name, inspires challenging questions. The exhibition is a collection of art produced by women during the late 1960s through the 1970s. May 2, 2007

MIT, Goethe-Institut examine history of video art in Germany - MIT's Visual Arts Program (part of the Department of Architecture) and the Goethe-Institut Boston are partnering to present "40 Years of Video Art in Germany," a series of events supported by the German Federal Cultural Foundation. April 25, 2007

'Last Mughal' author discusses Great Mutiny's toll - More than 125 attendees came to hear renowned travel writer and historian William Dalrymple discuss his latest book, "The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi, 1857," a dynamic narrative of the violent end of the last Mughal imperial court. April 5, 2007

Jamaica Kincaid will speak at MIT - Jamaica Kincaid, celebrated Caribbean-American author, will present a talk at MIT on Wednesday, April 4, in Room 10-250 at 6:30 p.m. April 2, 2007

Author draws a bead on Bollywood - Stephen Alter, a former writer-in-residence at MIT who was born and raised in India, will deliver a talk titled "Fantasies of a Bollywood Love Thief: Inside the World of Indian Moviemaking," on Monday, April 2. March 30, 2007

Mark Doty will read poems at MIT - The List Visual Arts Center will present a poetry reading by Mark Doty on Wednesday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. in the Stata Center, Room 32-144. March 20, 2007

Writing contest seeks submissions - The Ilona Karmel Writing Prizes Competition, sponsored by the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, is accepting manuscript submissions from undergraduate and graduate students. March 14, 2007

Panel reviews four centuries of remixing the Bard - A panel of scholars discussed many of the cross-media interpretations of William Shakespeare's work at the MIT Communications Forum, "Remixing Shakespeare." February 23, 2007

Black experience dramatized by Suzan-Lori Parks Feb. 15-17 - Award-winning American playwright and screenwriter Suzan-Lori Parks will speak at MIT on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.; one of her plays will be performed Feb. 15-17. February 15, 2007

Seuss fans unite for 17th annual fete - Most people standing up to give a literary reading announce the title of the work they are about to share with their audience. Not so Professor Henry Jenkins at MIT's 17th annual Salute to Dr. Seuss. February 6, 2007

Science writer awarded physics prize - Marcia Bartusiak, a visiting professor in MIT's graduate program in science writing, joins venerable physicists in receiving the American Institute of Physics' Gemant Award. January 16, 2007

IAP rekindles 'Pleasures of Poetry' - Pleasures of Poetry, the seminar-style, daily IAP gathering to read and discuss memorable poems, began on Monday, January 8. January 10, 2007

Podcasting enables 24/7 foreign language study - MIT's Foreign Languages and Literatures section is exploring ways to use podcasting and mobile media players in language teaching, enabling their students more frequent and non-traditional ways to hear and speak new languages. January 3, 2007

Wanted: Biologists who can speak 'math' - Biologists, computer scientists and engineers speak different languages. This communications divide is becoming more of a problem now that research so often requires collaboration across disciplines. November 22, 2006

Veteran makes his peace with war stories - At first glance, Adjunct Professor Joe Haldeman appears to be a man of contradictions--a pacifist who writes about war, a former astronomy major who has spent his career working in the arts. November 9, 2006

Novelist portrays people blinded by science - Cambridge-based novelist Allegra Goodman has been recognized for her achievement in fiction by The New Yorker, which named her one of the best writers under 40; by Salon; and with a Whiting Writers' Award. November 1, 2006

Machinima group animates life 'in-world' - Student researchers working with MIT professor Beth Coleman are exploring machinima, one branch of the rapidly evolving world of computer animation, in which they are experimenting with new modes of cinematic expression. October 27, 2006

French program plumbs cultural depths - French-language students at MIT and English-language students in France are benefiting from a breakthrough method of instruction developed by Senior Lecturer Gilberte Furstenberg and her colleagues. October 27, 2006

