Geobiologist Greg Fournier seeks to uncover the conditions leading to the emergence of life. “Our work can help us to understand the time and evolutionary processes that can lead to that critical ‘ecogenesis’ stage, and to perhaps recognize it in other worlds,” he says.

José Maria Neves, the president of Cape Verde, toured MIT on Tuesday. The visit featured a public seminar on African governance, as well as meetings with faculty, students, and staff.

Blanche Staton has been a transformational leader at MIT. Set to retire this spring, she has made an indelible mark on graduate student living and learning over a quarter century at the Institute.

Via @TPPMIT on Twitter: “TPP students standing in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building where they met with Christine McDonald SM ’01 and Paul Shawcross ’87, ’88, SM ’93 at the @OMBPress. Thank you for a great visit!”

Senior Victor Damptey is bringing his Spanish-language skills to bear as he works toward a career as a physician-scientist. "In a health care setting where a patient’s health is on the line, it becomes clear how important it is to properly communicate,” he says.

Via @WeNeedToTalk on Twitter: “A lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut led Jasmin Moghbeli to MIT, where she captained the women’s basketball and lacrosse teams. The next stop in her journey is space.”