Global Languages is happy to offer a non-credit class, “Quechua at MIT” during IAP 2024. Ten sessions will be held from January 9 to January 23, 2024, from 10:00 – 11:30 am. This is an in-person class.

This two-week introductory class introduces the basics of Kichwa, a variant of Quechua language, the most widely spoken indigenous language in the Americas. The class focuses on oral and written skills, with emphasis on tasks based on familiar contexts, using an interactive approach.  It also introduces learners to the history, culture, and geography of the Andes through cultural discussions and exposure to artefacts of the region (e.g., textiles).  Students will reflect on Kichwa and Quechua as endangered languages and on the significance of keeping this very popular indigenous language alive. Tupanakunkaman (See you then)!

Sessions will be led by Soledad Chango. Soledad Chango is a native of Ecuador, Kichwa Salasaka. She is a scholar of language acquisition, and is pursuing an advanced degree in linguistics at MIT.

Enrollment is limited to 20 participants with the expectation of attendance at all 10 sessions. Open to members of the MIT community.

Registration  opens November 27 at 2:00pm, using this link (Kerberos credentials required): Registration Form

Registration closes December 8. All registrants will be contacted by December 15 with confirmation of enrollment or information on placement in a wait list (in the event of over-enrollment).

For more information contact languages@mit.edu.

In this activity each student will learn about the design and construction of a mechanical watch.  The student will take apart a watch movement and put it back together, with instruction from Jason Champion (instructor from the AWCI: American Watchmakers and Clockmakers Institute), with help from Jack Kurdzionak and Steve Boynton (professional watchmakers), and Prof. Gerry Sussman (an amateur watchmaker).  The entire exercise will take 4 hours.  Each session will be limited to 8 students.  Students need no prior experience, and all tools and materials will be provided by the instructors, as needed.

Enrollment is limited.  You must sign up for one of the 4-hour sessions:

Saturday, 20 January 2024, 9am-1pm
Saturday, 20 January 2024, 2:30pm-6:30pm
Sunday, 21 January 2024, 9am-1pm
Sunday, 21 January 2024, 2:30pm-6:30pm

Registration is closed.  If you wish to be added to the waitlist for one of the sessions, please email crosenth@mit.edu.

As part of this activity Professor Sussman will give a lecture on the theory of the mechanical watch and its relationship to an electronic impulse-driven oscillator.  There will be a discussion of friction (resistance) and its effect on Q and timing precision.  The lecture will explain why it is essential for the impulse to be supplied to the oscillator at the zero crossings of the angle, and why the oscillator will enter a limit cycle of a known amplitude.

The lecture is open to the MIT community.  It will be at 2:00-3:00 PM, in 32-141 on Friday, 19 January.

Special IAP Seminar hosted by the MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Abstract:

Historical account of the US military’s three major attempts at airborne aircraft-carriers along with why they ultimately terminated those programs/experiments. Further, a look at the future of this space and the impact of autonomous agents.

Speaker:

Nate Padgett 

Lieutenant Colonel Padgett is the United States Air Force’s 2023-2024 MIT Security Studies Program Military Fellow. Before coming to MIT, Lt Col Padgett served as the Senior Executive Officer for the Director of Staff, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He previously commanded the 60th Operations Support Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, California.

Sponsor:  MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Open to the MIT community
MIT is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you need a disability related accommodation to attend or have other questions, please contact us at ssp-info@mit.edu.

Buddhist Meditation IAP

RSVP HERE

Dates: January 19 - 21 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

Location: SPXCE Room (W31-110)

There will be 3 drop-in sessions each day for 3 different meditation traditions.

Mind (9:30-11:00 AM): Vipassana meditation - Learn how to focus through contemplative meditation

Hand (1:30-3:00 PM): Yogic meditation - Learn to prepare the body for meditation focused on bodily harmony

Heart (5:00-6:30 PM): Metta meditation - Learn to spread love with mantras intended to open the heart <3

Some of the guest meditation leaders are listed below!  Tea will be served.