Pulitzer-winning dramatist honored - Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist Suzan-Lori Parks will receive the 2006-2007 Eugene McDermott Award in the Arts on Oct. 27 at MIT. October 18, 2006

Iranian graphic novelist presents her recent works - The Center for Bilingual/Bicultural Studies will present an evening with Iranian graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi on Oct. 23 in the Stata Center's Kirsch Auditorium at 7 p.m. October 18, 2006

MIT Sloan alum succeeds in business ... of fiction - Procrastination has paid off pretty well for Cynthia Blair, an alumna of the MIT Sloan School of Management. Back in 1977, when Blair was supposed to be working on her master's thesis, she instead spent winter break scratching out the opening 50 pages of a novel. October 4, 2006

Henderson named dean for curriculum and faculty - Dean for Undergraduate Education Daniel Hastings has named Professor Diana Henderson the dean for curriculum and faculty. In that role she will serve as director of the new Office of Faculty Support. September 27, 2006

Exiled Nigerian novelist to read from works on campus - Award-winning Nigerian novelist, poet and jazz musician Chris Abani will begin an artist's residency at MIT on Sept. 18 with a free reading. September 13, 2006

Henderson explores many shapes of Shakespeare - Diana Henderson, professor of literature, shows in her new book, "Collaborations With the Past: Reshaping Shakespeare Across Time and Media," those trying "faithfully" to represent Shakespeare cannot do so. September 13, 2006

Jenkins illuminates clash of media - The exploding complexity of the media in today's society has set up a clash between traditional media -- print, broadcast and the corporate giants that own them -- and the constantly mutating world of new media on the Internet. August 31, 2006

Memorial planned for Professor Robert E. Jones - A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 24, at the MIT Chapel for Robert E. Jones, professor emeritus of French studies in the foreign languages and literatures section. June 16, 2006

Foreign Languages/Literature awards - 2006 Awards listings. June 7, 2006

Literature awards - 2006 Awards listings. June 7, 2006

Experts discuss MySpace issues - MIT and University of California experts recently discussed the role of social networking sites like MySpace, the forces fuelling proposed new restrictions for such youth sites and the effects of limiting participation in new media. May 24, 2006

MIT poet develops 'seeing machine' - An MIT poet has developed a small, relatively inexpensive "seeing machine" that can allow people who are blind, or visually challenged like her, to access the Internet, view the face of a friend, "previsit" unfamiliar buildings and more. May 23, 2006

MIT novelist Lightman compares science, writing - Alan Lightman gave a talk recently on his twin careers in science and writing, urging students to "find something you love, something you are passionate about, something that you feel compelled to do." April 3, 2006

Chinese scholar earns fellowship to explore race - An MIT professor of foreign languages and literature whose research focuses on pre-modern Chinese ideas about race has won a Frederick Burkhardt Residential Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies for 2007-2008. March 17, 2006

Youth benefit from digital culture, Jenkins says - Children need to participate fully in digital culture in order to develop the "skills, knowledge, ethical frameworks and self-confidence needed to be full participants in the world around them," according to MIT Professor Henry Jenkins. March 15, 2006

Writers Series presents Dorothy Allison - Dorothy Allison, whose best-selling first novel, "Bastard Out of Carolina," was a 1992 National Book Award finalist, will present a reading and talk March 1 at 7 p.m. in Room 10-250. February 28, 2006

Pinsky shares projects, poetry - Former U.S. poet laureate Robert Pinsky discussed poetry, democracy and a new opera in a two-hour panel conversation hosted by the MIT Communications Forum and held in Bartos Theater on Thursday, Feb. 23. February 28, 2006

Virtual forms for buildings and society - Two MIT faculty members presented research and offered innovative perspectives on building technology and digital literacy at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science held February 16-20 in St. Louis. February 23, 2006

Doctorow signing slated - Science fiction writer Cory Doctorow will be on campus Monday, Feb. 13, for a lecture and book signing, "Down and Out at MIT: An Evening With Cory Doctorow." February 8, 2006

