Technology and society

3 Questions: Walt HenryFacilities engineer discusses how MIT is leading the way for universities to practice what they preach on energy efficiency.

Bringing innovation to the worldMIT’s Deshpande Center helps technologies bridge the gap between the lab and the marketplace. The Obama administration likes what it sees.

In the World: Drinking water, from sunshineMIT team designs solar-powered portable desalination system to use in disaster zones and remote regions.

Construction begins on high-performance computing centerPresident Hockfield joins Gov. Patrick and others at groundbreaking ceremony.

Frank talk on U.S. energy innovationMIT alumnus Steven E. Koonin, DoE under secretary for science, says economics, not technology, is the driver.

Hockfield says research universities must help cultivate science, math teachersAt a Brookings Institution event, the MIT president warns U.S. STEM-education gap to have ‘disastrous consequences’ on nation.

Disembodied performanceTod Machover’s Death and the Powers, which features robots as performers, premieres this month. Is this the future of opera?

Said and DoneHumanities, arts, and social sciences digest for August 2010

Financial impacts of ‘cap and trade’Analysis shows that, contrary to some claims, proposed legislation to limit carbon emissions would not disadvantage those with lower incomes.

Jodie Wu ’09 and Jamie Yang PhD ’08 selected as 2010 Echoing Green FellowsChosen from a pool of 1,000 applicants from 73 countries

Global water issues call on humanities and social science research

MIT’s Joseph Coughlin chosen as one of the '10 Most Creative People on Twitter'

Carl Kaysen commemoration to be held Saturday

Slideshow: Mapping the oil spillMIT student leads project using balloons and kites to provide aerial documentation of the Gulf oil slick’s extent and effects

NASA chief defends Obama’s space planIn MIT visit, Charles Bolden touts proposed expansion in R&D funding

Tom Pettitt on the Gutenberg ParenthesisPresented by the MIT Communications Forum — hosted by James Paradis with respondent Peter Donaldson

3 Questions: Stephen Connors on offshore wind farmsWhat the federal approval of the Cape Wind project will mean for Massachusetts and the nation

3 Questions: David Jones on heart problemsPhysician and historian of medicine explains why bypass surgery is popular even though it fails to help many patients.

Bill Gates visits MITCalls for a spirit of service

3 Questions: Bill Gates on MITAfter speaking about the importance of giving back, the philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder spoke to MIT News about innovation and learning at MIT

Guerrilla reporting in ‘difficult places’Activists describe their experiences using new technology to build free media networks in countries with scant resources or oppressive regimes.

Six from MIT elected to AAAS

In the World: Better wound treatment for allA streamlined version of 'negative-pressure' wound therapy is put to the test in Haiti — and could have 'enormous potential' across the developing world.

Bill Gates to visit MIT on April 21In a presentation at Kresge Auditorium, the philanthropist will discuss the importance of service.

In the World: Nanotech on the farmMIT chemical engineer Paula Hammond lends her nanotechnology expertise to farmers in Africa.

Explained: Radiative forcingWhen there’s more energy radiating down on the planet than there is radiating back out to space, something’s going to have to heat up

Action needed to save climate, create jobsMIT Energy Conference speakers see need to boost clean-energy businesses through a price on carbon and incentives for manufacturing

Communications Forum on The Culture Beat and New MediaFeaturing Bill Marx, Douglas McLennan, moderated by David Thorburn

Clapperton Mavhunga named Poesis FellowInaugural group to focus on rethinking cities