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MIT Volunteer View

May 2008

Dear Volunteers   MIT By the Numbers The 2008 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, which gauges Americans' attitudes toward invention and innovation, revealed teens' confidence levels in helping solve society's environmental challenges and how prepared they feel for technology and engineering careers. • Percent of American teens confident they could invent something to protect and restore the natural environment: 64 • Percent of adults believing they could invent something to protect and restore the natural environment: 38 • Number of those adults who are 18-24 years old: more than half • Percent of teens believing there is value in hands-on, project-based science, technology, engineering, and math education in high schools: 79 • Percent of American teens who do not believe their high school is preparing them adequately for a career in technology and engineering: 59 As I have visited MIT clubs in the U.S. and abroad, I have been struck by the enthusiasm and dedication of alumni leaders. Invariably, they tell me that the time they devote to club activities is returned to them many times over in other benefits. Some talk about increased connections and new friendships. Others value the opportunities to learn about new ideas. Whether your volunteer experience has been in clubs, your class, or other MIT activities, both Tech Reunions in June and the Alumni Leadership Conference in September are fabulous opportunities to refresh your MIT connections and to learn about the many exciting things happening on campus. If this is your reunion year, make your plans to be on campus June 5-8. Remember all alumni—undergrads as well as graduate alumni like me—are welcome at the general festivities. I am planning to be there in June, and I guarantee that you'll have a great time. And please save the dates for the Alumni Leadership Conference Sept. 19-20. You will be energized by the experience! These two gatherings will benefit both your volunteer activities and your life beyond MIT. Just hearing professors talk is inspiring. Frankly, when someone returns home from a visit to MIT, they are more interesting to talk with. They share amazing anecdotes and new perspectives on topics discussed daily—if they can remember it all. I take notes. And, you get to hear about all this neat stuff without having to do the problem sets. Come join us! Sincerely, Harbo Jensen PhD '74 President, MIT Alumni Association

Spotlight Story Following the Energy behind Energy You've likely heard about MIT's key initiatives: energy and cancer research, global endeavors, and K-12 science and math education. But how is the Institute progressing? In this first of a series of updates, learn about the latest advancements in energy research, discover the varied ways alumni and volunteers are contributing to the efforts, and find out how to get more involved. Photo: ©istockphoto.com/Mark Evans.

Featured Volunteer Sarah Lichtblau '11 In her first stint as a fundraiser, Sarah chaired the Class of 2011 Underclassmen Giving Campaign committee and led her team of volunteers to achieve the highest participation rate among undergrad classes. In all, 42 percent of the freshman class raised $2,632—enough for three expedition grants that fund student travel to developing regions to do community service projects through the Public Service Center (PSC). "MIT does a lot for students. It is our community, and the PSC helps enrich it," she says. "Giving back is a way of showing I care and ensures that our community can prosper." One of her favorite parts of the campaign was working with other volunteers and showing fellow students what it means to support the Institute and benefit the world—especially through the immediate impacts made by the grants. Money raised during fall's weeklong push was used by students during January's Independent Activities Period. Money raised this spring will fund summer travel abroad. She also enjoyed learning how to approach people, be more persuasive, and make the case to give in a short amount of time. A mechanical engineering major, Sarah is also a member of the Model UN traveling team, belongs to the Sigma Kappa sorority, and says she would definitely love to volunteer for MIT after she graduates.

Volunteer Initiatives

Energy Research
Recent advances

• MIT Examines Reality of Slashing Gasoline Use
  Fuel use by all vehicles on U.S. roads can be slashed to pre-2000 levels within a few decades but doing so would require immediate action on several challenging fronts, according to a new analysis by MIT researchers.
  
  
• Students Harness Sunlight in Innovative Ways
  One team of students is assembling a prototype for a concentrating solar power system built from simple, inexpensive materials. Another team's design for backpack-mounted solar cells might give soldiers working in sunny but remote areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan a boost of power for their electronic devices.
  
  
• Tracking and Reducing Carbon Footprints
  An MIT class tracked the carbon footprints of different lifestyles and found that anyone who lives in the U.S. contributes more than twice as much greenhouse gas to the atmosphere as the global average. A series of new campus energy conservation projects—such as office lights that turn themselves off when no one is around and lab bench fans that shut down when you walk away—will help MIT reduce its footprint.
  
  
• Gifts Aid Electric Energy, Solar Power Research
  A $4 million gift by alumnus Emanuel E. Landsman '58, SM '59, ScD '66 and his wife, Sheila E. Landsman, will support the fields of power electronics and electric energy-related engineering. A gift from the Chesonis Family Foundation will advance solar reseaerch with the aim of making solar power America's primary carbon-free fuel.