IAP course delivers Hebrew in hours - The IAP Hebrew literacy marathon held Jan. 25 and 26 promised to teach 25 students what it takes many a child in Hebrew school five or six years to learn -- to read Hebrew out loud. February 1, 2006

Professor Perry gets fellowship - Professor Ruth Perry of literature has been awarded a 2006-2007 fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities to work on a biography of Anna Gordon Brown, an 18th century Scotswoman. December 21, 2005

Environmental writing contest now under way - The Working Group Recycling Committee (WGR) is now accepting essays for its first environmental writing contest. Entries are due by Jan. 30. December 7, 2005

National Academies honors Levenson's film for NOVA - Associate Professor Thomas Levenson has been awarded the 2005 National Academies Communications Award in the TV/radio category for "Origins: Back to the Beginning," a film broadcast on the NOVA series on PBS in 2004. November 30, 2005

MIT staffer finds everyday life lyrical - "If you include penguins and camels in your poems, people are more likely to accept whatever point it is you are trying to make." That's how Tina Brown Celona justifies the frequency with which cute animals turn up in her poems. November 29, 2005

MIT Latinas lift voices in film - "Nuestras Voces: Being Latina at MIT," a documentary produced by Latina MIT students and alumnae and by MIT faculty, has been included in the 2005 New England Film and Video Festival. The film will screen locally on Oct. 7. October 4, 2005

Muslim identity inspires new series of talks - The Center for Bilingual/Bicultural Studies (CBBS) is hosting a series of talks and events that explore the experience of "hyphenated" Muslim identities. September 21, 2005

Travis Merritt, professor and undergraduate leader, dies at 71 - Travis R. Merritt, a professor emeritus of literature whose enthusiastic service over four decades at MIT included taking leadership roles as dean for undergraduate academic affairs and director of the Experimental Study Group, died on Sept. 2. September 8, 2005

MIT author gets ticket to Hollywood - MIT scientist Karl Iagnemma, now developing rovers to traverse the rocky dunes of Mars, has applied the language of science to the rough terrain of the human heart--and Hollywood is taking note. June 23, 2005

'Mind and Hand' traces MIT history - A new MIT Press book by Julius A. Stratton and Loretta H. Mannix provides a rare glimpse into the earliest days of MIT. June 8, 2005

Literature awards - 2005 awards listings. June 1, 2005

Foreign Languages/Literature awards - 2005 awards listings. June 1, 2005

Ilona Karmel Writing Prizes Competition awards - 2005 awards listings. June 1, 2005

Adoption essays explore family 'Matters' - "Adoption Matters," a book of essays co-edited by Sally Haslanger, professor of linguistics and philosophy, portrays the ways that families formed through adoption are altering how we define "family," "mother" and even, "love." April 13, 2005

Brush up on history for Patriots Day - Monday isn't a holiday because of the Boston Marathon. It's Patriots Day, the day set aside to honor the Battle of Lexington and Concord, which began the Revolutionary War. April 13, 2005

Sikelianos to read poetry - Eleni Sikelianos, great-granddaughter of famed Greek lyric poet Angelos Sikelianos and a noted poet in her own right, will present a poetry@mit reading on Thursday, April 7. April 6, 2005

Grad student finds poetry in chemistry - Chemistry may be Mala Radhakrishnan's first love, but she more recently found another: writing poetry. Radhakrishnan has compiled her earliest poems into a collection titled, "Chemistry for the Couch Potato." March 30, 2005

Translator wins fellowship - An MIT translator specializing in the work of an Italian poet once called the "czar of the blush" has received the 2004 Raiziss/de Palchi Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets for an English edition of his selected poems. March 25, 2005

Author talks on Walker - "Alice Walker: A Life" was a labor of love for long-time journalist and biographer Evelyn White, who came to MIT on March 10 to discuss her process and the book itself. March 16, 2005

