Q: Are faculty willing to speak to an MIT club or group?
A: Many MIT faculty are willing to speak and present to MIT alumni through volunteer-led programs aligned with our clubs, affinity and shared interest groups.

Q: Is there a preferred way to request a faculty member to speak at my event? 
A: Yes. After you have connected with your MITAA staff liaison, please complete this form to request a faculty speaker. The MITAA is part of the greater MIT ecosystem, and we have a direct line to faculty through our campus partners, who work directly with faculty and are the appropriate points of contact to help navigate speaker requests quickly and efficiently.

Q: Can’t I just contact them directly? 
A: MIT faculty tell us they prefer to receive speaker requests directly from the MITAA. Because faculty receive thousands of emails and many, many phone calls, a request from an individual can be easily lost or overlooked, but through our campus partners we can obtain the quickest and most informed response for you and your group.

Q: What if I know a professor personally―why can’t I just reach out? 
A: While some alumni have close relationships with faculty, we ask that you inform us before you ask. This way we can provide you with the names of key stakeholders or staff who should be included and copied on your outreach to faculty, along with MITAA staff.

Q: How far in advance should I make a request? 
A: Requests for faculty should be made at least 3 months in advance of the date of the event. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to us at aafacultyspeaker-request@mit.edu.

Q: Do I need to have a faculty member in mind when I contact the MITAA? 
A: No. We are happy to be thought partners in choosing a speaker for your event, but we do find it helpful if you have a topic or research area in mind when making the request.

Q: Is there a limit to how many faculty I can request? 
A: Yes. We ask for no more than 3 faculty requests per volunteer/club/group at a time, and no more than 3 faculty requests per semester calendar for the same club or group.

Q: Why all the guidelines? 
A: MIT faculty receive thousands of emails, and alumni are not the only individuals making requests of their limited time. The protocols and guidelines presented here are based on years of working with faculty and are designed to ensure that you can benefit from our campus-wide partnerships, and you will in most cases receive a more timely reply.

Q: How do I make a faculty speaker request? 
A: Complete the intake form. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact your staff liaison, or reach out directly to the Alumni Programs team at: aafacultyspeaker-request@mit.edu.

Q: How long does it take to hear back from MITAA staff? 
A: You will hear back from your initial form submission request within 2–3 business days. Response time from faculty regarding booking requests will vary.

Q: How quickly will my confirmed faculty member be scheduled? 
A: Depending on the time of year and faculty schedules, there may be a time lag. We will keep you updated on the stages of the request. Thank you for your patience.