September 26, 2020
Greetings! There are 38 days until Election Day in the U.S. Have you made your voting plan? Find election and voting resources at MITvote.

Now, here’s a roundup of the latest from the MIT community.
 
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Flattened Fisheye
Researchers in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering have produced a fisheye lens that’s completely flat, made of a single piece of glass that produces crisp panoramic images. The design could be adapted for applications including smartphones, laptops, and medical imaging devices.
Top Headlines
Regina Barzilay wins $1M Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence Squirrel AI award
MIT professor announced as award’s first recipient for work in cancer diagnosis and drug synthesis.
Astronomers discover an Earth-sized “pi planet” with a 3.14-day orbit
The rocky world, with its baking-hot surface, is likely not habitable.
Saving Iñupiaq
Linguistics graduate student Annauk Olin is helping her Alaska Native community preserve their language and navigate the severe impact of climate change.
Why social media has changed the world — and how to fix it
MIT Professor Sinan Aral’s new book, “The Hype Machine,” explores the perils and promise of social media in a time of discord.
Examining racial attitudes in virtual spaces through gaming
Computational model developed at MIT builds off of 2019 research examining colorblind racial attitudes through a video game.
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In the Media
2021 best colleges in America // The Wall Street Journal
MIT took the number 2 spot in this year’s Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings.
From NFL to MIT: John Urschel looking to increase diversity in mathematics // ESPN
Graduate student John Urschel discusses his efforts aimed at empowering and encouraging more Black students to pursue careers in STEM fields. “Now more than ever, it’s really important that we highlight some of the diverse areas of mathematics that don’t typically get seen every day,” says Urschel.
MIT, Harvard researchers say they’re close to a new rapid Covid test // WBUR
A CRISPR-based diagnostic test for Covid-19 developed by researchers from MIT and the Broad Institute could produce results within an hour.
Opinion: With six weeks to the election, six ways to protect it // The New York Times
MIT Professor Charles Stewart III and Stanford University Professor Nathaniel Persily examine how to ensure voting is safe and accessible during this year’s presidential election.
Digit
19.5
Percentage of Covid Pass participants who used the new Johnson Testing Facility for their Covid-19 tests during its inaugural week
MIT and the Divine Nine
The term “Divine Nine,” or D9, refers to the nine historically Black Greek letter organizations in the United States. In a recent essay for the MIT Admissions blog, junior Kidist A. describes the experiences of several current and recent MIT undergraduates as they explored their options and partook in Black Greek life as MIT students and alumni. “The best way to learn about an organization is by asking members about their experiences,” she writes. “What matters most is finding a place and support system that aligns with who you are and who you want to be.” Seen above: new members of Delta Sigma Theta in a pre-Covid photo.
Watch This
Pat Pataranutaporn, a research assistant in the MIT Media Lab, focuses on wearable technology and how computers can augment and fluidly integrate with the human body. Despite his uncertainty about the future, he remains committed to learning during the pandemic.
This edition of the MIT Weekly was brought to you by an end-of-summer sunset. 🌇

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