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Alumni Home > News & Events > Noteworthy > E-Newsletters

eAVC - The Monthly e-Newsletter for MIT Volunteers

November 2005

In This Issue:

Dear MIT Volunteer,

Thanksgiving in America evokes in many of us feelings of gratitude and nostalgia, but it will be bittersweet for alumni affected this year by natural disasters. As you continue to support MIT's fundraising efforts, please remind fellow alumni that they can support a wide variety of causes they care deeply about through gifts to MIT targeting research and hands-on efforts.

For example, the symposia Big Questions After Big Hurricanes discussed recovery solutions and improvements to lessen damage from storms. Professors from civil and environmental engineering; urban studies and planning; science, technology and society; architecture; earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences, and more contributed to the events. Donations can be made specifically to any of these departments and schools.

Alumni can also directly support labs and research centers as well as student clubs and learning opportunities that focus on the world's challenges. They can provide fellowships for MIT students to volunteer in areas affected by hurricane Katrina. They can advance the knowledge of diseases by donating to the Center for Cancer Research. Or, they can help undergraduates participate in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). The choices are as vast as the research and learning occurring on campus. And, thanks to a temporary tax law change passed by Congress, cash charitable contributions made between Aug. 28 and Dec. 31 are deductible up to 100 percent of your adjusted gross income.

My thanks for the time, talent, and treasure you so generously give to the Institute. Donating a bit of your treasure at year end 2005 not only benefits MIT, it benefits the world as well. I encourage you to share that message with your fellow alumni.

Sincerely,
Scott P. Marks Jr. '68

Association Talking Points

Find and Post Volunteer Opportunities Online

Need help with an event? Looking for a new way to donate your time to MIT? Use the volunteer opportunities bulletin board. Post short- and long-term positions for all alumni to view, or sign yourself up for an added role. You can also encourage eager (and perhaps under-utilized) volunteers to explore this resource.

Nominate Peers for National Volunteer Leadership Positions

Alumni with demonstrated leadership skills and relevant experience serve on the Alumni Association's Board of Directors, its national boards and committees, and as alumni nominees to the MIT Corporation and its visiting committees. Review the responsibilities and qualifications for these positions and submit your nominations by January 23, 2006.

Learn about Evolution of FSILG Community at Nationwide Meetings

Fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups (FSILGs) have been undergoing a transition due, in part, to MIT's decision that all freshmen live on campus. FSILG Task Force Co-Chair Steve Immerman HM and FSILG Alumni Relations Director Bob Ferrara '67 visit MIT Clubs nationwide to discuss FSILG issues, get feedback, and enlist alumni support. Join them Dec. 1 with the Club of Washington, DC or Jan. 31 on campus for a major event hosted by the Club of Boston. Contact your club officers to facilitate a local presentation.

Visit with MIT Alumni Travelers in Your Town

Alumni touring with MIT's Alumni Travel Program visit locales worldwide. And, when local alumni greet the travelers, their hospitality enhances vacation memories. Alumni have connected in places such as Beijing; Barcelona; Wellington, New Zealand; and Fairbanks, Alaska. Association staff occasionally makes these arrangements; other times, alumni offer invitations to host gatherings after consulting the travel calendar. See if MIT travelers will be in your area. Pictured at left is a lunch at the Hawaiian home of Harrison Klein '71.

Learn to Forecast Markets at the January Enterprise Forum Broadcast

Mark your calendars—the MIT Enterprise Forum (EF) hosts the global broadcast "Forecasting Markets: The Capital Update for 2006," on January 26, 2006, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST. Experts will show what to expect from venture capital, investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, and the global markets. Alumni clubs and EF chapters can host live viewing sites via satellite or Web cast or a delayed program via DVD. Contact the Enterprise Forum at 617-253-0015 or mitef@mit.edu.

Campus News

Eric Grimson MA '80 Named Head of EECS

Eric Grimson MA '80, head of the computer vision group of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), has been named the new head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. His research ranges from navigational surgical tools to the construction of an interactive anatomy browser.

HapMap Provides Catalog of Human Genetic Variation

Researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and colleagues have catalogued genetic diversity in the human genome sequence, enabling new approaches to understanding disease formation. The comprehensive genomic catalog, called HapMap, adds a layer of complexity to the human genome sequence.

MIT and Nokia Establish Joint Laboratory for High-Impact Research

MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and Nokia Research Center have formed a research collaboration that will create a new facility near campus, the Nokia Research Center Cambridge. Approximately 20 MIT researchers will join as many Nokia counterparts to advance mobile computing and communications technologies.

MIT Professor Dismissed for Research Misconduct

Luk Van Parijs, an associate professor in biology, was terminated in October after he admitted to fabricating and falsifying research data in a paper and several manuscripts and grant applications. An investigation, which began in August 2004 amid allegations of wrongdoing, found no evidence that his coauthors or members of his research group were involved in or aware of the misconduct.

Club Update

MIT Club of Northern California Scores Big with Doctor Atomic Event

Pictured, from left: Ben Matteo '97, MITCNC president; Dr. Panofsky; and Dr. William E. Murray '67, event organizer

Doctor Atomic, a new opera focusing on scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the hours before the first nuclear test explosion in 1945, provided an enticing way to gather alumni in San Francisco on Oct. 16. MIT's Club of Northern California (MITCNC) joined forces with Cal Tech's alumni association to co-sponsor an exclusive pre-performance talk at the San Francisco Opera. Dr. Wolfgang Panofsky, a Cal Tech alum and participant in the 1945 Trinity test, and John Adams, the opera's composer, spoke to some one hundred guests. Pictured, from left: Ben Matteo '97, MITCNC president; Dr. Panofsky; and Dr. William E. Murray '67, event organizer.

Celebrate the Holidays with Current Students

Planning a club holiday event? Consider inviting current MIT students from your area who may be home over winter break. Contact the Alumni Office for a list of names and address information. Send an email to clubs@mit.edu, and put Holiday Event in the subject line.

Tip: Gather Club Management Ideas from Your Peers

Glean valuable advice about managing clubs from fellow volunteers in the Club Leader's Toolkit. Learn how other volunteers have succeeded with signature events, communication and branding efforts, volunteer recognition, and more. Have ideas to share? Submit them to clubs@mit.edu.

Class Update

Contact Class Officers to Learn About Upcoming Events, Submit Notes

Want to submit a class note? Wondering when the next class event will be? Have an idea for your upcoming reunion? Stay connected with class officers with the Alumni Association's class officer email lists. To reach all of the officers for your class, just send a message to MIT(class year)_officers@listerv.mit.edu. For example, the Class of 1997's address is MIT1997_officers@listserv.mit.edu. Every class has an email list. Questions? Email classprograms@mit.edu.

Tip: Let Alumni Site Builder Guide Your Web Design

Alumni Site Builder (ASB) enables users to post a Web page in about 15 minutes without having to know HTML. Customize a banner heading or select from templates. Add event listings that automatically populate the Association's Events Calendar. ASB even includes a photo album feature so you can post those pictures from past reunions. Contact asbhelp@mit.edu for more information or to schedule a training.

Stay Current

Make your volunteer work easier by being easy to find. Please take a moment to log in to the Infinite Connection and update your contact information.

About eAVC

eAVC, 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.

Feedback, comments, or questions?

E-mail Amy Marcott, Web Writer/Editor