~ DECEMBER 20, 2024 ~

DEPARTMENT NEWS AND NOTICES

Winter Break Airport Shuttle

The Parking & Transportation office will once again provide shuttle service to Logan Airport for Winter break. Shuttles will be available on Saturday, December 21st, Monday, December 23rd, and Tuesday, December 24th, at the scheduled departure times.

Advanced reservations are required. 

Please refrain from making multiple reservations as it reduces the availability for others to find a time slot.

Please visit the Parking & Transportation website reservations page to reserve a seat at a cost of $15.00. All reservations will be processed via the website, and the shuttle fee will be billed to the student bursar accounts or via employee payroll deductions.

Shuttles will depart from the Chapel shuttle stop on Amherst Street at the scheduled times. Please make sure you arrive on time as the shuttles need to maintain the posted scheduled departures. The normal trip to Logan Airport is about a half-hour, however you should allow up to an hour as traffic, construction, and airport security delays should be expected.

Workshop on Basic Computing Services in the Physics Department - subMIT

The subMIT computing facility is a login pool that is designed to provide access to the basic research computing resources of the physics department and beyond.

This one day workshop will provide an overview and updates on the status and plans for the system and project, as well as topical presentations on a range of use cases.

Additionally, there will be tutorial sessions. Bring your laptop to run the examples in real-time or just sit back and listen to the accompanying instructional talk.

More info on the subMIT project as well as user documentation is available at https://submit.mit.edu

The workshop will take place in the Kolker Room (26-414) and a Zoom: https://mit.zoom.us/j/96743699673?pwd=b3h2Q3c3cVQwYW12blhMUG5SWXZCZz09

Refreshments will be provided during coffee breaks!

Please note: the details of the schedule of individual talks may change as we work to accommodate new requests for contributions.

Starts Jan 30, 2025, 9:00 AM Ends Jan 30, 2025, 5:00 PM America/New_York
26-414 (Kolker room)

Latest Physics news

• Physicists magnetize a material with light
• Physicists measure quantum geometry for first time
• Physics graduate student Andrew Denniston and colleagues honored in Physics World’s Top 10 Breakthroughs of the Year for 2024
• Sylvia Biscoveanu PhD ’23 named to 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30

UPCOMING COLLOQUIA & SEMINARS

No upcoming colloquiua or seminars until January 2025

COURSE ANNOUNCEMENTS

[IAP] MIT Quantum Winter School - Application Open!

MIT's Quantum Winter School –– a four-day intensive introduction to quantum computing –– is happening January 21-24 (in-person at MIT)!

Quantum computation is a growing field at the intersection of physics, computer science, electrical engineering, and applied math. This intensive, hands-on program provides an introduction to the basics of quantum computation, using foundational concepts from quantum mechanics -- superposition, interference, and entanglement -- to guide the learning. Over the course of five days, students will master the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and linear algebra and learn how to construct their own quantum algorithms. Students will also learn how to code quantum circuits using quantum SDKs. This course is self-contained and does not require any prior knowledge of quantum mechanics.

The primary goal of the program is to prepare students for the iQuHACK quantum hackathon hosted by iQuISE at the end of IAP. The first four days will consist of lectures in the morning followed by a problem solving session in the afternoon. The final day will consist of short presentations by students as well as talks from industry sponsors.

This course is open to all students in the Boston area. Apply here! Applications are due by December 16th.

[IAP] Intro to LaTeX IAP asynchronous workshop

Introduction to LaTeX, the typsetting system used for professional-style writing in physics, math, and other equation-heavy fields. Students learn basic codes, packages, and formatting. This self-paced, asynchronous workshop is geared for Course 18 majors, but will also be useful for any future  Junior Lab students. Enrollment unlimited, but sign-up required to have Canvas access.

[IAP] 3-DAY CRASH COURSE ON NEGOTIATION

Become familiar with the science and practice of negotiations in a three-day crash course (the last week of IAP) from an award-winning professor of negotiations at MIT's Sloan School of Management!

No matter how excellent your ideas, most significant achievements require the ability to communicate with and influence others. This course examines the theory, research, and practice of negotiation across a variety of settings. It provides multiple opportunities for students to develop negotiation skills through role-plays, exercises, and useful analytical frameworks. Topics include distributive and integrative bargaining, psychological biases, lessons from game theory, principles of influence, multiparty negotiation, and the value of relationships and trust.