• Ven. Dorjey Dolma (Tibetan)
• Ven. Deung Myoung Sunim (Korean)
• Ven. Tenzin Gyurmey (Tibetan)
• Ven. Nedagamuwe Samitha Thero (Bhante Samitha) (Sri Lankan)
• Saly Sirothphiphat (Thai)
• Prahlad Iyengar (Hindu)
• Dr. Santoshkumar Raut (Indian Buddhist)
• Kyle Saisakorn Sandberg HDS MDiv student with IMS experiences

Software-defined Radio (SDR) technology is having a tremendous impact not only in consumer devices but also in the areas of rapid prototyping and research and development.  MIT Lincoln Laboratory is offering a course to introduce students to SDR fundamentals and applications.  Students will gain hands-on experience with the USRP SDR platform ad GNU Radio toolkit, while learning theory and practice of digital signal processing and digital communications.  The course will consist of several projects, such as FM radio receivers, digital video transmissions and reception and spectrum sensing, highlighting the flexibility of software radios.

Global Languages is happy to offer a non-credit class, Introduction to American Sign Language, during IAP 2024. Ten sessions will be held from January 9 to January 24, 2024, from 10:00 – 11:30 am. This is a virtual / Zoom class.

This non-credit IAP class is an introduction to elementary aspects of American Sign Language and to Deaf culture for those with no prior experience. Sessions will focus on gaining specific areas of basic understanding/competency which can be applied to later introductory studies of ASL. Participants will also interact with topics including the role of ASL in Deaf history, current culture, and others.

Sessions will be led by Andrew Bottoms. Andrew Bottoms was born and raised in a Deaf family from North Carolina and American Sign Language (ASL) is his native language. Bottoms graduated from Gallaudet University with two bachelor degrees, one in American Sign Language (ASL) and the other in Deaf Studies.

Enrollment is limited to 20 participants with the expectation of attendance at all 10 sessions. Open to members of the MIT community.

Due to over-enrollment, registration is now closed. All applicants will be contacted by December 15 with confirmation of enrollment or information on placement in a wait list (in the event of over-enrollment).

For more information contact languages@mit.edu.

Step inside MIT.nano’s fab to create a 1x1 inch chip with your favorite image to take home with you!  We will work inside the MIT.nano cleanroom: learn how to gown up, understand the different fab tools, and use the tools to pattern a 50 nm thin layer of aluminum with your design. At the end, we will separate out the chips from the wafer, and you get a chance to put your chip in a small frame or carrier to take with you.

Each session is limited to 12 students. On the registration form, please indicate at which sessions you would be available.

Instructor: Jorg Scholvin, Assistant Director of User Services, Fab.nano

Register for this course

Registration deadline: January 8, 2024

We will begin communicating assigned dates and times on January 2, 2024

Come sing with the MIT Women’s Chorale!  We are a concert choir open to women from all portions of the MIT community. Rehearsals for our spring season will be held on Wednesdays from 7-9 pm in the main building complex at MIT, beginning on January 17. Our talented and enthusiastic music director, Nhung Truong, supports our philosophy, that we are serious about making music and serious about enjoying making music. Join our welcoming group as we prepare for our May program, which will include the lovely Missa Brevis by Delibes, small works by Handel,  and an exciting piece by Elaine Hagenberg. 

We ask that prospective singers contact us before the first rehearsal:  mitwc@mit.edu.  

Further details are available on our website.
https://web.mit.edu/womensleague/womenschorale/

Special IAP Seminar hosted by the MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Abstract:

Logistics investments in force modernization have been low priority for the joint and service in the strategic transition from expeditionary deterrence focused on local and non-state actor threats to integrated deterrence where peer adversaries have the capability to challenge the global status quo. The most significant strategic implication in the increased capability of these actors the degradation of the United States’ multi-domain supremacy where regional access, once a presumption, is now at risk. Based on this strategic evolution, the modernization and investments in logistics capabilities directly influences adversary perceptions of strategic signaling in general and immediate deterrence and offers the ways and means to reinforce allied and partner perceptions through the persistent application of the functions of logistics. 

Speaker:

Marcus Gillett 

Lieutenant Colonel Gillett is the United States Marine Corp’s 2023-2024 MIT Security Studies Program Military Fellow. He has served in a variety of assignments in the Fleet Marine Forces to include: Company Command (2014-2015), Battalion Operations Officer and Executive Officer (2015-2017), and Commanding Officer of 9th Engineer Support Battalion (2021-2023). Lieutenant Colonel Gillett’s B-billet assignments include: Marine Officer Instructor at The Citadel (2011-2014), Commanding Officer, Recruiting Station Fort Lauderdale (2017-2020), and he served as a staff officer at Headquarters Marine Corps (2020-2021). 

