Tech Connection: How an MIT Professor Became "Mr. Mandate," Dropbox CEO at Commencement

Every month, Tech Connection zips out to about 90,000 MIT alumni and friends to share highlights of MIT research, alumni and campus human-interest stories, and news. If you are an MIT alumnus or alumna, Tech Connection should be plopping into your email inbox about the third Wednesday of the month. That's today!

So, here's a quick overview of the contents—a lead story plus news briefs that link to 15-20 full articles. We hope that you'll take a little time today to check out the enewsletter via email—or read it online.

How an MIT Professor Became "Mr. Mandate"

The path Jonathan Gruber '87 followed to the center of health-care policymaking in Washington began when his research as a young MIT professor…..

Research & Discovery

• What Topics Will Trend on Twitter?
• Ocean Currents Help Predict Arctic Ice Changes
• Researchers Develop Big-Data Shortcut
• Nanostructured Material Could Lead to Better Armor
• Sloanies Team Up to Create Bounce Imaging

You can also read about two new books—one on the economic impact of improving logistics and the art of revealing science visually. Learn about campus stories such as the senior who co-founded a rowing mentorship program for low-income teens in Boston, what's unique about MIT's EECS department, and a ball-shaped camera invented by Sloan students for use in emergency situations. Find out how you can travel to Mongolia in the company of other alumni. Slice of MIT blog posts cover two MIT Gangnam-style videos (featuring professors Noam Chomsky and Eric Lander), Professor Winston's reflection on a dreadful sophomore quiz, and Professor Don Sadoway's visit to The Colbert Report.