For more information and to apply now, visit the course website at http://negotiation.mit.edu. The course will be taught in-person this year.

[IAP/SPRING] EC.050/EC.090 (G) Re-create Experiments from History: Inform the Future from the Past

Re-create Experiments from History: Inform the Future from the Past
Monday Wednesday Friday, 1pm-5pm plus TBA. 6 units. First session Jan. 6, 2025

• Create and re-create experiments fueled by your own questions and curiosities.
• Discover your interests in dialogue with historical figures and indigenous experience.
• Explore hands-on.
• Listen to voices of others, now and in the past.   Examine injustice.
• Build community that is relational.  Encourage each other’s curiosity, vulnerability and growth. 
• Your own story uncovers insights for educational research.

Past projects: following shadows; watching the sky; historical instruments; reenacting historical and feminist drama; art using historical methods; making educational or high speed videos; collaborative experiments; presentations; MIT History… Whatever your interests, this is a place to explore them.

Contact: Elizabeth Cavicchi ecavicch@mit.edu
Poster:  EC.050 090 IAP 2025

[IAP/SPRING] EAPS courses coming in up IAP and Spring 2025

New Special Topics and New Faculty Teaching in IAP 2025

• 12.S590: Special Seminar in Geophysics – Geosciences and the Energy Transition Challenge
• 12.S594: Special Seminar in Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science – Auditory Perception of Natural Data, Part I (Direct Sonification of Oscillatory Signals) 
• 12.310 An Introduction to Weather Forecasting

New Courses and New Faculty Teaching in Spring 2025

• 12.002 Introduction to Geophysics and Planetary Science
• 12.003 Introduction to Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics
• 12.108 Earth Materials: Minerals and Rocks
• 12.110A Sedimentary Environments
• 12.110B Sedimentology in the Field
• 12.307 Weather and Climate Laboratory

Rescheduled from Fall 2024

• 12.421 Physical Principles of Remote Sensing

Read more about these upcoming courses: https://eaps.mit.edu/education/classes/

[SPRING] 8.006 Exploring Physics Using Python

Can coding help you learn physics? Can physics help you learn coding?

8.006 Exploring Physics Using Python (at an introductory level)
Now offered in spring semester

Curious about coding or physics?

• Discover a different way of engaging with physics as we apply computational modeling & simple algorithms/techniques to physical systems in hands-on, interactive classes
  
• Great for students considering a Course 6 or Course 8 major but are interested in an interdisciplinary approach or career
  
• Become more competitive for UROPs
  
• To be taken with or after 6.100L or 6.100A (or demonstrate equivalent knowledge)
  
• Meets 2 hours per week, 1 Problem Set per semester, Pass/D/F, no Final Exam

Double dip: When taken simultaneously with 6.100L, the 8.006 Problem Set also counts as one 6.100L PSet

Please reach out to Matt Heine (mheine@mit.edu) with any questions!

[SPRING] 2.c01 / 2.c51 Machine learning for physical systems

Physical Systems Modeling and Design Using Machine Learning

Offered under: 2.C01, 2.C51
Level: Undergraduate and Graduate
Units: 6
Prerequisite: 2.086
Instructors: George Barbastathis (Mechanical Engineering)

Encourages open-ended exploration of the increasingly topical intersection between artificial intelligence and the physical sciences. Uses energy and information, and their respective optimality conditions, to define supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms as well as ordinary and partial differential equations. Subsequently, physical systems with complex constitutive relationships are drawn from elasticity, biophysics, fluid mechanics, hydrodynamics, acoustics, and electromagnetics to illustrate how machine learning-inspired optimization can approximate solutions to forward and inverse problems in these domains. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.

Note: The class is in the second half of the spring semester and must be taken consecutively after 6.c01 / 6.c51 in the first half.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Wallace Observatory Tour - The Planets!