Sponsor:  MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Open to the MIT community
MIT is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you need a disability related accommodation to attend or have other questions, please contact us at ssp-info@mit.edu.

Not a Metallurgy class! This veteran crash-course is coming back in full force and will have you head banging, air guitaring, and devil horn raising in no time! Learn everything you ever wanted to know about Heavy Metal, including how Metallica continues to evolve, why Lemmy IS God (RIP), how the genre tackles some of today's biggest sociopolitical challenges, why metal bands exist in every country on Earth, and why you're probably already a metalhead without even knowing it.  

WARNING: This series most definitely goes to 11!  Earplugs optional.

We'll look at metal cultures, explore the fringes of the most extreme forms of metal, and, of course, listen to some SCREAMING HEAVY METAL! This is guaranteed to be the most BRUTAL class ever offered at MIT! Anyone is welcome to join, and since we're remote again this year, seating isn't limited. Learn more about this series' past in the class archive!

Heavy Metal 101: Music and Culture

Monday January 15, 2024

An introduction to Heavy Metal. Topics include the musicology of Heavy Metal as well as an examination of Heavy Metal culture. This multimedia extravaganza covers everything you ever wanted to know about Heavy Metal!

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

Music as Emotional Catharsis with Jason McMaster

Tuesday January 16, 2024

MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Jason McMaster. Jason McMaster, metal vocalist from bands including Watchtower and Dangerous Toys, will delve into the unique ways heavy metal serves as a form of emotional release and a coping mechanism for millions worldwide. Also a seasoned School of Rock educator for the past 18 years, Jason will discuss the process of song creation, from the intellectual spark to the physical act of crafting melodies with wood and wires, and how this genre has evolved into a therapeutic art form.

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

Guitar Tablature Generation with Deep Learning with Pedro Sarmento

Wednesday January 17, 2024

MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Pedro Sarmento. Within the field of symbolic music generation with deep learning, most works focus on MIDI representations, but less attention has been paid to guitar-focused symbolic music using digital tablatures. Guitar Pro format tablatures are a type of digital music notation that encapsulates information about guitar playing techniques and fingerings. Tablatures are often the preferred way of notating music digitally amongst the rock and metal communities.  This presentation will showcase the findings concerning the generation of multi-instrument compositions in Guitar Pro with Transformer architectures. The talk will focus on (1) the DadaGP dataset, a corpus of Guitar Pro tablature data suitable for sequence models, (2) GTR-CTRL, conditioning methods for Transformer models for the task of guitar tablature generation that allow for control over instrumentation and musical genre, (3) ShredGP, methods for guitarist-style conditioned guitar tablature generation with Transformers and (4) ProgGP, a practice-based research approach for creating AI-generated but human-produced prog metal music.

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

Innovating Metal Music with Technology with Jordan Rudess - LIVE In-Person and Online!

Thursday January 18, 2024

This class will take place online in-person on MIT's Campus in room 35-225 and will be livestreamed (if possible) and recorded for later viewing.

MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Jordan Rudess. Jordan Rudess, keyboardist for the progressive metal band Dream Theater and founder of Wizdom Music will share his expertise on the fusion of technology and metal music. Focusing on the innovative use of Riffler, an app for creating copyright-free guitar riffs, Jordan will also invite conversation regarding the roles of artificial intelligence and creativity in musical performance. This class will be an opportunity to gain insights from a pioneer in the integration of digital technology in metal music.

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

Heavy Music Mothers: Extreme Identities, Narrative Disruptions with Joan Jocson-Singh and Julie Turley

Monday January 22, 2024

MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturers, Joan Jocson-Singh and Julie Turley. The book Heavy Music Mothers: Extreme Identities, Narrative Disruptions is an exploration of women and heavy music and the ways in which women have historically engaged with musicking as mothers. Julie Turley and Joan Jocson-Singh, musicking mothers themselves, largely employ an ethnographic lens, foregrounded in powerful one-on-one original interviews as vignettes that narrate thematic patterns. Other chapters examine motherhood identity embedded in respective published rock music memoirs, discussions of rock performance as a site of maternal bonding, and themes that arise when heavy music mothers write about motherhood.

