this WEEK in HST

MEMP PHD THESIS DEFENSE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announcements will be updated regularly. 

IMES COMMUNITY FUND - CALL FOR SPRING AND SUMMER 2026 APPLICATIONS

Dear IMES students, staff, and faculty:

We're excited to announce the call for applications for IMES Community Fund for Spring and Summer 2026. The fund is designed to foster belonging and community in IMES by supporting activities that enhance connectedness among and across labs, roles, and backgrounds. The fund is open to all IMES community members for event(s) between $50-$500. 

Last year, the IMES Community Fund enabled students, postdocs, and staff to host engaging and creative events, ranging from educational series, book clubs, pumpkin carving, and informal lunches. We loved seeing how you have turned small grants into big connections across IMES and HST, and we are excited to see what you come up with this semester.

Please think about what events you'd like to see and apply at the link above! Events do not have to be elaborate to be worthy of funding. The short application for the spring semester is due February 6! 

Applicants will be informed of the decision by February 13, and events can occur until September 15. 

Please see this spreadsheet for current outreach opportunities you can join others in IMES in participating in.

Best, 
Tami Lieberman, on behalf of the IMES ABO steering committee

MIT GLOBAL SUPPORT RESOURCES: REGISTERING YOUR TRAVEL

Per the current travel risk policy, you are required to register your MIT-related travel data with the MIT Travel Registry. By registering, the Institute is better able to locate and contact you if you are traveling in an area where health, safety, or security are threatened.

Who should register?

All MIT students, faculty, staff, and affiliates are required to register travel through the MIT Travel Registry if your travel is MIT-related.

MIT-related travel includes travel that:

• Is funded entirely or in part by MIT sources.
• Is organized primarily by MIT (e.g., MIT selects the participants).
• Is conducted at the behest of MIT or in furtherance of MIT objectives.
• Is related to scholarly activities (whether paid for by MIT or not).
• Requires the use of MIT equipment, supplies, or personnel.

In addition to registering, non-MIT students and non-MIT travelers participating in trips led or organized by MIT must also sign a liability release form (for non-MIT travelers). Those forms should be returned to the MIT program or class organizing the trip.

Although not required, the MIT community is also encouraged to register personal travel for increased safety measures.

The MIT Travel Registry is also available through the MIT Atlas App. 

For more information, visit the MIT Global Support Resources website.

HELP SPREAD THE WORD - HST!

Are you traveling for any of the following reasons?

• Conference/workshop
• Giving a talk
• Visiting your alma mater

Can you help promote HST by talking to prospective students?

Contact Laurie Ward (laurie [at] mit.edu (l)aurie [at] mit.edu (aurie[at]mit[dot]edu)) for talking points and promotional materials to distribute.
A link to an HST Programs Slide to include in your presentations can be found here.

MIT WRITING AND COMMUNICATION CENTER (WCC) IAP 2026 WORKSHOPS

This upcoming January, the Writing and Communication Center (WCC) at MIT is offering several academic workshop opportunities. 

Styling Your Academic Writing (5-session series)
This series will teach you how to develop a clear, effective writing style and express your authorial voice whether you craft your prose from scratch or begin with a GenAI-assisted draft. We will explore how to shape writing that is concise, coherent, and engaging across academic, technical, and public contexts. Through guided examples and hands-on exercises, you will learn strategies for diagnosing stylistic weaknesses, strengthening flow and precision, and refining the choices that give your writing personality, clarity, and impact. Designed for students, postdocs, and researchers in all fields, each session provides tools you can apply in any stage of the writing process and to any type of draft.

Schedule: 

• Part 1: Clear It Up (Thu, Jan 8th, 12-1:00pm on Zoom): In this session, you will learn how to clarify your meaning in complex sentences.
• Part 2: Help It Flow (Fri, Jan 9th, 12-1:00pm on Zoom): It is also important to enhance the cohesion and coherence of your sentences and paragraphs.
• Part 3: Trim It Down (Tue, Jan 13th, 12-1:00pm on Zoom): Your next step is to learn how to cut down your word count so that every word matters.
• Part 4: Word It Well (Wed, Jan 14th, 12-1:00pm on Zoom): To improve your style, use precise and effective wording to increase clarity and thick description.
• Part 5: Make It Shine (Thu, Jan 15th, 12-1:00pm on Zoom): Academic writing does not have to be boring and insipid. Here you will play with sentences, explore rhetorical devices, and have fun with punctuation.

REGISTER HERE

This interactive workshop series will offer diverse and creative methods for styling writing. We will engage with examples from academic and technical writing to get us thinking about the context of impactful and persuasive style. Your active participation will be required.

To learn more about the WCC at MIT, their available and upcoming workshops and programming, and the resources they offer, please visit their website. 

MIT TEACHING + LEARNING LAB (TLL) IAP 2026 TEACHING DAYS

Before the start of each semester, TLL offers a series of workshops for TAs and teacher trainees to help them prepare for the roles and responsibilities of teaching at MIT. Topics include giving feedback, presenting a class session, and facilitating office hours, among other practical subjects related to teaching.

IAP 2026 Teaching Days will run from Monday, January 26 through Friday, January 30

Visit our Teaching Days page to view the full schedule, detailed descriptions of the workshops, and to register for the workshop series. Please note: There will be no hybrid sessions offered this term.

If you have further questions about the upcoming Teaching Days workshop, please contact the Teaching + Learning Lab at tll [at] mit.edu (tll[at]mit[dot]edu). 

SPRING 2026 COURSE OPPORTUNITY: HST.524/2.782 - DESIGN OF MEDICAL DEVICES AND IMPLANTS

This course is a design subject that teaches: rational approaches to the development of an implantable/injectable medical device to treat a specific well-defined clinical problem; and the steps to start a company to make it available to the patient. 

Students work in teams of 3 to develop the design for an FDA Class III medical device or combination product (incorporating drugs and/or biologics). The emphasis is on the science and engineering underlying the design of novel treatments for problems in any one of the 78 organs of the body.

This subject will cover a number of topics, including: 

• Paradigm for design of medical devices
• Principles for full or partial permanent replacement or regeneration of tissues and organs, with select case studies
• Considerations of anatomy, histology (makeup of tissues and organs), physiology, and pathology
• An understanding of the newly acquired knowledge of the cell and molecular biology that underlies the problem, and that provides targets for treatment
• The 3 tools for facilitating healing (including prevention, suppresion of recurrence, degradation, or harnessing of scar) and regeneration: biomaterials; cells and their constituents; and regulatory molecules (e.g., drugs and growth factors)
• Steps to model the clinical problem to guide the selection of the tools: "unit cell processes"
• Consideration of design features that will enable patient access globally, including resource-challenged settings
• FDA regulations of Class III medical devices
• Intellectual property and pathway to a Startup

Meets T/R from 11:00am-12:30pm in MIT 5-134

Instructor: Professor Myron Spector, PhD

For more information about the subject, please see the course syllabus. If you have further questions, contact Jiayi Liu (TA) at jiayiliu [at] mit.edu (jiayiliu[at]mit[dot]edu). 

SPRING 2026 COURSE OPPORTUNITY: 15.620 - PATENT LAW FUNDAMENTALS

Intensive introduction to the basic provisions of U.S. patent law. Designed for undergrads and grad students in all MIT departments. 

Topics include:

Conditions for Patentability (Novelty, Non-Obviousness, and Utility) • Inventor Priority • Eligible Classes of Invention • Rights of Patent Ownership • Application for a Patent • Patent Infringement, Defenses, and Remedies • Comparisons with Other Forms of Intellectual Property (Copyrights, Trade Secrets, and Trademarks)

Reading materials include key sections of the U.S. patent statute (Title 35, U.S. Code) and related federal case law. Readings and lecture slides will be posted on the Spring 2026 Canvas 15.620 website. There are no textbooks or course packs to purchase. 

Spring Term H4 (April and May)
Wednesdays from 1-2:30pm in E51-335
3 units (1-0-2)
Graded P/D/F

Students’ grades (P/D/F) will be determined by short, weekly written assignments and by a comprehensive quiz during the spring final exam period.