Who: All Students
When: Monday, January 6, 2025 | 6pm to 8pm ET
Where: Wallace Observatory (You will need to provide your own transportation)

We are pleased to invite you to the 2025 IAP Tour of MIT's Wallace Astrophysical Observatory.  The tour is off campus at MIT Wallace Observatory in Westford, MA from 6-8PM.  You will need to provide your own transportation.  The tour will include standing outside at our optical observatory, located on MIT's idylic 1300 acre Millstone Hill property, where we will view the Moon, and several planets through our several large telescopes.  

This event is intended for MIT Community members and their families who have registered for a ticket on Eventbrite.  You may not bring someone who is not registered or show up unannounced. 

It will be COLD, so please dress accordingly.  We will have hot refreshments inside (tea and hot cocoa etc.).  

Location: 50 Groton Rd., Westford, MA 01886.  

Rain date and Weather: Tour is weather dependant.  If we determine weather is going to be bad (snow/rain or heavy clouds), we will cancel the tour and try to find a new date in the near future.  

Cost: No charge for MIT Community members.  We do accept donations to support our outreach efforts. :)

Additional Info: Please note, this tour is at a remote site off-campus. We do have a bathroom on site.  The site is not entirely accessible - if you require any accommodations, please contact wao@mit.edu ahead of time to discuss your needs.  To access the telescope domes you must be able to climb narrow winding staircases.  To access any telescope, you must be able to climb a step ladder/stairs.  All entrances require one to use a step.  Young children will find it difficult to reach eyepieces - we recommend 8yo and above, but please feel free to inquire further if you have questions.

Tools and Tips for Thesis Authors

Who: All Students
When: Thursday, January 9, 2025 | 1pm to 2:30pm ET
Where: VIRTUAL

So it's time to write your thesis. What do you need to know about the process? What tools and experts are out there to help? This session will cover the required specifications for submitting your thesis, writing with the Overleaf LaTeX thesis template, ways to approach your literature review section, tools for organizing your literature, and options for managing and sharing related data and code. We'll review some common copyright questions related to theses, including whether you need permission to use certain figures in your thesis, and what is involved when you want to publish parts of your thesis before or after the thesis is submitted. This session is appropriate for anyone who is currently or planning to write a thesis at MIT. Save yourself time and frustration!

Since many topics are MIT-specific, this workshop is limited to MIT community members. The workshop will be on Zoom, and the link will be sent to registrants. Instructors will be available at the end to answer specific questions.

Register here. 

Wallace Observatory - Astrophotography Session

Who: All Students
When: Monday, January 13, 2025 | 6:30pm to 8:30pm ET
Where: VIRTUAL

Back by popular demand, we are pleased to invite you to the 2025 IAP Astrophotography Session at MIT's Wallace Astrophysical Observatory.  The event is off campus at MIT Wallace Observatory in Westford, MA from 6:30-8:30PM.  You will need to provide your own transportation.  The tour will include standing outside at our optical observatory, located on MIT's idylic 1300 acre Millstone Hill property, where we will let visitors use our science cameras to image the Moon and planets with our several large telescopes.  

This event is intended for MIT Community members who are interested in astrophotography and have registered for a ticket on Eventbrite.  You may not bring someone who is not registered or show up unannounced.  If you have attended in the past, please allow for new people to join this one.  We hope to have more offerings for experienced astrophotographers in the future.

It will be COLD, so please dress accordingly.  We will have hot refreshments inside (tea and hot cocoa etc.).  

Location: 50 Groton Rd., Westford, MA 01886.  

Rain date and Weather: Session is weather dependant.  If we determine weather is going to be bad (snow/rain or heavy clouds), we will cancel the event and try to find a new date in the near future.  

Cost: No charge for MIT Community members.  We do accept donations to support our outreach efforts. :)

Additional Info: Please note, this tour is at a remote site off-campus. We do have a bathroom on site.  The site is not entirely accessible - if you require any accommodations, please contact wao@mit.edu ahead of time to discuss your needs.  To access the telescope domes you must be able to climb narrow winding staircases.  To access any telescope, you must be able to climb a step ladder/stairs.  All entrances require one to use a step.  Young children will find it difficult to reach eyepieces - we recommend 8yo and above, but please feel free to inquire further if you have questions.