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

The Physics of Shred with Dr. Gore

Tuesday January 23, 2024

MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Dr. Gore. Dr. Gore’s session will focus on the relationship between the physics of the electric guitar and the characteristic sounds of heavy metal guitars. Topics covered will include pickup design and placement, natural and artificial harmonics, multiscale/”fanned fret” guitars, the boons and banes of nonlinearity, and why distortion is so integral to the “heavy metal sound.” Dr. Gore will also perform some shredtastic demonstrations of each of these principles along the way.

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

History of Heavy Metal: Part I

Wednesday January 24, 2024

A seminar examining the history of Heavy Metal from the late 1960s through the early 1990s. Topics will include Hard Rock, Archetypal Heavy Metal, and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM).

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

Do you enjoy being outdoors but don't know what to do when the temperature drops? Do you live for summer but suffer in winter? Are you cooped up from November to March? Don't hide from the cold — celebrate winter! During IAP, participate in MIT Outing Club's Winter School, where you can have fun learning skills like winter hiking and backpacking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing and more! Winter School is MITOC's crash course in cold weather activities.

The lecture schedule is as follows:

• Mandatory 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 9 MIT room Room 10-250.
• Mandatory 7pm-9pm Thursday January 11 MIT room Room 10-250.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 16 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday January 18 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 23 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday January 25 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 30 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday February 1 MIT room Room 6-120.

Winter School is an annual IAP course presented by the members of MITOC. Its goal is to teach the skills one needs to enjoy outdoor sports in the winter. During the month of January, participants attend lectures every Tuesday and Thursday evening and spend time outdoors during the weekends. Trips are offered at various levels of intensity and include hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, back-country skiing, ice climbing, winter camping, orienteering, and mountaineering.

For more information on how to sign up and participate, please visit the MIT Outing Club website: https://mitoc.mit.edu/events/winter-school. 

Photo Credit:  Emily Joy Sotomayor

Do you enjoy being outdoors but don't know what to do when the temperature drops? Do you live for summer but suffer in winter? Are you cooped up from November to March? Don't hide from the cold — celebrate winter! During IAP, participate in MIT Outing Club's Winter School, where you can have fun learning skills like winter hiking and backpacking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing and more! Winter School is MITOC's crash course in cold weather activities.

The lecture schedule is as follows:

• Mandatory 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 9 MIT room Room 10-250.
• Mandatory 7pm-9pm Thursday January 11 MIT room Room 10-250.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 16 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday January 18 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 23 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday January 25 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 30 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday February 1 MIT room Room 6-120.

Winter School is an annual IAP course presented by the members of MITOC. Its goal is to teach the skills one needs to enjoy outdoor sports in the winter. During the month of January, participants attend lectures every Tuesday and Thursday evening and spend time outdoors during the weekends. Trips are offered at various levels of intensity and include hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, back-country skiing, ice climbing, winter camping, orienteering, and mountaineering.

For more information on how to sign up and participate, please visit the MIT Outing Club website: https://mitoc.mit.edu/events/winter-school. 

Photo Credit:  Emily Joy Sotomayor

E-beam lithography enables advanced semiconductor chips; without e-beam lithography minimum features sizes would be limited to approximately 200 nm. In research environments e-beam lithography allows direct write, maskless lithography enabling quick and relatively cheap design changes.

This talk introduces the basics of e-beam lithography and pattern transfer, including electron energy, material interaction, limits to resolution, e-beam resists, throughput, proximity effect correction, and characteristics of different e-beam lithography tools.

Anyone interested in e-beam lithography, from neophyte to experienced users should be able to gain something from this talk.

Instructors: Mark Mondol, Assistant Director of Nano Structures Laboratory; Juan Ferrera, Research Scientist

Registration is now closed 

Registration deadline: January 17, 2024 

Special IAP Seminar hosted by the MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Abstract:

Lieutenant Colonel Kristen Dewilde will discuss her experience in the US Air Force with Operation Allies Welcome, which aimed to resettle vulnerable Afghans in the US, many of whom worked with American forces in Afghanistan.

Speaker:

Kristen DeWilde

Lieutenant Colonel DeWilde is the United States Air Force’s 2023-2024 MIT Security Studies Program Military Fellow. Before this assignment, she served multiple operational flight surgeon roles, including Squadron Medical Element and Chief of Aerospace Medicine. Lt Col DeWilde was the commander of the 559 Aerospace Medicine Squadron.

