The Most Popular Alumni Stories of 2023
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Slice of MIT
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From making bread on “Mars” to wrangling carbon, MIT alumni continue to inspire and delight with their world-changing innovations and fascinating careers. As 2023 comes to a close, we round up the 13 most-read alumni stories from Slice of MIT.
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“It’s a Boat and a Plane,” Says Maritime Startup Founder
Sampriti Bhattacharyya PhD ’17 believes Navier’s electric boat, which is equipped with hydrofoil technology, can revolutionize water travel.
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Engineer Aims to Eradicate Diabetes
Biomedical engineer Michael Sefton ScD ’74 is pursuing a treatment that would eliminate the need for insulin injections for people with type 1 diabetes.
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A Satellite Expert Samples Life on Mars
Barbara Braun ’95 spent two weeks at the Mars Desert Research Station in a remote region of Utah for an immersive simulation.
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Making Beautiful Music Together
Jim Muller SM ’82, PhD ’83 and Sharon Horovitch PhD ’80 came to MIT to get their doctorates but left with much more, including bluegrass band Southern Rail.
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Helping Hockey Players Reach Maximum Potential on the Ice
With some cool tech, Bill Near ’10, MEng ’12 and his company, HELIOS, are helping hockey players chart their progress on the ice.
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Fighting for Impact on Inequality, Climate Change, and Development
Serial and successful entrepreneur Geeta Sankappanavar ’98 says, “When you think about making an impact, you have to think about the health of the planet.”
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The Tale of a Carbon Wrangler
Humanity has dumped more than 2.2 trillion tons of carbon dioxide into Earth’s air and oceans, and Julio Friedmann ’88, SM ’90 has made it his job to undo the climate damage.
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Changing the World Through Art
Multimedia artist Erin Genia SM ’19, a Dakota tribe member, uses her work to address such societal issues as climate change and institutional racism.
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The Technologist Behind “Avengers: Endgame” and a New “Chicken Run”
Steven Shapiro ’99 is responsible for the sophisticated technology that makes movie magic possible—from lights and cameras to the action.
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Can Letting Go Help You Get Ahead?
Executive coach, strategy leader, and author Jessica Galica MBA ’16 is redefining workplace success for women.
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Product Designer Finds Engineers’ Playground in Wisconsin
After an internship at Milwaukee Tool during IAP, Rosalie Phillips ’21 started full-time at the well-known tool company.
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Gearhead Turns Passion for Old Cars into Automotive-History Career
David Lucsko PhD ’05 came to MIT to study 19th-century manufacturing, but when he pitched a paper on hot-rodding to his advisor, he embraced it.
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On the Flight Path of a Butterfly DNA Researcher
D. André Green II ’08 is diving into the DNA of butterflies to find out how they migrate to the same locations as past generations.