Elzbieta Ettinger dies at 80 - Elzbieta Ettinger, a novelist, biographer and professor of writing who helped build the MIT Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, died of heart failure in her home in Cambridge, Mass., on Saturday, March 12. March 15, 2005

Teng receives Levitan Prize - Emma Teng, associate professor of foreign languages and literature and Class of '56 Career Development Chair, has been awarded the 2005 Levitan Prize in the Humanities. March 9, 2005

Ruth Ozeki talks about her work - Filmmaker and novelist Ruth Ozeki will read from "All Over Creation," which tackles potato farming, genetic engineering and eco-terrorism, on Monday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m in Room 6-120. February 16, 2005

Poetry explored daily during January - The IAP series Pleasures of Poetry offers a daily one-hour session of reading and discussing poems that are selected and presented by members of the MIT literature department. January 10, 2005

Award sends Alter to the Himalayas - Stephen Alter has been awarded a 2004-2005 Fulbright grant to research folktales from the Himalayas from January to October 2005. November 17, 2004

Beat poet Pickard reads Nov. 18 - Tom Pickard, a Newcastle-born writer who left school at 14 and fell swiftly under the spell of American Beat poetry and poets, will present a reading at MIT. November 17, 2004

Physicist pens bio of women's rights pioneer - MIT physicist James Livingston and his wife have penned a biography of a pioneering women's rights activist and abolitionist who also happens to be Livingston's great-great-grandmother. November 10, 2004

Online student literary journal launched - A new web-based student literary journal, "e.merging: Voices on the New Diasporas," was conceived by undergraduate students and faculty advisors with a mutual interest in exploring transcultural identity. November 10, 2004

Festival ends with a flurry - "Beyond Exile: Central European Writing and Film," an MIT month-long festival of film, poetry and politics, concludes with a flurry of events on Saturday, Oct. 23. October 20, 2004

'Beyond Exile' looks at Central Europe - Foreign Languages and Literatures and The Center for Bilingual/Bicultural Studies are hosting a month-long festival of film, poetry and politics titled "Beyond Exile: Central European Writing and Film." September 29, 2004

Kelly-Douglas Fund - 2004 awards listings. June 2, 2004

Slam competition - "Poetry Slam/Verse Reading Competition" is not the first poetry slam to be held at MIT, but it is the first to emphasize the performance more than the actual poem. May 5, 2004

Author imparts inspiration - Fiction-writing, Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood told MIT students, is a combination of world travel, political science, autobiography, and constant use of a purse-sized notebook. April 14, 2004

Author imparts inspiration - Fiction-writing, Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood told MIT students, is a combination of world travel, political science, autobiography, and constant use of a purse-sized notebook. April 13, 2004

Student one of many sci-fi fans - MIT hosts large Sci-Fi library and Science Fiction Society April 7, 2004

Atwood to speak at MIT - Margaret Atwood, visiting artist and author of "Oryx and Crake," will speak at MIT this Sunday, April 4. March 31, 2004

Novelists read in Killian - Two members of the MIT Writers' Group will read from their unpublished novels in an Artists Behind the Desk event in Killian Hall. December 17, 2003

Ilona Karmel Writing Prizes Competition - Ilona Karmel Writing Prizes Competition announced. June 4, 2003

The Bard in bits and bytes - Shakespeare set the stage for a high-tech revolution in an MIT curriculum--an irony not lost on Peter Donaldson, principal investigator on the Shakespeare new media projects. May 7, 2003

Technology's past - Leave it to MIT faculty members to produce a history of the United States that gives science and technology their rightful due. April 30, 2003

Life in children's art - Sendak's 90-minute talk, "Descent into Limbo" (this year's May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture) was sponsored by the Cambridge Public Library and Children's Literature New England Inc. April 9, 2003

Scholars in France program - Seven MIT undergraduates embarked on a 17-day IAP exploration of Paris through the new January Scholars in France program. March 12, 2003

Díaz new creative writing professor - Junot Díaz, the author of "Drown", a collection of short stories, starts as an associate professor in the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies this term. February 26, 2003