Sponsor:  MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Open to the MIT community
MIT is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you need a disability related accommodation to attend or have other questions, please contact us at ssp-info@mit.edu.

Related LibGuide: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) by Paxton LaJoie

Come for a day-long visit to learn about planning issues and efforts in the Forest City with the former Planning & Urban Development Director for Portland. We will travel by transit to experience how an innovative transit system works in a small city, and meet with city planning officials working on economic, housing, climate resilience and transportation issues.

Well known for its great architecture and food, Portland is rapidly becoming a place where climate migrants, affluent retirees, and those seeking urban amenities at a smaller scale are relocating. As a result, housing prices are up – as is homelessness. How does a Small City make sure any success is equitable? How do you make transit and walkability work in a place with relatively little traffic congestion? We will learn about how this small city by the ocean is trying to guide growth and change sustainably and justly. We will close out the day with a visit to a redevelopment district and one of the many tasting rooms in town, before taking the Downeaster train back to Boston.

This session will use this visit to learn about an emerging trend in urban development – the rise of the Small City. More than previous generations, Millennials are choosing to locate in these second- and third-tier cities as a way of balancing quality of life, employment opportunities, and the benefits of city amenities. The pandemic and increases in working “wherever” appear to be driving this trend even more quickly. How do we make sure current residents can stay when new residents inevitably drive up the cost of housing and create competition for employment? What about social services and the opportunity faced by New Americans, who are also living in Small Cities?

Be prepared for a long but interesting day, starting around 7 am. and returning to the Boston area around 8 pm. You should plan to dress for a Maine winter, including proper footwear, warm socks, and layers, as we will be walking outdoors for parts of the day.

Enrollment is limited to 12. Please send a short email of interest to Jeff Levine at jrlevine@mit.edu before 12/15/23.  Given limited spots and likely strong interest, admitted students must commit to attending, except in case of illnesses or other serious issues. Preference given to DUSP students.

A martial art known for its many health benefits, tai chi is a moving study in meditation.

Designed for small spaces, this class covers fundamental tai chi skills including postures, hand, and footwork. A short Yang style tai chi form will be taught.

Special clothing is not necessary, but athletic shoes and loose fitting pants are recommended.

Registration is required on our wellness class website. If you do not already have an account on this site, you'll need to create one. This is a fee-based class.

The Creature: Walking Garbage

Non-Credit IAP 2024 Workshop

January 10^th to 12^th, WRF 9:00-12:00; @3-415 

The garbage needs more attention! 

In “Purity and Danger," Mary Douglas claimed that waste is not a static group of items but rather the outcome of classification and relationships¹. This concept extends beyond mere physical attributes, also encompassing how the self is molded and identified through interactions with waste. Consequently, our waste disposal methods are intimately connected to our individual styles, emphasizing the influence of waste management on shaping cultural identities and subjectivity. The way we do it reflects an ethos, a manner of being².

This three-day workshop explores trash as a useful material to be crafted, digitalized, and animated. Through tutorials to digital tools, hands-on making, and interactive exercises, participants will be introduced to the importance of materials, representation, and data in evaluating the impact of waste as resources and ultimately propose effective measures to redesign the matter out of place.

Tools and materials are ALL provided (also food). We also would love to see your personal touch if you want to bring your garbage piece that speaks to you. :) 

NOTES 

1. Mary Douglas, Purity and Danger (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1966). 

2. Hawkins, Gay. The Ethics of Waste: How We Relate to Rubbish. Oxford: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2006.  

Instructors: 

Yiqing WANG, March; Biru CAO, SMArchS Computation 

Sponsor: 

MindHandHeart Innovation Fund

Please sign up here or scan the QR code in the attached poster if you are interested in participating in the workshop.

If you have questions, don't hesitate to email yiqingw@mit.edu

​Schedule:

How do we transform garbage into a living creature? We are introducing a new workflow combining hands-on artwork-making and digitalization techniques from 3D scanning to AI-generated rigging will be introduced.

Day one: Gather your chosen discarded items—desired or otherwise. We'll guide you through using the 3D scanning tool.

Day two: Paper mache creation. Shape your trash into a mesh, both manually and through 3D scanning.

Day three: Animate your paper mache with generative AI!