DOE Quantum Information Science Career Fair

Who: All Students
When: Wednesday, January 22, 2025 | 11am – 6pm ET
Where: VIRTUAL

2025 is the International Year of Quantum. Celebrate with us at the fourth annual Quantum Information Science (QIS) Career Fair, hosted by the National QIS Research Centers.

At our free, one-of-a-kind QIS Career Fair, you can

• meet one-on-one with QIS employers in academia, industry, and government.
• hear from leaders and decision makers.
• connect with scientists, engineers, technicians, and operations experts.

Anyone curious about a quantum career is encouraged to attend.

Register today: http://www.bnl.gov/nqisrccareerfair/

GSC Ski Trip

Who: Graduate Students
When: January 24-27, 2025
Where: Jay Peak, Vermont

Ticket sales for the annual GSC Ski Trip go on sale October 30th @ 9AM!

The Graduate Student Council’s annual ski trip will run from January 24-27, 2025 at Jay Peak, Vermont.

Early bird ticket prices are $355 (+$45 for bus transportation). Early bird tickets are extremely limited, get yours before they sell out and prices increase!

All tickets include 3 days of skiing/snowboarding + on-mountain lodging + an exclusive waterpark party. Additional information can be found below and on the ticket sales website FAQ.

Link for Ticket Sales: https://bitly.cx/1eDZHZ  

• ONLY grad students and their guests are eligible.
• ONLY those over 21 years of age are eligible (IDs will be checked at the bus).

We are looking forward to another amazing trip this year. We hope to see you there!

MIT GSC Ski Committee (gsc-skitrip@mit.edu)

Gaia Astrophysics Hackathon

Who: All Students
When: January 27-30, 2025
Where: 32-082

Gaia Astrophysics Hackaton

What’s Gaia?

Gaia is a space telescope that measures the position and velocities of stars in the Milky Way. 

The Gaia data is the largest stellar catalog to date, with the velocities and positions of 1.5 billion stars in the Milky Way! 

No prior knowledge of the dataset is required. 

Timetable

• Tutorials: January 27, 2025 in 32-082
• Hackathon starting: January 28-30, 2025 in 32-082.
• Everyone is welcome!
• There will be prizes for undergraduate participants
• The coolest plot. 
• The coolest science result. 
• The cleanest code. 

Undergraduate Applicants:

Required:

• Enthusian for programming and data.
• Undergraduate from any course (not necessarily course 8).
• Collaborative spirit.

Might help:

• Experience in programming (2 semesters or equivalent).
• Knowledge of Github.

Optional: 

• Previous experience with computer clusters, Python, SQL.

If you have any questions please email Prof. Lina Necib at lnecib@mit.edu

If you would like to receive updates, please sign up here

FELLOWSHIPS/GRANTS

Projects for Peace Fellowship MIT PKG Center

Who: Graduate Students
Deadline: January 27, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Posted: 12/13/2024

MIT PKG Center is excited to open the call for Projects for Peace grant applications. Open to students currently attending MIT PKG Center, Projects for Peace awards $10,000 in grant funding for an original project designed to be implemented over summer 2025. A committee of experts from MIT PKG Center reviews applicants each year before submitting a final choice and alternate project to Projects for Peace headquarters.

Projects for Peace is a global program that encourages young adults to develop innovative, community-centered, and scalable responses to the world’s most pressing issues. Along the way, these student leaders increase their knowledge, improve skills, and establish identities as peacebuilders and changemakers. MIT PKG Center has been a partner with Projects for Peace since 2008 and has awarded 17 grants to date. You can click here for more information: Projects For Peace

Applications are due by 9:00 a.m. on 1/27/2025, emailed to davis-peace@mit.edu. Questions about Projects for Peace and the application process should be directed to Alison Hynd, email: hynd@mit.edu .  

You can also schedule a time to talk out any questions you might have here: 15min advising sessions

Also join us for an info session by signing up below: 
Info session Thursday, January 9, 2025 | 2pm to 3pm

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

MITOC Winter School IAP 2025

Who: All Students
Deadline: ASAP
Posted: 12/20/2024

Join MITOC’s winter school, our annual IAP crash-course in cold-weather activities to participate in fun outdoor adventures, learn new outdoor skills, and connect with a community of awesome people who love the outdoors!
Want to see what happens at winter school, check out these MITOCers celebrating Winter! With more than 700+ participants and 80+ trips annually (87 last year), every weekend of IAP will give you an opportunity to go hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, backcountry skiing, ice climbing, camping, orienteering, and more!