Sloan bidding will NOT be used. Priority, if needed, will be given to students who pre-register.

If you have any questions about this course, please contact the instructor, Professor Jeff Meldman, at jmeldman [at] mit.edu (jmeldman[at]mit[dot]edu). 

IAP MENTOR TRAINING FOR UROP DIRECT MENTORS

Dear Grad Students and Postdocs, 

Want to become a better mentor to your UROP? Meet other grad students and postdocs who are also committed to excellent mentorship? 

Join this non-credit-bearing class over IAP, with an evidence-based curriculum from the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research. You’ll walk away with concrete materials to help you in your mentoring, as well as new relationships with a cohort of like-minded people. Space is limited, so RSVPs are requested but not required.

All classes will meet 12-2:30 PM and include lunch. Participants must attend the first session in order to attend subsequent sessions. Participants who complete all four sessions will receive a certificate. 

Session 1: 1/12/26 in Spofford Room (1-236)

Session 2:  1/15/26

Session 3:  1/21

Session 4:  1/28

Please email the instructors, Rachel Shulman and Melissa Martin-Greene, at iapmentortraining [at] mit.edu (iapmentortraining[at]mit[dot]edu) with any questions you may have. 

SPRING 2026 COURSE OPPORTUNITY: 15.141/HST.918 - ECONOMICS AND ANALYTICS OF HEALTH CARE INDUSTRIES

Learn about the healthcare landscape in the US, economic drivers of global health investment, industry leaders value creation, pricing, and marketing, and health AI & analytics in HST.918/15.141 Economics of Healthcare, now offered as a full-semester course in Spring 2026. 

This course uses economics as a framework to provide a better understanding of the US healthcare landscape, as well as incentives for global health investments. Topics include differences between health care and other industries, the role of health insurance, regulatory issues and incentives for innovation, strategic issues in pricing and marketing, use of e-commerce and information technology, and formation and management of various alliances. Describes modern data analytics to measure value, including personalized/stratified therapies. 

Visiting speakers from industry and academia provide multiple expert viewpoints on these topics. Expectations and evaluation criteria differ for students taking the graduate version; consult syllabus or instructor for specific details.

The course has two available section: M/W 1-2:30pm OR M/W 2:30-4pm, both in E51-325

Units: 3-0-6

If you have any questions about the course or whether it’s a good fit for your interests, please feel free to contact the course instructor, Professor Joseph Doyle, at jjdoyle [at] mit.edu (jjdoyle[at]mit[dot]edu). 

IAP 2026 COURSE OPPORTUNITY: MANUFACTURING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND COMMERCIALIZATION

Please join the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT for this special NSF I-Corps IAP Short Course. 

Translate your research to impact. 

• Join builders at the intersection of manufacturing, engineering, and AI
• Uncover market and customer needs and adoption hurdles for industrial tech
• Get guidance from experienced founders, investors, and corporate
  manufacturing leaders
• Translate lab innovations into scalable manufacturing startups
• Access up to $2M in non-dilutive funding and resources to launch your
  venture

Virtual Course Kickoff: Tuesday, January 13 at 1pm

Final Workshop: Wednesday, February 4 at 5pm

Limited spots remain • No prep required • All disciplines welcome • Teams should include at least one graduate student/postdoc

If you have further questions, please contact us at icorps [at] mit.edu (icorps[at]mit[dot]edu). 

This program is sponsored by the NSF I-Corps Hub New England Region and the MIT Initiative for New Manufacturing. 

IAP 2026 COURSE AND WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY: EARTH, ATMOSPHERIC AND PLANETARY SCIENCES (EAPS)

Take an IAP class or workshop with EAPS!

12.S594: Special Seminar in EAPS — Auditory Perception of Natural Data, Part I (Direct Sonification of Oscillatory Signals)

Instructor: Professor Ben Holtzman
Level: G (undergrads welcome, check with instructor)
Schedule: January 12-16, 2026; 2:00-5:00 pm
Units: 2

Most of the wave-like phenomena in nature are far outside of the range of our direct perception, above and below, in spatial and temporal scales. Data representing such processes comes from sensors with often sparse, incomplete information. Usually, as scientists, we look at these signals and then design processing schemes to make inferences. However, our visual perception is not necessarily optimized for extracting meaning from waves. Often, we can gain significant, complementary or deeper insight by listening to it. So why don’t we? Sonification is the process of turning data of any kind into an audible representation. Any oscillatory signal can be frequency-shifted into our audible range and played as a sound. Our auditory perception has better temporal resolution than our visual perception, and is particularly attuned to interpretation of dynamics, including cause and effect, forcing and response. Combining visual and auditory representations of data can help us understand complex spatial-temporal interactions among events.

In this short, project-based course, we will first provide methods for sonification of oscillatory data (in python), and discuss simple to increasingly complex implementations (filtering, time compression/expansion), and spatialized audio for listening to multiple sensors simultaneously. We will also discuss when these methods break down (for non-oscillatory, non-stationary data). During the first two class sessions, we will explain and illustrate these methods with some of our current work on the wide range of length and time scales of earthquakes in a range of settings (including volcanoes, geothermal heat mines, tectonic faults, and the laboratory). Most of the class (days 3-5) will be for student projects. Please bring ideas for your own datasets to sonify, from your research or otherwise, from any domain. I can also provide datasets. At the end of the week, everyone will present their sounds, explain the phenomenon, the sensing method, and the research questions being explored through their sonification, and discuss questions generated in the process of making and listening. 

Asteroid Impact Alert! A Planetary Defense Simulation Workshop
(Non-credit | Open to all MIT students | Prerequisite: Basic Python coding ability)

An asteroid is on a collision course with Earth — can you help save the planet?

In this interactive IAP workshop, participants will simulate a real planetary defense mission: assessing asteroid impact risks, designing a spacecraft to deflect it, and calculating what happens if the mission fails. Along the way, you’ll explore orbital mechanics, impact physics, and spacecraft imaging — and maybe even avenge the dinosaurs.

Schedule:

• Wed, Jan 14 | 9:30–11:30 AM
• Fri, Jan 16 | 2:00–4:00 PM
• Wed, Jan 21 | 9:30–11:30 AM
• Fri, Jan 23 | 2:00–4:00 PM

Location: TBD
Lecturer: Dr. Saverio Cambioni
Format: Short lectures and collaborative coding exercises

No credit, no stress — just science, strategy, and saving the world. Sign up here. 

If you have any question about these opportunities, please contact Ann Greaney-Williams at agreaney [at] mit.edu (agreaney[at]mit[dot]edu). 

MIT BOOTCAMPS ON INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

MIT Bootcamps are immersive educational experiences focused on innovation and entrepreneurship. They are collaborating with the NIH/NIDA to put on a program focused on substance use disorder (SUD), called SUD Ventures.

There is an opportunity for students, and others, to be participants of the program. Additionally, there are a number of webinars coming up regarding this topic.

If you’d like to learn more, please contact MIT Bootcamps director Hanna Adeyema at hadeyema [at] mit.edu (hadeyema[at]mit[dot]edu) to discuss potential collaborations.

MIT COMMUNITY WELLNESS CLASSES AND RESOURCES

MIT Health Community Wellness serves all members of the MIT community, regardless of insurance coverage.

Our programs and resources give you the health and wellness tools you need to thrive at MIT.

This year, the MIT community is adapting to new ways of taking care of ourselves and others. If you’d like to connect with your community, stay active, sleep better, relieve stress, and more, Community Wellness at MIT Medical can help you find wellness programs that fit your needs.

View all Community Wellness classes here.

MIT WRITING AND COMMUNICATION CENTER (WCC)

The Writing and Communication Center offers free one-on-one professional advice from communication specialists with advanced degrees and publishing experience. The WCC can help you further develop your oral communication skills and learn about all types of academic and professional writing.

WCC Individual Consultations
During these consultations, you can work on your written or oral projects with WCC instructors who can guide you at all stages of your communication process.