What you can learn:

Matter to Data via 3D-scan

Modeling skills and building paper mache

Basic Rigging and Animation

Dynamics of Waste

Your work will be announced in the Trash-to-Treasure competition project sponsored by the MindHandHeart Innovation Fund next semester.

Looking forward to having you!

Most watches these days are electronic miracles, but we cannot easily get insight into how they work. The traditional mechanical watch is different in that we can see all of the parts and how they interact. A mechanical watch is a highprecision mechanical device with lots of clever ideas and insights that we can learn from.

Professor Sussman will explain the theory and design of the mechanical watch and its relationship to an electronic impulse-driven oscillator. There will be a discussion of friction (resistance) and its effect on Q and timing precision. He will explain why it is essential for the impulse to be supplied to the oscillator at the zero crossings of the angle, and why the oscillator will enter a limit cycle of a known amplitude.

In this lecture Professor Sussman will be assisted by Jack Kurdzionak, AWCI Fellow.

The lecture is scheduled for 2:00 PM, Friday, 19 January 2024, in lecture hall 32-141.

Special IAP Seminar hosted by the MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Abstract:

This presentation will walk the audience through the impacts made by technological advancement on war at sea, using examples from history to illustrate the transformation from the age of sail into the US’ current fleet and beyond.

Speaker:

Alan Janigian 

Lieutenant Commander Janigian is a United States Navy 2023-2024 MIT Security Studies Program Military Fellow. LCDR Janigian reported first to USS CINCINNATI (LCS 20) before LCS Crew 214 transferred to USS MANCHESTER (LCS 14). While on MANCHESTER he qualified as Tactical Action Officer and earned the 2020 Mine Division 12 Tactician of the Year Award. Successfully completing his tour as Combat Systems Officer, he fleeted up and currently serves as the Operations Officer.

Sponsor:  MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Open to the MIT community
MIT is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you need a disability related accommodation to attend or have other questions, please contact us at ssp-info@mit.edu.

Special IAP Seminar hosted by the MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Abstract:

Colonel Karl Sondermann, US Army Logistics Officer and a trained active-duty Army Unit Historian will present a talk on recent US Army efforts to improve historical mindedness across our force while also better connecting with the American public. During his 20 year career, COL Sondermann has been empowered by Army leaders to pursue his graduate degree in Historic Preservation, selected as the Arlington National Cemetery Military Historian and Operations Officer, and encouraged to volunteer with numerous historic organizations; all while serving on active duty and using his experience to implement various historic initiatives to professionally develop his Soldiers. As we approach our nation’s semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary, this talk will provide career insights and reasons why modernizing how US Army Historians record, educate, and promote our nation’s history can help the US Military reverse current losses in public trust and confidence.

Speaker:

Karl Sondermann 

Colonel Sondermann is the United States Army's 2023-2024 MIT Security Studies Program Military Fellow. Prior to his arrival at MIT, he was assigned the J4- Director of Logistics, Special Operations Command Central at MacDill AFB, FL. Previous non-command assignments include deployments to Iraq for 15 months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, a deployment to Afghanistan for 9 months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, a deployment to Kuwait for 9 months in support of Operation Spartan Shield, two EUCOM assignments to Germany for 5 years, and a three-year assignment as the Operations Officer/Military Historian at Arlington National Cemetery.

Sponsor:  MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Open to the MIT community
MIT is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you need a disability related accommodation to attend or have other questions, please contact us at ssp-info@mit.edu.

Islam is frequently talked about in the media, but continues to be a mystery to most people.

What is the Muslim's concept of God? The afterlife? Who was prophet Muhammad? What do Muslims say about Abraham, Moses, and Jesus? What are the core beliefs and practices of Islam?

This session offers an opportunity to see beyond common misconceptions and learn from Muslims about their fourteen-century old faith, professed by 1.9 billion people worldwide. The session also touches on Islamophobia and student lived experiences on campus. A Q&A session is included.

The session is intended for first-timers only

Islam is frequently talked about in the media, but continues to be a mystery to most people.

What is the Muslim's concept of God? The afterlife? Who was prophet Muhammad? What do Muslims say about Abraham, Moses, and Jesus? What are the core beliefs and practices of Islam?

This session offers an opportunity to see beyond common misconceptions and learn from Muslims about their fourteen-century old faith, professed by 1.9 billion people worldwide. The session also touches on Islamophobia and student lived experiences on campus. A Q&A session is included.