A few important notes: 

• There are no experience or fitness requirements! There are trips for all fitness and experience

levels, including beginner-level trips every weekend.

• You do not need to be hardcore or love freezing. We will teach you the skills you need to know

and how to keep comfortable!

• MITOC rents out gear, so you can easily rent any gear you might need for a trip. 

• Extensive financial aid is available towards costs of a trip!

• You and your friend can join a trip together by pairing up in the lottery system.

To partake, sign up for both the mandatory January 7 and January 9 safety lectures! (Beyond the safety lectures, all MITOC trips are listed here)

Shape the Future of Negotiation at MIT!

Who: All Students
Deadline: January 3, 2025
Posted: 12/20/2024

Are you ready to lead the way in AI innovation? The first-ever MIT AI Negotiation Competition is here, inviting you to create negotiation bots that advance the art and science of negotiation!

Design prompts for AI-powered agents to excel in:

●      Value creation: Expanding the pie

●      Value claiming: Advocating for your share

●      Subjective value: Leaving a lasting impression

Top performers will earn:
🏆 Recognition on our website
🎓 Access to Mastering Negotiation Skills with AI, a cutting-edge MIT Sloan training program
🎟️ Free admission to the MIT-Harvard PON AI Negotiation Summit

Plus, you’ll compete in a thrilling Bot vs. Human negotiation showdown, with additional prizes awarded to the best human negotiators!

The competition is entirely online, so you can join from anywhere! Applications close January 3, 2025. Don’t miss this opportunity to innovate, compete, and connect with a global community.

Apply now to be part of this groundbreaking journey: http://negotiation.mit.edu/ai

Call for Essays- SERC 10K Prize Essay contest: Envisioning the Future of Computing

Who: All Students
Deadline: February 9, 2025, 11:59PM
Posted: 12/13/2024

The Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC), a cross-cutting initiative within the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, in collaboration with the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, invites MIT students to envision the future of computing.

Tell us your ideas, aspirations, and vision for what you think the future holds. The winning entry of the Envisioning the Future of Computing Prize competition will be awarded a grand prize of $10K. In addition, we will recognize two runner ups with $5K each, and up to 12 honorable mentions with $1,000 each. 

Submissions are due by midnight on February 9, 2025, 11:59PM.  

Prizes 

The following prizes will be awarded: 

• $10K to the winning entry 
• $5K each to two runner ups 
• $1,000 each to up to 12 honorable mentions 

Undergraduates will receive their money just prior to graduation. 

Siegel Writing Prize Now Open - $1250 Prize

Who: All Students
Deadline: Friday, February 21st, 2025 until midnight
Posted: 12/20/2024

The Benjamin Siegel Prize of $1250 is awarded to two students, one undergraduate and one graduate student, at MIT for submitting the best written work on issues in science, technology, and society.  The prize is open to all undergraduate and graduate students from any school or department of the Institute. 

Submission Requirements

1. Graduates: Submit a PDF of your sole-authored work of 50 pages or less written in the last two academic years.
2. Undergraduates: Submit a PDF of your sole-authored work of 25 pages or less written in the last two academic years.
3. Include a cover page with author identification, complete contact information, year, and program of study. 
4. Do not include any identifiers within the body of the work.

Email Submissions to: Mina Hadley at wihadley@mit.edu  

Submission Deadline: Friday, February 21st, 2025 until midnight

MIT Washington Summer Internship Program

Who: Undergraduate Students
Deadline: January 6, 2025
Posted: 11/8/2024

The MIT Washington Summer Internship Program is now accepting applications!

The MIT Washington Program has, since 1995, placed undergraduates from across the Institute in summer internships focused on the intersection of science, technology, and public policy. Housing and a stipend are provided, and clerical work is minimized, so students can apply their research, analysis, and writing skills for their internship sponsors, which include many of the country's most influential offices and organizations.

The program includes on-campus classes before and after the internships and requires a spring break trip to Washington. Participants come from every part of MIT and apply their experience in a wide range of careers, from research to management to scientific policymaking.