WCC has prepared a series of workshops on style, literature review writing, and other topics. You can register for our offerings through this link.

For more information on WCC programs, check the WCC website.

UPCOMING EVENTS FROM THE TEACHING + LEARNING LAB (TLL)

Our Mission
The Teaching + Learning Lab (TLL) partners with MIT educators, staff, and administrators to create a reflective educational environment where students are academically challenged, actively engaged, and personally supported.

Find information on upcoming TLL programs, speakers, workshops, etc. here.

Upcoming Grad Teaching Tracks
Grad Teaching Development Tracks are sets of short, interactive workshops intended for graduate students interested in improving their teaching skills while teaching at MIT or applying for faculty positions in the future.

Find more information on the Teaching Tracks here.

For any questions about programs and resources available to graduate students through the TLL, contact Ben Hansberry, Assistant Director for Graduate Student Teaching (bhansber [at] mit.edu (bhansber[at]mit[dot]edu))

Subscribe here to the TLL Newsletter.

HARVARD CATALYST COURSES AND EVENTS

Harvard Catalyst works with Harvard University’s schools and affiliate academic healthcare centers to build and grow an environment focused on team science – where discoveries are rapidly and efficiently translated to improve human health. We catalyze research across all clinical and translational domains by providing investigators with opportunities such as pilot funding, free resources such as biostatistics consultations, training and mentoring programs, and numerous courses. To facilitate communication, collaboration, and data collection, our informatics team develops a range of open-source tools available to the community within Harvard University and beyond.

Information on courses and training through Harvard Catalyst can be found here.
A calendar of Harvard Catalyst events can be found here.
Subscribe to the Harvard Catalyst Newsletter here.

HARVARD INNOVATION LABS CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Information about the Harvard i-lab and it's upcoming events and activities can be found here.

MIT MEDICAL IMAGING SEMINAR SERIES

We’re excited to announce the launch of the MIT Medical Imaging Seminar Series, a monthly lunchtime seminar occurring on the 2nd Tuesday of every month.

First Seminar: Tuesday, January 13
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Location: E25-111
Topic: Optical coherence tomography given by Néstor Uribe-Patarroyo & Ginger Schmidt

Please fill out the RSVP form to help us plan a headcount for food. We encourage you to complete the form even if you can’t attend the first seminar, as it will add you to the seminar email list for future events.

This seminar series is designed to provide an introduction to research across the medical imaging field. We especially encourage trainees who are interested in learning more about the broader medical imaging landscape and connecting across labs and disciplines at MIT.

Each session will feature:

1. An overview of the field presented by a leading Principal Investigator, followed by
2. A trainee-led deep dive into their current research.

Participating PIs include: Néstor Uribe-Patarroyo (Jan 13), John Gabrieli (Feb 10), Elazer Edelman (March 10), Adrian Dalca (April 14), and Mark Harnett (May 12). We’ll follow up with seminar titles and abstracts soon but save the dates for now!

We hope you’ll join us for this new seminar series. Please share this invitation with others who may be interested. Everyone is welcome!

We look forward to seeing you there!

MIT Next-Generation Medical Imaging Initiative Committee

SAVE THE DATE: MIT HEALS ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM

Since its launch in December 2025, the MIT Health and Life Sciences Collaborative (HEALS) has been building the connections, programs, and momentum needed to strengthen MIT’s role at the center of life sciences and health—across research, education, and translation.

On March 16, the MIT community will come together with leaders from biotech, pharma, and medicine for the 2026 MIT HEALS Annual Symposium, convened by Anantha Chandrakasan, MIT Provost and Head of HEALS, and Angela Koehler, Faculty Director of HEALS. The day will highlight how interdisciplinary teams across MIT are advancing new approaches to medicine, catalyzing collaborations with clinical and industry partners, and training the next generation of scientific leaders.

Monday, March 16 from 8:00am – 5:30pm in the MIT Media Lab

The program will feature:

• Conversations on the future of medicine and health innovation
• Examples of breakthrough interdisciplinary research
• New models for education and clinical immersion
• A showcase of student and trainee research
• Time and space for meaningful connection across communities

A formal invitation and program details will follow.

MIT MEDICAL IMAGING INITIATIVE SYMPOSIUM

We are thrilled to invite you to join us at the inaugural MIT Medical Imaging Initiative Symposium on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (AAAS) at 136 Irving Street in Cambridge, MA.

The Symposium will offer a wonderful opportunity to connect with colleagues to discuss state-of-the-art research in biomedical imaging. Our symposium theme for 2026 is “Next-generation imaging of brain and body systems.” The goal of the event is to draw together the interdisciplinary Boston-area medical imaging community, bridging the academic, industrial, and clinical contexts, and highlighting the latest research advances, as well as opportunities for future collaborations. The event will include scientific talks, a poster session, and a brief overview of upcoming initiative activities. A full program will be available shortly. 

Registration is required for this event. Please register here by Wednesday, January 14, 2026. 

We hope to see you there!

MIT SLOAN HEALTH SYSTEMS INITIATIVE (HSI) LUNCH SEMINAR SERIES

New sessions of the HSI Lunch Seminar Series will be advertised here when available.  

AHLI CONFERENCE ON HEALTH, INFERENCE, AND LEARNING - CALL FOR PAPERS

The AHLI Conference on Health, Inference, and Learning (CHIL) solicits work across a variety of disciplines at the intersection of machine learning and health. CHIL 2026 invites submissions focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) techniques that address opportunities and challenges in health, which we view broadly as including clinical healthcare, public health, population health, and beyond. 

Authors are invited to submit 8-10 page papers (with unlimited pages for references) to one of 3 tracks: Models and Methods, Applications and Practice, or Impact and Society. Each track is described in detail below. 

Important Dates

• Submissions open: Wednesday, December 10, 2025
• Submissions due: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
• Author notification: Thursday, April 9, 2026
• CHIL conference: June 28-30, 2026

Tracks & Topics

• Track 1: Models and Methods: Algorithms, Inference, and Estimation
• Track 2: Applications and Practice: Investigation, Evaluation, Interpretation, and Deployment
• Track 3: Impact and Society: Policy, Public Health, Social Outcomes, and Economics

For more information on the scope of each track, submission details and guidelines, and contact information, please visit the Call for Papers page on our website or reach out to us at chil [at] ahli.cc (chil[at]ahli[dot]cc). 

We look forward to reading your submissions! 

UPCOMING INSTITUTE COMMUNITY & EQUITY OFFICE (ICEO) EVENTS

A calendar of upcoming events is available here.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT GROUP BOSTON - EVENTS

The Medical Development Group Boston (MDG Boston) is a community of individuals professionally committed to the Medical Device and other Medical Technology Industry segments united by the belief that innovation and advances in technology lead to substantial improvements in health care.

MDG's Mission is to contribute to the continuing development of medical devices and other medical technologies by enhancing the professional development of its members, fostering and supporting entrepreneurial thinking, serving as a forum for exploration of new business opportunities, and promoting best practices in enterprise management.

MDG pursues this mission through the organization of educational programs and forums: the facilitation of cross-disciplinary dialogue and collaboration; the creation of venues for networking and information sharing for current and aspiring professionals, clinicians, and entrepreneurs; and the development of alliances with complementary organizations.

We would love for you to attend and spread the word in your community!

For more information on our upcoming events, visit our website.

BRAINMAP SEMINARS

Future topics will be similar to the previous Brainmap season, with some talks on Optogenetics, MR-PET, BOLD physiology, ultra-high field MRI, multimodal integration, contrast agents, and many more exciting topics! Unless otherwise noted, seminars (webinars) are held on Wednesdays at noon.

Find out about Brainmap here. Sign up here for our mailing list, in order to receive notices about our upcoming seminars.

MIT SANDBOX SPRING 2026 - CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Interested in entrepreneurship? 

MIT Sandbox provides funding and mentorship to help MIT students turn ideas into impact. Join our information session to learn how you can access up to $25K in seed funding, mentorship, and training to support your entrepreneurial journey.

Open to all MIT undergraduate and graduate students from all schools.