The session is intended for first-timers only

How do religions evolve and change? Is there anything inevitable about religious violence or peace? Who's the Flying Spaghetti Monster? Join us this IAP for an interactive series all about understanding religion's role in the world today.

A martial art known for its many health benefits, tai chi is a moving study in meditation.

Designed for small spaces, this class covers fundamental tai chi skills including postures, hand, and footwork. A short Yang style tai chi form will be taught.

Special clothing is not necessary, but athletic shoes and loose fitting pants are recommended.

Registration is required on our wellness class website. If you do not already have an account on this site, you'll need to create one. This is a fee-based class.

Come sing with the MIT Women’s Chorale!  We are a concert choir open to women from all portions of the MIT community. Rehearsals for our spring season will be held on Wednesdays from 7-9 pm in the main building complex at MIT, beginning on January 17. Our talented and enthusiastic music director, Nhung Truong, supports our philosophy, that we are serious about making music and serious about enjoying making music. Join our welcoming group as we prepare for our May program, which will include the lovely Missa Brevis by Delibes, small works by Handel,  and an exciting piece by Elaine Hagenberg. 

We ask that prospective singers contact us before the first rehearsal:  mitwc@mit.edu.  

Further details are available on our website.
https://web.mit.edu/womensleague/womenschorale/

Global Languages is happy to offer a non-credit class, Introduction to American Sign Language, during IAP 2024. Ten sessions will be held from January 9 to January 24, 2024, from 10:00 – 11:30 am. This is a virtual / Zoom class.

This non-credit IAP class is an introduction to elementary aspects of American Sign Language and to Deaf culture for those with no prior experience. Sessions will focus on gaining specific areas of basic understanding/competency which can be applied to later introductory studies of ASL. Participants will also interact with topics including the role of ASL in Deaf history, current culture, and others.

Sessions will be led by Andrew Bottoms. Andrew Bottoms was born and raised in a Deaf family from North Carolina and American Sign Language (ASL) is his native language. Bottoms graduated from Gallaudet University with two bachelor degrees, one in American Sign Language (ASL) and the other in Deaf Studies.

Enrollment is limited to 20 participants with the expectation of attendance at all 10 sessions. Open to members of the MIT community.

Due to over-enrollment, registration is now closed. All applicants will be contacted by December 15 with confirmation of enrollment or information on placement in a wait list (in the event of over-enrollment).

For more information contact languages@mit.edu.

Global Languages is happy to offer a non-credit class, “Quechua at MIT” during IAP 2024. Ten sessions will be held from January 9 to January 23, 2024, from 10:00 – 11:30 am. This is an in-person class.

This two-week introductory class introduces the basics of Kichwa, a variant of Quechua language, the most widely spoken indigenous language in the Americas. The class focuses on oral and written skills, with emphasis on tasks based on familiar contexts, using an interactive approach.  It also introduces learners to the history, culture, and geography of the Andes through cultural discussions and exposure to artefacts of the region (e.g., textiles).  Students will reflect on Kichwa and Quechua as endangered languages and on the significance of keeping this very popular indigenous language alive. Tupanakunkaman (See you then)!

Sessions will be led by Soledad Chango. Soledad Chango is a native of Ecuador, Kichwa Salasaka. She is a scholar of language acquisition, and is pursuing an advanced degree in linguistics at MIT.

Enrollment is limited to 20 participants with the expectation of attendance at all 10 sessions. Open to members of the MIT community.

Registration  opens November 27 at 2:00pm, using this link (Kerberos credentials required): Registration Form

Registration closes December 8. All registrants will be contacted by December 15 with confirmation of enrollment or information on placement in a wait list (in the event of over-enrollment).

For more information contact languages@mit.edu.

Step inside MIT.nano’s fab to create a 1x1 inch chip with your favorite image to take home with you!  We will work inside the MIT.nano cleanroom: learn how to gown up, understand the different fab tools, and use the tools to pattern a 50 nm thin layer of aluminum with your design. At the end, we will separate out the chips from the wafer, and you get a chance to put your chip in a small frame or carrier to take with you.

Each session is limited to 12 students. On the registration form, please indicate at which sessions you would be available.