To learn more about the work that interns complete as part of our program, navigate to the interns page.

To learn more about our program, join us for an information session:

November 13th, 2024
Student Center room 401
7:00pm
Pizza will be served!

Please email Katherine Hoss (hoss@mit.edu) with questions.

MCQST Summer Bachelor Program

Who: Undergraduate Students
Deadline: February 1, 2025
Posted: 11/15/2024

Dive into Quantum Science and Technology (QST) at the Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST) with our Summer Bachelor Program.

Join undergraduates from all over the world for an immersive experience:
• Explore QST research in Munich
• Kick off the program with a retreat in a Bavarian Town
• Engage in a 3-week project within a cutting-edge research group
• Embrace Munich's culture through social activities

By the end of the program, you will have gained firsthand expert knowledge in quantum science and technology, as well as familiarity with the Munich research environment.

Program Dates: 29 July – 29 August, 2025
Target Group: Bachelor students enrolled in an undergraduate degree in physics, mathematics, computer science, electrical engineering, materials science, or chemistry.

Find out more and apply: https://www.mcqst.de/support/summer-bachelor-program/
Application deadline: February 1, 2025
Questions? Reach out to us at summer@mcqst.de

Summer REU Program in Marine Science at the University of Delaware

Who: Undergraduate Students
Deadline: February 14, 2025
Posted: 11/22/2024

Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Ocean Sciences, this Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program offers undergraduates in STEM an opportunity to conduct guided research internships in marine science.

Under the guidance of a faculty mentor, interns work in a research-intensive atmosphere on a topic in chemical, physical, or biological oceanography or marine biology/geology/ biogeochemistry. The program includes weekly research seminars, professional development presentations, and field trips to nearby coastal marine systems. Interns will also present written and oral reports at the close of the program. For more information, contact Dr. Joanna York at jyork@udel.edu or 1-302-831-7040.

The Summer 2025 program will run for 10 weeks from Monday, June 2 to Friday, August 8 (pending funding). Student support includes a $7,200 stipend, free housing, and travel assistance for the 10-week program.

The deadline to apply is February 14, 2025.

Summer REU Program at Kansas State University

Who: Undergraduate Students
Deadline: February 18, 2025
Posted: 12/20/2024

Kansas State University Physics REU: Interactions of Matter, Light & Learning

Cutting-edge Research

• Perform faculty- mentored research projects in areas including ultrafast lasers and attosecond physics, high energy and neutrino physics, nanoscale materials, biological physics, or cosmology

Professional Development

• Attend professional development workshops
• Receive training in science communication
• Enjoy group social activities in the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas

Program Information

• Stipend of $6,365 for 10 weeks of research
• Travel allowance up to $1,250
• Campus housing and meal plan provided
• Funded by National Science Foundation award 2244539

Program Dates: May 26 to August 1

Connect with us: phys.ksu.edu/reu/

Get in touch: reu@physics.ksu.edu

Princeton University Quantum Science and Engineering PhD program

Who: Undergraduate Students
Deadline: March 15, 2025
Posted: 9/20/2024

Princeton University is accepting applications for our new PhD program in Quantum Science and Engineering, providing graduate training in a new discipline at the intersection of quantum physics and information theory. The Princeton Quantum Science and Engineering community is unique in its interdisciplinary breadth combined with foundational research in quantum information and quantum matter. The research community strongly values interdisciplinarity, collaboration, depth, and fostering a close-knit community that enables fundamental and impactful advances.

Our curriculum places students in an excellent position to build new quantum systems, discover new technological innovations, become leaders in the emergent quantum industry, and make deep, lasting contributions to quantum information science. The QSE graduate program aims to provide a strong foundation of fundamentals through a three-course core, as well as opportunities to explore the frontiers of current research through electives.

Most students enter the program with an undergraduate degree in physics, electrical engineering, computer science, chemistry, materials science, or a related discipline. When you apply, you should indicate what broad research areas (https://quantum.princeton.edu/research) you are interested in: Quantum Systems Experiment, Quantum Systems Theory, Quantum Materials Science, or Quantum Computer Science.

More info: https://quantum.princeton.edu/qse-phd-program