Focused on student-driven entrepreneurship and supports students at all stages of the start-up process - from idea to launch. 

DEADLINE TO APPLY: Thursday, January 15 at 11:59pm

APPLY HERE

To learn more about the Sandbox Program, please visit our website. If you have further questions, contact us at sandbox [at] mit.edu (sandbox[at]mit[dot]edu). 

REGENERON PRIZE FOR CREATIVE INNOVATION - CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

The Regeneron Prize’s mission is to “recognize and honor Creativity and Innovation by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the Biomedical Sciences.” Regeneron is asking MIT to submit two PhD candidates and two postdoctoral candidates to compete for this prize. 

This call is for PhD student nominations ONLY. The postdoctoral competition to be organized by the Vice President for Research Office.

Prize: Two (2) applicants are selected to receive the Regeneron Prize for Creative Innovation each year. Each winner receives a check for $50,000, which can be used in any way the winner chooses. Finalists are each awarded $5,000. In addition, the home institution of the winners will each receive a $5,000 donation to support the institution’s seminar series. Approximately 8-10 applicants will be selected for finalist status. Finalists may be invited to visit Regeneron for the onsite competition, travel expenses paid. 

Process: Each graduate program may submit two (2) nominations for consideration for this internal MIT competition. The selection committee will then select two graduate student finalists to be nominated for the final review and consideration for this prize by Regeneron. The two selected nominees will be notified by the OGE and provided instructions on this process.

Application materials:

• Full academic CV
• Letter of recommendation from research advisor
• Institutional endorsement form signed by applicant (institutional endorser will be Kevin O’Brien)
• Dream Project (Guidelines attached, up to 2 pages not including references, no smaller than 10-point font)
• The research proposed must be within the field of biomedicine, broadly defined.
• The proposal must be no more than two single-spaced pages (no smaller than 10-point font). References do not need to be included within the two-page limit, but any figures, etc. should be.
• Proposals must clearly define a specific experiment or series of experiments including a rationale, basic methodology/design (citing literature is fine), and discussion of how the experiment’s results would advance the field. Preliminary data is not necessary.
• The work should be entirely original, and therefore not a straightforward extension of the applicant’s current work, or that of the applicant’s PI.
• The Selection Committee will review proposals not only based on scientific merit but also on creativity and originality.
• Published papers as evidence of scholarly achievement.

Application Process: Applications for MEMP PhD must be sent to hst-nominations [at] mit.edu (hst-nominations[at]mit[dot]edu) no later than January 20 at 5pm. Letters of recommendation should be sent directly to hst-nominations [at] mit.edu (hst-nominations[at]mit[dot]edu)  by the recommender. Students MAY NOT nominate themselves.

Contact Laurie Ward at laurie [at] mit.edu (laurie[at]mit[dot]edu) if you have any questions about the HST process or grad-fellowship [at] mit.edu (grad-fellowship[at]mit[dot]edu) for questions about the Prize.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS - MIT SCIENCE OLYMPIAD 2026

We are looking for Boston-area students to volunteer for our 12th Annual MIT Science Olympiad Invitational!

On Saturday, January 24, 2026 we will be running a science competition where high schoolers compete in 23+ events in a wide range of fields like biology, physics, chemistry, and engineering.  As one of the nation’s SciOly largest invitationals, we will host over 70 high school teams from all over the nation, including some of the nation's top-ranked teams, and over 1,000 high school students from across the US will participate!

No previous Science Olympiad experience is needed! We need volunteers for all sorts of tasks, and any bit of help will be greatly appreciated. All volunteers will get a free meal. If you volunteer for at least 2 shifts (~4 hours), you will additionally receive a free T-shirt and if you volunteer for at least 3 shifts (~6 hours), you will additionally receive a free tote bag!

If you would like to volunteer, you can sign up here! This volunteer sign-up form is due Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 11:59 PM. Note that this year's tournament is in-person. 

For more information about our tournament and to view previous tournaments, visit https://scioly.mit.edu. Feel free to email us at scioly [at] mit.edu (scioly[at]mit[dot]edu) with any questions or concerns.

- MIT Science Olympiad Planning Committee

MIT SLOAN HEALTHCARE INNOVATIONS PRIZE (SHIP) 2026 - CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Do you have an innovative solution to a problem in healthcare or biotech? The Sloan Healthcare Innovation Prize (SHIP) is MIT’s premier pitch competition for early-stage healthcare startups. Pitch your idea to top healthcare VCs and industry leaders for a chance to win up to $30,000 while gaining invaluable feedback and networking opportunities!

Deadline to apply is Friday, January 9 at 11:59pm!

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage participants to apply early.

Accepted applicants will gain access to feedback and coaching from prominent venture capital firms and biotech/pharma companies. Prior year judges and companies included Flagship Pioneering, Flare Capital, Bain Capital, Moderna, Takeda and more! 

Application Eligibility Requirements

• At least one member of the team is a current student or recent graduate (graduated within the past three years) in an undergraduate, Masters, or PhD program
• Team has not received more than $250K in funding thus far
• At least one team member is available to pitch at the virtual semifinals on the evening of February 9, 10, OR 11, and at least one team member is available for the in-person finals at the MIT Media Lab on the evening of February 26

Key Dates

• Semifinals: February 9, 10, and 11, 2026 (7-9pm EST, virtual)
• Virtual mentorship opportunities: week of February 2, 2026
• Finals: February 26, 2026 (6-9:30pm EST, in-person)
• Winner will present at Sloan Healthcare and Bioinnovations Conference on February 27, 2026 (MIT Media Lab)

FAQ

Q: What stages of company can pitch?

A:  We encourage only startups who have not yet received/raised more than $250,000 in funding to join our pitch competition. However, you need to have a solid idea in the healthcare space in order to get into the semifinals.

Q: How long should my pitch be?

A:  You should plan a short version and a long version of your pitch. The short version should be less than 90 seconds, and the long version should be less than 4 min. 

Q: Can I use visual aids for my pitch?

A: Your team may use PowerPoint slides to illustrate your idea.  However, you are not required to use slides – this is up to your team.

Q: Do I need to pay to participate in the competition or to watch the finals?

A: There is no participation fee for teams or entry fee for the audience.

Q: Is this competition only open to students?

A: At least one member of the team must be a current student or recent graduate (graduated within the past three years).

If you have further questions, you can contact us at ship2026 [at] mit.edu (ship2026[at]mit[dot]edu) . 

ENVISIONING THE FUTURE OF COMPUTING PRIZE - CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC), a cross-cutting initiative within the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, in collaboration with the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, invites MIT students to envision the future of computing.

The Envisioning the Future of Computing Prize challenges you to think critically and creatively about how computing and artificial intelligence can be developed and applied to improve the human condition. This year introduces a new prompt that asks you to imagine how computing can have a net positive impact on society in the coming decade.

About the Prize

• $10,000 Grand Prize
• Two Runner-Up Awards of $5,000 each
• Up to five Honorable Mentions ($500 each)

This competition encourages students to examine not only the transformative potential of AI but also the social, ethical, and policy considerations that accompany technological advancement. Participants will craft evidence-based essays that articulate both opportunity and responsibility in the design and deployment of emerging technologies.

This Year’s Prompt
In an essay of up to 3,000 words, you are asked to:

1. Choose a sector — such as healthcare, education, agriculture, climate, infrastructure, transportation, justice, arts, or governance — where you see the highest net positive impact from AI.
2. Describe a specific AI application in that sector that could realistically be developed or deployed within the next 5–10 years.
3. Analyze the benefits — what problems it solves, what opportunities it creates, and who benefits.
4. Examine the risks — what could go wrong, including ethical concerns or unintended consequences.
5. Make the affirmative case — despite the risks, why the overall impact could be positive, including any safeguards or design choices needed to make that possible.
6. Present a substantive, evidence-based analysis grounded in sector-specific knowledge, data, or real-world examples. Visuals or frameworks are welcome.
7. Include a one-page executive summary of your analysis.