'QED' performance Thursday - Award-winning actor Jeremiah Kissel will portray Nobel laureate Richard Feynman (S.B. 1939) in a staged reading of "QED," a play inspired by Feynman's writings. January 29, 2003

Play about Feynman @ MIT - Award-winning actor Jeremiah Kissel will portray Nobel laureate Richard Feynman (S.B. 1939) in a staged reading of "QED," a play inspired by Feynman's writing. January 8, 2003

'Beautiful Mind' like a Greek myth - Sylvia Nasar, professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, was the speaker for the Applied Mathematics Colloquium Monday in Room 10-250. October 30, 2002

Writing contest - Students are invited to enter a competition for the Benjamin Siegel Prize for the best-written work on issues in science, technology and society. October 23, 2002

Poet laureate - Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney will present a poetry@mit reading on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. in Room 10-250. October 9, 2002

Director of MIT Press to retire - Frank Urbanowski, who built the MIT Press into one of the world's largest and most successful university publishers, has announced his retirement. October 9, 2002

Dornbusch's writings now on display - In celebration of the written word of the late Professor Rudiger Dornbusch, MIT's Dewey Library will host an exhibition of selected writings from Oct. 1-18. October 2, 2002

Poetry series reborn - Presented by the literature faculty and enhanced by volunteer participant-leaders, "Pleasures of Poetry" will meet twice each month this fall. October 2, 2002

Kingsbury returns to MIT - Kingsbury, winner of a 2000 List Foundation Fellowship in the Arts for Students of Color, will give a reading of poetry from her new chapbook. September 11, 2002

Foreign language awards - Jamie Mak and Jessica Harvey received prizes from foreign languages and literatures. June 5, 2002

Students win writing prizes - The 2001-02 Ilona Karmel Writing Prizes Competition recognized the writing achievements of 15 seniors, seven juniors, four sophomores and eight freshmen. June 5, 2002

Nightingale to co-direct - The new co-director of the Lean Aerospace Initiative hopes to spread lean principles and practices to the entire aerospace industry through the group's new book. May 8, 2002

Foreign study award offered - The foreign languages and literatures section (FLL) is offering a $1,000 award for international travel and lodging to an undergraduate. February 13, 2002

IAP poetry course extended - "The Pleasures of Poetry ," the hourlong poetry discus- sion course held daily throughout IAP, has been extended as a result of popular demand. February 13, 2002

Program seeks writing entries - The Ilona Karmel Writing Prizes Competition, sponsored by the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, is accepting manuscript submissions from undergraduate and graduate students. February 13, 2002

Writer talks of two languages - Leila Sebbar, a francophone North African writer of French and Algerian parents, discussed growing up hearing two languages but speaking only one of them. December 5, 2001

Prose and poetry tomorrow - Lovers of the spoken word have a choice of readings to attend tomorrow night (Thursday, Nov. 15). November 14, 2001

New program accepting applicants - MIT's new Graduate Program in Science Writing is now accepting applications for its first class entering in September 2002. October 24, 2001

Writing Prizes go to 23 - On May 3, the 2000-01 Ilona Karmel Writing Prizes Competition recognized the writing achievements of 24 students. June 6, 2001

Foreign-language awards - Two students have won the first-ever annual Excellence in Foreign Languages and Literatures Award given by the foreign languages and literatures section (FLL). April 25, 2001

Poetry@mit double bill - Chinese poet Bei Dao and essayist and translator Eliot Weinberger will share the stage in a poetry@mit presentation on Thursday, April 12. April 11, 2001

Prize-winning essays sought - Essays are now being accepted for the Kelly-Douglas Traveling Fellowship and the I. Austin Kelly III Essay Prize. March 21, 2001

Writing submissions sought - The Ilona Karmel Writing Prizes Competition, sponsored by the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, is accepting manuscript submissions from undergraduate and graduate students. February 28, 2001