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The iconic MIT home page Spotlight features a daily-changing image and design that focuses on advances in research, technology and education taking place at the Institute. Though some Spotlights do run multiple days - for example Friday's spot usually runs through the weekend, we work very hard to maintain the daily-changing tradition. We've combed our servers and have compiled a digital archive of the Institute home page through the years - well over 2000 images. Enjoy!
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The light stuffToday’s Spotlight features micrographs, by Stephen Steiner, of carbon fibers covered in carbon nanotubes in a photo‑ collage by Christine Daniloff/MIT.

These days, aerospace engineering is all about the light stuff: building airplanes with lighter wings, fuselage and landing gear in an effort to reduce fuel costs.

Advanced carbon‑fiber composites have been used in recent years to lighten planes’ loads. These materials can match aluminum and titanium in strength but at a fraction of the weight, and can be found in aircraft like the Boeing 787 and Airbus A380, reducing such jets’ weight by 20 percent.

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The MIT home page Spotlight showcases the research, technology and education advances taking place at the Institute every day.

What makes it as a Spotlight image is an editorial decision by the MIT News Office based on factors that include timeliness, promotion of MIT's mission, the balance of interest to both internal and external audiences, and appropriateness.

We do welcome ideas and submissions for spotlights from community members, but please note we are not able to accommodate all requests. We are unable to run event previews or promotions as spotlights; for those looking to promote an event, we are happy to include your listing as an event headline on the homepage (when space is available) and you are free to submit an Of Note to the MIT News office. For more information, e-mail the spotlight team.

Request a Spotlight, Of Note or Event Headline, here.
At the water’s edge

At the water’s edge

Today’s Spotlight uses a photograph, taken by M. Scott Brauer, of Roman Stocker, associate professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at MIT.

Roman Stocker was introduced to the world of civil engineering early, often, and all over the place. Born in Vienna to parents from the South Tyrol, a bilingual region in northern Italy, Stocker says, “We moved around a bit.” That’s a bit of an understatement.

Stocker’s father is a civil engineer who moved wherever his work took him. The family’s time in Vienna coincided with his work managing the construction of a bridge; they then moved to Nigeria for the construction of a large dam. After two years, the Stockers relocated to a remote desert in Yemen, site of a new highway to Saudi Arabia.

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