Essays must be submitted as a PDF using the file name format: Title of Essay_MIT ID# (no names). Not following the naming convention may result in disqualification. 

Please see the full guidelines here. 

Eligibility and Timeline

• Open to currently enrolled MIT undergraduate and graduate students only.

  (Previous grand prize and runner-up winners are not eligible; past honorable mentions may apply with a new essay.)

• Submission Deadline: February 8, 2026, by 11:59 PM (ET)
• Workshops: Optional workshops during IAP will help with idea development, structure, and writing. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis (times will be released for this soon).
• Judging: Entries are judged blindly by a faculty panel until three finalists are selected. The finalists will then be invited to present their essays in May. Final scores combine 75% from the written submission and 25% from the presentation. 

Why Participate

The Envisioning the Future of Computing Prize offers an opportunity to engage deeply with the social and ethical dimensions of computing and AI. By participating, you can:

• Contribute to a meaningful conversation about the responsible evolution of technology.
• Strengthen your ability to connect technical innovation with societal values.
• Compete for significant prize funding while producing work that reflects the mission and values of MIT.

SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY HERE

Full contest guidelines, submission instructions, and resources are available on the Envisioning the Future of Computing of Computing Prize website. 

Questions may be directed to serc [at] mit.edu (serc[at]mit[dot]edu). 

We look forward to seeing your vision for how computing can advance human progress — responsibly, equitably, and creatively.

2026 MAD DESIGN FELLOWSHIP - CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

The Morningside Academy for Design seeks forward-thinking students with a strong interest in design and social impact to join its next Fellowship cohort. 

What is the MAD Design Fellowship?
An opportunity for continuing MIT graduate students to engage in MAD’s activities and propose a research-oriented design project. Fellows receive full tuition for one or two semesters, a monthly stipend, health insurance, and a scholarly allowance to support materials, fieldwork, or travel. 

Applications are due by Monday, January 12 at 5 pm ET

Who can apply?
MAD welcomes current Master’s or PhD candidates from any MIT department or school, as we strive to foster an interdisciplinary environment where design acts as a catalyst for positive change.  

To be eligible, applicants must be in residence at MIT during the 2026–27 academic year and currently enrolled in academic year 2025–26. Students who are incoming to MIT are not eligible to apply. The application requires a nomination from an MIT faculty member with PI status. The nominator should be the applicant’s current research or academic advisor. Each faculty member is strictly limited to one student nomination. Thus, applicants are strongly encouraged to coordinate with their prospective nominator beforehand.

Please visit our website for more information about the Design Fellowship including eligibility, benefits, and the application form. 

If you have any further questions, please contact madfellowship [at] mit.edu (madfellowship[at]mit[dot]edu).

STEM OUTREACH OPPORTUNITY - STEM SCHOLARS @ RAGON

Passing along information about a new STEM tutoring and mentorship program at the Ragon Institute! The STEM Scholars program serves high school students in Cambridge, in collaboration with the Cambridge Housing Authority. Mentors will be paired individually with a student for weekly tutoring and mentorship sessions through the fall and early winter (October - late January). If you’re interested in learning more, please sign up at this link!

EXCITING MINDHANDHEART COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES

Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Mini Grants
Looking to spread some kindness at MIT? MindHandHeart's RAK Mini Grants are now open for applications! Whether it’s for your coworkers, lab group, or house, you can receive up to $250 for your small kindness project—any time of the year! Apply today, and let’s make our community a little brighter.

TOASTMASTERS CLUBS OF MIT

Do you know anyone looking to improve communication skills: speaking and listening? Visit a Toastmasters Club. The members of Toastmasters Clubs of MIT are happy to help students practice.

"Toastmasters is a fantastic way to improve your presentation skills! I personally learned a great deal from the MIT club and highly recommend it." -- Gwen Acton, MIT PhD

Clubs are currently meeting online and in person! 

The Original Toastmasters @ MIT, Friday at 12 noon to 1 PM, via Zoom

Tuesday Evening Toastmasters, 6:30 to 8:00 PM on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month

Humor & Drama Toastmasters, 1st Saturday of the month 10 AM to noon, via Zoom

GRADUATE COMMUNITY FELLOWS POSITIONS

Grad students, interested in improving graduate life & community at MIT while earning a partial stipend? Apply to become a Graduate Community Fellow!

When would I start? Start dates are flexible and based on the Fellow and the hiring organization. If you’re looking for a job starting this semester, over IAP, or next semester, these openings may be a great fit for you!

What would I do? Graduate Community Fellows work on projects and assignments that enhance the graduate community at MIT in targeted, impactful ways. Each Fellow reports to a staff member in the OGE or a partner organization. See specifics below.

What are the requirements? Must meet minimal eligibility requirements and agree to the terms of appointment. Appointment periods for Fellow positions vary. All positions serve 10 hours per week, and receive compensation of $700 per month.

International students with full-time RA/TA appointments should note that there are eligibility restrictions.

Available positions are listed at the current Fellow positions page.

How do I apply? Once you’ve reviewed position details, download the application to apply. Applications for all positions are reviewed on a rolling basis. We hope to hear from you!

Questions? Contact Jessica Landry, jlandry [at] mit.edu (jlandry[at]mit[dot]edu).

MITAC OPPORTUNITIES

Welcome! The MIT Activities Committee offers discounted tickets to the MIT community for local arts and culture, sporting events, and family activities.

Visit MITAC​ ~ Your Ticket to Fun for movies, museums, sports, theatre, music, family, seasonal & special events since 1984!

• Online Website: https://mitac.mit.edu/
• On campus: The MITAC Stata Center ticket office is open Tues-Fri 12-4pm.

Feel free to stop by and visit!  

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Members of the MIT community: subscribe here (at the bottom of the page) to our mailing list/newsletter to receive the latest updates delivered right to your inbox!

OFFICE OF GRADUATE EDUCATION - FELLOWSHIP WORKSHOPS & FINANCIAL LITERACY RESOURCES

Fellowship Newsletter
Our Fellowship Newsletter is a monthly/bimonthly occurrence that includes upcoming opportunities and events, tips on applying to fellowships, announcements, and generally an avenue for us to relay fellowship related information. 

Interested in receiving the newsletter? Please sign up for our mailing list by clicking here. Future Graduate Fellowship Bulletins will be sent right to your email inbox.

Some financial literacy resources:

OGE website’s Financial Wellbeing section: https://oge.mit.edu/finances-employment/financial-wellbeing/

OGE website’s fellowships section: https://oge.mit.edu/finances/fellowships/ including Fellowships Tips: https://oge.mit.edu/finances/fellowships/fellowship-tips/

Please reach out to the OGE at grad-ed [at] mit.edu (grad-ed[at]mit[dot]edu) with questions about our workshops or our financial literacy resources.

If there are further questions about fellowships, the OGE Fellowship section can be found here, especially the Fellowships Tips content here.  

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFFICE NEWSLETTER

Read current and past issues of the ISO Newsletter here. For non-students, you can also subscribe to receive published copies by email.

MIT GRAD DIVERSITY & ICEO NEWSLETTERS

The Office of Graduate Education (OGE)’s GradDiversity seeks to support the success of underrepresented and under-served graduate students at MIT. This takes place through a series of programs designed to strengthen recruitment, enhance community, and ignite development in academic, leadership, and professional skills.

Together with the Institute Community and Equity Office and our faculty, students, and staff from across the Institute, we are committed to fostering a more inclusive and caring climate that intellectually engages and values all members of our MIT community.

Sign up for the GradDiversity Newsletter here.

Sign up for the ICEO Newsletter here.

MIT SPOUSES & PARTNERS CONNECT AND MIT LANGUAGE CONVERSATION EXCHANGE

We connect people across MIT for conversation, cultural exchange, and friendship.

MIT Spouses & Partners Connect - open to significant others of MIT students, postdocs, and staff

KERBEROS and ID CARDS for SPOUSES & PARTNERS
MIT students and employees may sponsor a guest Kerberos account for their spouse or partner to establish their digital identity in MIT's systems. Once registered, the spouse or partner may activate their digital MIT ID and obtain a physical card if needed. 