Alumni to watch

• Eve Sprunt '72: Digging Deep for Alternative Energy Resources
  
  
• Robin Chase GM '86: Zipcar Founder Promotes Sustainability in Transportation and Urban Planning
  
  
• Aviva Brecher '68: Transportation Expert Studies Magnetic Levitation Solutions
  

Volunteer contributions

• Last October, members of the Club of Washington DC offered support to the MIT team participating in the Solar Decathlon on the National Mall. Alumni brought the students much-needed food, juice, and coffee and provided equipment from power tools to machine shops and worked alongside the students. John Krout '75 also blogged about the events.
  
  
• The Club of Germany organized a symposium in March focused on large-scale renewable energy utilization and a visit to a solar energy panel manufacturing company.

Learn more and discuss

• Energy videos
  Learn more about the MIT Energy Initiative and campus research and view interviews with MIT researchers.
  
  
• A Manifesto for Tackling Global Warming and Oil Addiction
  How can the U.S. achieve energy independence? Vijay V. Vaitheeswaran '90 argues that public policy needs to change—and people need to start paying an honest price for gasoline—before clean cars and carbon-free energy have a fighting chance.
  
  
• Powering Up With Better Hybrids
  Electric hybrid cars are all the rage with the environmentally conscious. But are they the right hybrid? Rit Booth '74 argues there's a better and often overlooked solution.
  
  
• Quick Take: Fuel
  Check out the section called Powering the World.
  
  

Want to help?

• Give to these MIT energy funds

Publicly Recognize Exceptional Volunteers

When a compliment just isn't enough for a hard-working volunteer, nominate him or her for the Volunteer Honor Roll of Service by June 30. Work must have been completed between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008.

MIT Enterprise Forum Broadcast on SBIR Grants

Find out how to kick-start a start-up using government Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants at "Innovation to Commercialization," the next MIT Enterprise Forum global broadcast on June 4. Hear three successful entrepreneurs share the highs and lows of the process and learn how to submit winning proposals. Organize a live group viewing or a delayed viewing via DVD copy. Contact EF at mitef@mit.edu or 617-253-0015 for details.

The Race to Pick Up the Pace Is ON

To date, MIT10 alumni have achieved 60 percent of their participation goal for this year's Power of Participation Challenge. To encourage them, Jerry Appelstein '80 has offered an interim competition. The three classes that add the most donors to their respective rosters between April 15 and May 20 will secure additional funding in support of MIT students. As of this week, the Class of 1998, celebrating its 10th reunion next month, is in the lead! Visit the official MIT10 site to check latest progress, meet the team of volunteers, and read an inspirational letter from Appelstein. Another 1,400 donors still need to make a gift before June 30 to achieve success, once again. If you haven't made your gift, please give today!

Student-Alumnus Teamwork Nets Important Funding for Service Grants

In just two weeks this year, 858 MIT students—28 percent of underclassmen—donated to the Underclassmen Giving Campaign. Collectively, they raised $5,376 to fund Public Service Center Expedition Grants, thereby earning Alumni Association President Harbo Jensen's additional $5,000 in support. If this many students can be supportive of MIT, you should be, too! Need more convincing? Check out the amazing report summaries from 2008 grantees, who traveled abroad to perform service including furthering public health efforts in Africa and educating street children in Cambodia.

Talking Points

Steel Away: Students Prepare for Bridge Contest

View video of an MIT team practicing its steel bridge construction sequence in preparation for the American Society of Civil Engineers National Steel Bridge Competition May 23-24 in Florida. Their bridge must withstand a 2,500-pound load and will be judged, in part, on construction speed.

New Approach Repairs Airway Injuries

MIT tissue engineers have successfully healed airway injuries in rabbits using a novel cellular technique. This approach could lead to new treatments for human tracheal injuries caused by smoke inhalation as well as damage to other parts of the body.

Study of Universal Day Care Paints Mixed Picture

Universal day care, the recurring dream of working parents everywhere, benefits adults economically but may affect young children's well being, according to an MIT economist's study of a highly subsidized childcare program in Quebec.

$4 Million Gift Supports Neuroscience Innovation at MIT

Restoring memories by flashing brain cells with lasers and dissecting the genetic basis for language learning are among the projects at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT to be funded with a new $4 million gift from the Picower Foundation.

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Volunteer View, a monthly e-newsletter for MIT volunteers, is available in HTML and text-only formats. To receive the text-only format, please email mitalum@mit.edu.

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