MIT NAE Abstracts
Introduction,
MIT Abstracts are one-off talks that discuss a particular area of expertise within MIT. They are delivered by what MIT terms "near peers", Grad students young enough that hopefully our students see themselves in their shoes deliver talks on their cutting edge research. It is usually a 20-minute (ish) presentation followed by a Question and Answer session. It is an amazing opportunity to discover their research that perhaps the family can then discuss and enjoy together. It can also be excellent wider reading for those college and university applications.
Students have all received outlook invites to these events.
It is also worthwhile pointing out the student-facing site for the MIT collaboration where students can ask questions of an MIT expert: https://becurious.mit.edu/
Here you can find a selection of the abstracts and challenges that are available, more will be found on the NAE global campus, and specifically on the MIT dedicated page.
MIT Abstracts
IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT OVER THE TIME, IT IS ALWAYS 9:00 Eastern Seaboard, (US) The date will be correct.
If still in doubt, please feel free to message me on colin.astbury@bisvietnam.com.
Spring 2024
January
January 17th, 9 AM ET
Topic - Swim Faster with Math!
Description
As a former competitive swimmer, MIT grad student Jerry Lu helps elite swimmers perform at their very best, by applying rigorous research to help athletes shave off tenths of seconds from their race times. Join this month's abstract to learn how!
Watch by clicking here
Any further links
https://news.mit.edu/2023/jerry-lu-building-playbook-elite-level-sports-0615
February
Wednesday, February 7th, 9 AM ET
Topic - Safe Water for Everyone
Description
How can we extend safe water access to everyone on our planet? Gokul's research tries to answer this question by examining different drinking water sources in rural Bangladesh and India, which sometimes can contain substances that aren't safe to drink. By studying this, Gokul hopes to ensure safe water for everyone.
Watch by clicking here
Any further links
https://dusp.mit.edu/people/gokul-sampath
https://jwafs.mit.edu/news/2023/j-wafs-community-spotlight-gokul-sampath
March
Wednesday, March 6th, 9 AM ET
Topic - Wind: Guiding Earth's Future
Description
Shawn studies climate science at MIT. Meet Shawn and learn how wind patterns over the Pacific Ocean affect climate and weather around the world. Trees and coral reefs can help us understand how these wind patterns will change in the future – learn how! And bring your questions!
Watch by clicking here
Any further links
April
Wednesday, April 10th, 9 AM ET
Topic - What Makes Bacteria Sick?
Description
Bacteria are a million times smaller than humans. They can grow, divide, and even catch viruses just like larger organisms. How do viruses infect these tiny creatures, and how do bacteria defend themselves? Alexa, a former cheerleader, uses her experience to stay positive while asking these questions and more in the lab. Tune in to this MIT Abstract to shrink down and learn about strategies for survival at the microscale
Watch by clicking here
Any further links
https://grossman.mit.edu/welcome
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexagomberg/
Autumn 2023
Wednesday, September 20th, 9 AM ET, 20:00 HCMC time
Topic - Lasers, Heart Disease & Battle Bots
Description
When PhD candidate Ginger Schmidt is not studying how lasers can be used to battle heart disease, she's co-caption of the BattleBots team, Seems Reasonable Robotics. The team's robot, Tantrum, is a BattleBots championship winner! Learn about both kinds of fights during the first MIT Abstract of the year!
Sign up link - Zoom link
Any further links
https://news.mit.edu/2023/mit-women-historic-battlebots-runs-0208
https://battlebots.com/robot/tantrum-wcvii/
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Wednesday, October 18th, 9 AM ET, 20:00 HCMC time
Topic - New Plastics for the Future
Description
Katharina Fransen is working to design and develop plastics that won't pollute our environment as a PhD student in MIT's Department of Chemical Engineering. Katharina hopes that these types of plastics can be used to package food and limit future food waste. Bring your questions about non-polluting plastics!
Sign up link - Zoom link
Any further links
https://news.mit.edu/2022/phd-students-shed-light-important-water-food-research-1110
https://jwafs.mit.edu/people/katharina-fransen
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Wednesday, November 15th, 9 AM ET 20:00 HCMC time
Topic - Growing Your Home… with Bacteria?!
Description
Laura Gonzalez recently graduated from MIT with a Master of Science in Architecture. As an architect, Laura leans into STEAM and examines how we can apply biology when we construct buildings, with cool human-grown materials like Biocement!
Sign up link - Zoom link
Any further links
https://architecture.mit.edu/people/laura-maria-gonzalez
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Wednesday, December 13th, 9 AM ET 20:00 HCMC time
Topic - Mutations & Communications: Twin PhDs
Description
Join STEMfluencers Malik and Miles for an exciting MIT Abstract on biological engineering and STEAM! These twins are grad students at MIT (after finishing MITundergrad). To learn more, find Malik and Miles on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, or Discord, where they share their enthusiasm for all things science!
Sign up link - Zoom link
Any further links
https://news.mit.edu/2021/tik-tokking-all-about-science-malik-miles-george-0308
Archived MIT Abstracts classified for ease of finding, (as of Autumn 2022)
Robotics
Making Robots that make Robots
Health - strong links to Biology
The hidden code of life (clue, its DNA)
When our food makes us sick (links to biology)
Building a better world with biology
Climate and Ecosystems - ESS?
Past Climates, future scientists (also about disability access)
Engineering with ecosystems - (also about architecture)
Cyberspace to physical world
From imagination to reality (also links to Art?)
Space
The search for other worlds like ours
Designing life on earth and beyond
Exploring planets for ancient life
Literacy Links
Physics and Poetry - (also links to Physics)
Artificial Intelligence
Neuroscience and machine learning
Virtual and Artificial Reality
A journey through Maths - (links to machine learning)
The Arts (general terms)
The Neuroscience of speech, sound and music