Get started at https://ist.mit.edu/id. Please read the instructions carefully as there are different processes for those who live in an MIT residence and for those who live off campus.

For more information about where you can use your MIT ID card, see this page.

EVENTS FOR NEWCOMERS
The best way to stay up to date on all of our events and activities is to subscribe to our email newsletter!

Private Consult with MS&PC Staff
Facilitated by Program Manager, Jennifer Recklet Tassi, this private appointment via Zoom or in-person is a time to ask questions, voice concerns, and reimagine your life here in Boston. We can spend the time talking about whatever is on your mind - from job search and career development to navigating a new city to figuring out how to make your experience in Boston productive and meaningful.

Appointments will be available at various times during the week.

Book a 30-minute private Zoom or in-person appointment here: https://mspc.youcanbook.me/

BEST WAYS TO LEARN ABOUT OUR EVENTS

• Subscribe to our email updates: http://spouses.mit.edu/join/subscribe
• Join the MITFamilies Slack Space: bit.ly/mitfamiliesslack
• Join our private Facebook Group
• Follow us on Instagram @mspconnect
• Visit our events calendar at spouses.mit.edu/event-calendar

MIT Language Conversation Exchange - open to all members of the MIT community

How to find a conversation partner at MIT so you can practice a language you are learning or want to improve with a native speaker.

Visit our website: http://lce.mit.edu

• Search and contact native speakers of languages you want to practice for one-on-one conversation held at your convenience
• Watch this video to learn how our website works

Join our Slack Space: https://bit.ly/lce-slack

• Join or create channels for the languages you are interested in
• Practice your writing skills while meeting other people at MIT who share your language interests

Subscribe to our newsletter: https://lce.mit.edu/subscribe

• Stay informed about upcoming small group meetings & events

GET IN TOUCH WITH THE LCE

Email us at lce [at] mit.edu (lce[at]mit[dot]edu)

Follow us on Facebook @MITLCE

Visit our calendar

POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN MECHANISTIC AND MACHINE LEARNING MODELING OF HUMAN DISEASE PROCESSES WITH CLINICAL LABORATORY AND MEDICAL RECORD DATA - HIGGINS LAB AT MGH AND HMS

A post-graduate research position is available in the laboratory of John Higgins, MD, located in the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Systems Biology and Department of Pathology and the Harvard Medical School Department of Systems Biology. 

Qualified applicants will have extensive knowledge of and interest in human pathophysiology and mathematical modeling including dynamical systems, machine learning, statistical inference, computational methods, and good software engineering practices.  

For example, strong candidates would be able to compare and contrast the following: hemostasis and thrombosis, ODE and PDE, lymphocyte and myelocyte, transformer and convolutional block.

The following skills and experience are required:

• Experience simulating PDEs and working with neural networks in MATLAB or Python.
• Knowledge of human physiology and pathology such as hematologic function, immunology, inflammatory responses, and pregnancy.
• Experience deriving mathematical models from biological data.
• Ability to work independently and mentor more junior group members.

Applicants should have a Ph.D. and/or M.D. degree or be in their final year of their doctoral studies, and have at least a strong undergraduate background in math, computer science, or engineering. 

Interested individuals should provide a CV and a cover letter describing past research experience, future research interests, career goals, and contact information for three references.

Interested applicants can contact John Higgins (higgins.john [at] mgh.harvard.edu). 

PHD AND POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS IN HOST-MICROBIOME RESEARCH - ZOMORRODI LAB AT MGH AND HMS

The Zomorrodi Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School is seeking highly motivated PhD and Postdoctoral candidates excited about studying host-microbiome interactions in chronic human diseases.

About us:
Our lab integrates innovative computational and experimental approaches to investigate the intricate interactions between the human host and microbiome, with a focus on metabolism and nutrition. We develop Genome-Scale Models (GEMs) of metabolism, build machine learning (ML) tools, and leverage 3D gut organoid models to understand the mechanisms by which microbiomes contribute to disease progression and therapeutic response. We also explore the applications of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and
Large Language Models (LLMs) in medicine and biomedicine. The overarching goal of our research is to advance precision medicine by uncovering mechanisms driving chronic disease pathogenesis and harnessing AI to streamline clinical decision-making and improve patient care.

For more information about our lab, please our website. 

Open positions:

PhD position in computational systems biology: A PhD candidate will focus on computational analysis of host-microbiome metabolic crosstalk in Celiac Disease (CeD) using genome-scale models. This role involves large-scale computational modeling of microbiomes and host intestinal epithelial and immune cells, multi-omics data integration, and downstream statistical and ML analysis for biomarker discovery.

Required qualifications: (i) Must be admitted to a relevant PhD program at Harvard or another Boston-area university (MIT, Boston University, etc.), (ii) Undergraduate or master’s degree in a quantitative field (e.g., Computational Biology, Computer/Data Science, Bioinformatics, Biostatistics, Chemical/Biomedical/Biological/Electrical Engineering) OR
strong programming skills with a solid background in computational analysis. 

Postdoctoral Position in experimental microbiome research: The postdoctoral researcher will investigate host-microbiome interactions in Celiac Disease (CeD) using patient-derived 3D gut organoid models and microbial isolates. This position involves: working with human cell lines, patient-derived tissues, and microbial cultures, investigating interactions between intestinal epithelial cells, immune cells, and gut microbes, and employing next-generation sequencing (NGS) and multi-omics approaches. The postdoc will collaborate closely with co-investigators on the project.

Required qualifications: (i) PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Cell Biology, Microbiology, Immunology, Biomedical Sciences, Bioengineering, Biochemistry) with a strong publication record, (ii) Experience with human cell culture, microbial culture, or next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques (preferred but not strictly required), (iii) Ability to quickly learn new experimental techniques, (iv) Strong verbal and written communication skills, (v) Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic research environment and a rapidly evolving field.

Application process: Interested candidates should contact Dr. Zomorrodi at azomorrodi [at] mgh.harvard.edu (azomorrodi[at]mgh[dot]harvard[dot]edu), providing a CV and a brief description of their interests. Use “PhD [or Postdoc, whichever is relevant] position in the Zomorrodi Lab” as the email subject. Applications are reviewed until the positions are filled. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Research environment:
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is a teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School and consistently ranks among the top hospitals in the U.S. Our lab is based in Boston, Massachusetts, in close proximity to world-class institutions, including MIT, The Broad Institute, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of
Public Health. This dynamic research environment fosters strong collaborations, intellectual exchange, and access to cutting-edge technologies. 

The Zomorrodi Lab is committed to diversity and equality and encourages applications from underrepresented minorities.

RESEARCH POSITION OPENINGS - DUPONT LAB AT BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

We are seeking highly motivated researchers for the following projects:

Robotic Cardiac Catheters 

We are developing robotic catheters for heart valve repair and for treatment of arrythmias. Robotics offers the advantage of reducing the learning curve for complex beating-heart procedures and, ultimately, provides a platform for introducing automation. Important components of these projects can include: (1) user-based and autonomous control, (2) integration of therapeutic devices, and (3) testing in anatomical and animal models. Experience in robotics, control and prototyping is preferred.

Transcatheter Heart Valve Repair and Replacement Devices

Transcatheter procedures avoid the trauma and risks of open-heart surgery by delivering devices that are intended to replicate surgical repair and replacement. We are creating novel devices and tools for both valve repair and replacement. These projects require innovative design and creative problem-solving skills along with expertise in prototyping and experimental evaluation.

Cutting tools for Transcatheter Valve Modification

While current transcatheter valve interventions deploy devices that push, pull and approximate tissue to restore valve function, a complete surgical repair often involves cutting and removing valve tissue. As a first step toward providing this capability, this project involves developing catheter-delivered energy-based cutting tools for valve repair and replacement.

Qualified applicants should respond by email to Professor Pierre Dupont
(Pierre.Dupont [at] childrens.harvard.edu) with a description of their qualifications, academic background and availability.

More information on our lab can be found on our website. 

RAND'S TECHNOLOGY AND SECURITY POLICY CENTER

Interested in working on Technology and Security Policy?

Technology and Security Policy Fellowship

The RAND Technology and Security Policy Fellowship develops new generations of policy analysts and implementors at the intersection of technology and security issues. Fellows perform in-depth, independent research relating to one or more of the research areas of the Technology and Security Policy Center. Fellows receive mentorship from RAND policy experts for their independent research. Additionally, fellows may work on RAND client-sponsored research, up to an average of one day per week.

Candidates are welcome from all experience levels, from undergraduate students to mid-career professionals. Fellowship durations will typically start at one year with the possibility of up to two additional years. Fellowships can be full- or part-time. Fellows must be based in the United States or United Kingdom, working remotely or at one of RAND's U.S. or U.K. offices.

Current students and recent graduates are welcome to apply. Selection decisions are made on a rolling basis, with applicants being notified at least once per quarter.

To learn more about the TASP fellowship program email: TASP_fellowship_inquiries [at] rand.org (TASP_fellowship_inquiries[at]rand[dot]org) 

POSTDOC POSITION OPENING IN CAPASSO LAB - HARVARD SEAS

The Capasso group at Harvard SEAS has an opening for postdoctoral position related to biophotonics+metasurface/biosensing research. The postdoc will make contributions towards building a metalens optical system to image bacteria, including integration with small-pixel sensors, potentially an easy-to-use manual focus system, an integrated light source, and an image capture and transfer system.The candidate will join the group of Prof. Federico Capasso and collaborate with a team at the Harvard Medical School, led by Prof. Johan Paulsson, focused on bacterial detection identification (ID) and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST), leveraging on this optical system, including interfacing with a microfluidic system.

In addition to the basic instrument, the postdoc will develop more advanced metalens imaging modalities for bacteria, with the purpose of making the AST not only faster and more robust, but also potentially achieving some basic level of species ID. This will include the development of a compact form of quantitative phase microscopy by encoding polarization-dependent optical functions onto a single metasurface to perform full-Stokes image polarimetry.

Proficiency in laboratory optics and photonics with particular emphasis on imaging systems such as microscopy is preferred. Previous experience in nanophotonics and clean room fabrication would be beneficial but is not strictly required. History of work in polarization and optical polarimetry desirable. Interviews are currently on-going for this position: https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/14008

NIH HEAL PAIN COHORT PROGRAM: NOW RECRUITING POST-DOCTORAL TRAINEES

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is excited to announce the launch of a new post-doctoral training program called the HEAL Initiative Partnerships to Advance INterdisciplinary (PAIN) Training Program in Clinical Pain Research. The HEAL PAIN Cohort Program, via the T90/R90 mechanism, provides interdisciplinary training to postdoctoral scholars pursuing careers in pain and addiction research. By integrating a broad range of scientific disciplines and fostering a collaborative research environment, the program equips trainees with the skills needed to advance pain science, develop innovative treatments, and translate research findings into clinical practice. This program will emphasize mentorship, career development, and hands-on research experience. The program will help ensure postdoctoral trainees are well-prepared to contribute to the HEAL Initiative's mission of improving pain management.

The Positively Uniting Researchers of Pain to Opine, Synthesize, and Engage (PURPOSE) network will help facilitate a national cohort experience among the postdoctoral trainees at the funded T90/R90 centers, as well as organize an annual meeting that all trainees will be required to attend. Learn more and join the PURPOSE network at https://painresearchers.com/.

For more information and to apply, please reach out to the center(s) of interest directly below. If you are interested in multiple centers, you may email PainCohortPrograms [at] painresearchers.com (PainCohortPrograms[at]painresearchers[dot]com) and your information will be forwarded to all centers.

The University of Utah Program to Provide Pain Research Knowledge (UP3RK) mission is to impart the science knowledge, skills, and core competencies needed by post-graduate, interdisciplinary Scholars to address the nation’s scientific needs in clinical pain research. UP3RK trains Scholars through mentorship, interdisciplinary research skill development and concentrated training in our four focus areas (nonpharmacologic pain treatments, effective interventions for pain and substance use disorders; implementation science, research within vulnerable, diverse, and underserved populations). We train UP3RK Scholars within an innovative, multi-level mentor model to prepare clinical pain investigators for successful, independent, research careers.

Contact PI: Dr. Julie Fritz, julie.fritz [at] hsc.utah.edu (julie[dot]fritz[at]hsc[dot]utah[dot]edu)

The MGB IMPACT (Interdisciplinary Mentorship Program Advising Clinical Trainees) Program in Clinical Pain Research is based in Boston. The program offers training to postdoctoral fellows, with the long-term goal of expanding the number, diversity, and collaborative network of clinical pain researchers, advancing our understanding of pain and our ability to effectively manage pain without opioid medications. MGB IMPACT focuses on team science, providing interdisciplinary mentorship and training in clinical pain research by bringing together a diverse group of mentors from an array of backgrounds, including Psychology, Neurology, Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Women's Health, Epidemiology and others. MGB IMPACT operates collaboratively with other T90/R90 programs around the country to promote innovative solutions for pain management and improve patient care by providing high-quality training to future leaders in clinical pain research.

Contact PI: Dr. Robert Edwards, rredwards [at] partners.org (rredwards[at]partners[dot]org)

The Stanford PAIN cohort is dedicated to interdisciplinary research training in maternal and childhood pain and bioinformatics. We will train participants from across the national cohort in pediatric and maternal health and pain, equipping a new generation of clinical pain researchers to apply a lifespan lens to identify primary and secondary prevention strategies to address the pain epidemic. Core faculty research leaders will help match trainees to mentors within the Stanford PAIN cohort content areas of: (1) bioinformatics, (2) pain across the lifespan, specifically child and maternal pain, (3) nonpharmacological (behavioral) interventions for pain, (4) prevention of the transition from acute to chronic pain and (5) advancing health equity in the field of pain.

Contact PI: Dr. Laura Simons, lesimons [at] stanford.edu (lesimons[at]stanford[dot]edu)

The University of Michigan Pain T90/R90 program is looking for postdoctoral scholars interested in a career in pain science. We have a broad range of mentors that can help guide scholars in nearly any type of clinical or translational pain science. A focus of this program will be the career development of the scholars, who generally will be expected to write a NIH career development award (K award) during this postdoc.

Contact PI: Dr. Daniel Clauw, dclauw [at] med.umich.edu (dclauw[at]med[dot]umich[dot]edu)

The University of Florida Partnerships Across Interdisciplinary Networks: Training through Engineering, Epidemiology & Addiction Medicine or UF PAIN TEAM is located in Gainesville, North Central Florida. The program offers postdoctoral training to fellows interested in pursuing clinical pain research within collaborative interdisciplinary teams across the UF Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE). During the first year of the program, fellows will identify and partner with other fellow(s) in the program and along with mentors will develop a team science project extending their individual research projects. Our long-term goal is to increase the number of pain researchers able to perform complex team science research, advancing our understanding of pain and therapeutic options. Our mentors span interdisciplinary backgrounds including Neuroscience, Engineering, Psychology, Epidemiology, Addiction Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy, Anesthesiology, and others. The UF PAIN TEAM will also work collaboratively with other T90/R90 programs around the country to increase our future clinical pain workforce and their ability to work within large interdisciplinary teams.

Contact PI: Dr. Yenisel Cruz-Almeida, cryeni [at] ufl.edu (cryeni[at]ufl[dot]edu)

At Washington University in St. Louis we have developed a new postdoctoral training program: the Promoting Excellence through Pain and Addiction Research Enhancement (PREPARE) T90/R90 Training Program. A defining feature of the PREPARE Program will be an emphasis on social determinants of health (SDOH) as they relate to chronic pain and substance use disorders clinical research. SDOH define the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, and the inequities in power, money, and resources that are often responsible for disparities in pain and substance use outcomes across the U.S. Our overall goal is to develop outstanding independent investigators capable of sustaining productive clinical research careers addressing the biopsychosocial (emphasis on social) mechanisms underlying chronic pain and substance use disorder development, and/or designing clinical interventions to relieve pain and ameliorate substance use.

Contact PI: Dr. Burel Goodin, burel [at] wustl.edu (burel[at]wustl[dot]edu)

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)

The National Institutes of Health’s Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education offers an extensive range of clinical research training opportunities to prepare the next generation of clinician-scientists. Brief descriptions of the programs are provided below. As world’s largest biomedical research agency, the NIH encourages future clinician-scientists and medical researchers to consider adding an NIH experience to their portfolio.

Graduate Medical Education
NIH currently sponsor 17 medical specialty or subspecialty programs which have been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). We also jointly sponsor clinical training programs with extramural training partners, to include Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland, and the National Capital Consortium. In addition, we sponsor numerous "one of kind" translational medicine fellowship training programs. https://cc.nih.gov/training/gme/programs1.html

Clinical Elective Programs
Short term—4 to 12 week—clinically oriented elective rotations for senior medical and dental students; unique mentored specialty/subspecialty clinical research rotations are also available for combined program students (i.e., MD/PhD, DO/PhD). https://cc.nih.gov/training/students/clinical_electives.html

Postdoctoral Research Training Awards
Provides the opportunity for recent doctoral degree recipients to enhance their research skills in the resource-rich National Institutes of Health (NIH) environment, which consists of more than 1200 laboratories/research projects. https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postdoc_irp

Graduate Partnerships Program
This program is designed to bring PhD graduate students to the NIH Intramural Research Program for dissertation research. https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/gpp

IIE EU - U.S.  EDUCATION COOPERATION FOR RESEARCHERS

For information on EU – U.S. cooperation in doctoral and postdoctoral education opportunities for U.S. researchers and organizations. Visit IIE online at www.iie.org. Please contact the programs directly for additional information or with any questions you may have.

A quote from a recent Fulbright U.S. student, "My advice to Fulbrighters of the future is that which was given to me. Go at it with an open mind; your experience will not be anything like you predicted and will mark you indelibly, but it will be great."

FROM BENCH TO BUSINESS: MIT ALUMNI LEADING IN BIOTECH

Hear from MIT alumni who have charted their paths from graduate research to leadership at the forefront of the biotech industry, translating scientific training into impact on the business side of life sciences.

Tuesday, January 20 from 4-5:30pm in 68-181 (31 Ames Street, Cambridge)

Panelists: 

• Divya Mathur, PhD
  Entrepreneur in Residence, Third Rock Ventures
• John Quisel, PhD, JD
  Chief Executive Officer, Disc Medicine
• James Mutamba, PhD
  Chief Business Officer, Arrakis Therapeutics
• Meg Krench, PhD
  Principal, Sanofi Ventures

Please RSVP and submit any questions for the panelists in advance. We will have Q&A at the end of the event.

RSVP HERE

The event is open to the broader community, including non-MIT attendees. Please note that building access requires an MIT ID. Non-MIT attendees should arrive by 3:50 PM, as we won’t be able to open the building doors after the panel begins.

HARVARD BIOTECH CLUB SITE VISIT: GINKGO BIOWORKS 

Curious what's possible when high-throughput biology meets automation? Whether you're a researcher dreaming of hands-free experiments, a resource-limited founder racing toward first data, or simply someone excited about the future of how science can be done, this event is for you! 

Come join the Harvard Biotech Club for a visit to Ginkgo Bioworks in the Boston Seaport to learn about their autonomous laboratory automation system. 

Friday, January 30 from 2-4pm at 27 Drydock Ave, Boston, MA (Seaport)

RSVP HERE

Please RSVP for this event by Friday, January 16! 

If you have questions about this event, please contact harvardbiotechclub [at] gmail.com (harvardbiotechclub[at]gmail[dot]com). 

GSAS HARVARD BIOTECH CLUB CAREER 101 SERIES

Information on upcoming sessions of the Career 101 Series will be posted here when available. 

GRIFFIN GSAS HARVARD BIOTECH EVENTS

Interested in staying up to date and being the first to hear about our events?? 

Sign up to our mailing list here

Get more information on the club here at our website 

Follow us on social media!

Twitter: @thebiotechclub

Facebook: GSAS Harvard Biotech Club

CAPD FACULTY JOB SEARCH GUIDE

CAPD has launched the Faculty Job Search Guide! This completes our online PhD career support program (Kerberos login required), which brings together industry and academic job search resources and examples for easy access. The whole set of resources, the Faculty Job Search Guide, the PhD Career Document Library, and our PhD Resumes for Industry Jobs, is there whenever our students are ready. You can also find links on the CAPD PhD page.

MCKINSEY AND COMPANY RECRUITING NEWS

Starting in January, we will begin recruiting for those interested in our full-time Associate role who graduate between December 2024 – Summer 2025. Advanced Professional Degree (APD) candidates are postdocs or working toward the following degrees: PhD, MD (including medical interns, residents and fellows), JD, PharmD, Nursing, and non-MBA Masters. Non-MBA Master candidates must have at least four years in between the completion of their undergraduate degree and graduate degree to be qualified as having an APD.

Over 80% of our consultants have advanced degrees in fields outside of business, and as our firm continues to grow and evolve, we are looking for more people like you – experts in their fields – to join our community. We hope you will consider starting your journey with us, so you can be at your best at McKinsey!

Make sure to bookmark our website ahead of the new year.

As always, feel free to reach out to our APD_Recruiting_Team [at] McKinsey.com (APD recruiting team) with questions!

What’s on the horizon…
We will be hosting virtual sessions each month. These sessions will help you learn about the world of consulting, how your degree will be valuable, what life is like at McKinsey, and how we help our clients solve the most complex problems.

We can’t forget to mention Insight & Diversity Connect! Planning is underway for these two flagship programs. Find information on our website.

Connecting on campus Our recruiting team or consultants may be visiting a campus near you. Whether virtually or in-person, we are excited to learn more about YOU and what makes you interested in McKinsey!

Fill out our Connect with APD form!

This will give you access to all things APD recruiting in the coming months.
Make sure you’re on our list.

MIT ALUMNI ADVISORS HUB - ADVISING OPPORTUNITY FOR MIT STUDENTS

The MIT Alumni Advisors Hub is an online platform that students can use to ask for advice when they need it—from MIT alumni around the world. Students can get advice on their job and internship search, conduct a mock interview or informational interview, explore career paths and future entrepreneurial pursuits, and navigating life at MIT.

Sign up to gain access to a community of alumni who are eager to share their advice at https://alumniadvisors.mit.edu/.

Find an advisor today!

UPCOMING MIT CAREER FAIRS

MIT has a diverse range of career fairs, only a few of which are run by Career Advising & Professional Development. Others are managed by student organizations or academic departments. MIT students are also welcome at some fairs hosted by companies, professional organizations, and other universities.

To get the most of your career fair experience, see our Tips for Career Fair Success. You can also view the CAPD events calendar for career fair workshops.

Find out more about career fairs at MIT.

GRADUATE STUDENT CAREER EVENTS - WEBSITE & CALENDAR

For those who are looking for other resources, recordings of career related workshops and sessions for grad students available here: http://capd.mit.edu

The CAPD Event calendar can be found here. 

Sign up for the Graduate Student Career Advising mailing list here.

........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

TWiHST is published every Friday* during the academic year and bi-weekly during the summer.
(* - TWiHST is not published on designated/recognized Institute Holidays and Special Holidays when MIT is officially closed)  

Anyone may submit Items for inclusion in the newsletter.

The deadline for submitting announcements for inclusion in each edition is Thursday at 2pm, immediately prior to a Friday publication date.
Items received later than this time will be held for publication in the following weekly or bi-weekly edition.

To submit an announcement: twihsteditors [at] mit.edu (twihsteditors[at]mit[dot]edu)

To view the current issue: https://hst.mit.edu/news-events/twihst/current

If you would like to receive TWiHST, please contact twihsteditors [at] mit.edu (twihsteditors[at]mit[dot]edu) to be added to our email list.twihsteditors [at] mit.edu ( )