Instructor: Jorg Scholvin, Assistant Director of User Services, Fab.nano

Register for this course

Registration deadline: January 8, 2024

We will begin communicating assigned dates and times on January 2, 2024

Do you enjoy being outdoors but don't know what to do when the temperature drops? Do you live for summer but suffer in winter? Are you cooped up from November to March? Don't hide from the cold — celebrate winter! During IAP, participate in MIT Outing Club's Winter School, where you can have fun learning skills like winter hiking and backpacking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing and more! Winter School is MITOC's crash course in cold weather activities.

The lecture schedule is as follows:

• Mandatory 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 9 MIT room Room 10-250.
• Mandatory 7pm-9pm Thursday January 11 MIT room Room 10-250.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 16 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday January 18 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 23 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday January 25 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 30 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday February 1 MIT room Room 6-120.

Winter School is an annual IAP course presented by the members of MITOC. Its goal is to teach the skills one needs to enjoy outdoor sports in the winter. During the month of January, participants attend lectures every Tuesday and Thursday evening and spend time outdoors during the weekends. Trips are offered at various levels of intensity and include hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, back-country skiing, ice climbing, winter camping, orienteering, and mountaineering.

For more information on how to sign up and participate, please visit the MIT Outing Club website: https://mitoc.mit.edu/events/winter-school. 

Photo Credit:  Emily Joy Sotomayor

The Creature: Walking Garbage

Non-Credit IAP 2024 Workshop

January 10^th to 12^th, WRF 9:00-12:00; @3-415 

The garbage needs more attention! 

In “Purity and Danger," Mary Douglas claimed that waste is not a static group of items but rather the outcome of classification and relationships¹. This concept extends beyond mere physical attributes, also encompassing how the self is molded and identified through interactions with waste. Consequently, our waste disposal methods are intimately connected to our individual styles, emphasizing the influence of waste management on shaping cultural identities and subjectivity. The way we do it reflects an ethos, a manner of being².

This three-day workshop explores trash as a useful material to be crafted, digitalized, and animated. Through tutorials to digital tools, hands-on making, and interactive exercises, participants will be introduced to the importance of materials, representation, and data in evaluating the impact of waste as resources and ultimately propose effective measures to redesign the matter out of place.

Tools and materials are ALL provided (also food). We also would love to see your personal touch if you want to bring your garbage piece that speaks to you. :) 

NOTES 

1. Mary Douglas, Purity and Danger (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1966). 

2. Hawkins, Gay. The Ethics of Waste: How We Relate to Rubbish. Oxford: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2006.  

Instructors: 

Yiqing WANG, March; Biru CAO, SMArchS Computation 

Sponsor: 

MindHandHeart Innovation Fund

Please sign up here or scan the QR code in the attached poster if you are interested in participating in the workshop.

If you have questions, don't hesitate to email yiqingw@mit.edu

​Schedule:

How do we transform garbage into a living creature? We are introducing a new workflow combining hands-on artwork-making and digitalization techniques from 3D scanning to AI-generated rigging will be introduced.

Day one: Gather your chosen discarded items—desired or otherwise. We'll guide you through using the 3D scanning tool.

Day two: Paper mache creation. Shape your trash into a mesh, both manually and through 3D scanning.

Day three: Animate your paper mache with generative AI!

What you can learn:

Matter to Data via 3D-scan

Modeling skills and building paper mache

Basic Rigging and Animation

Dynamics of Waste

Your work will be announced in the Trash-to-Treasure competition project sponsored by the MindHandHeart Innovation Fund next semester.

Looking forward to having you!

Islam is frequently talked about in the media, but continues to be a mystery to most people.

What is the Muslim's concept of God? The afterlife? Who was prophet Muhammad? What do Muslims say about Abraham, Moses, and Jesus? What are the core beliefs and practices of Islam?

This session offers an opportunity to see beyond common misconceptions and learn from Muslims about their fourteen-century old faith, professed by 1.9 billion people worldwide. The session also touches on Islamophobia and student lived experiences on campus. A Q&A session is included.

The session is intended for first-timers only

Islam is frequently talked about in the media, but continues to be a mystery to most people.

What is the Muslim's concept of God? The afterlife? Who was prophet Muhammad? What do Muslims say about Abraham, Moses, and Jesus? What are the core beliefs and practices of Islam?

This session offers an opportunity to see beyond common misconceptions and learn from Muslims about their fourteen-century old faith, professed by 1.9 billion people worldwide. The session also touches on Islamophobia and student lived experiences on campus. A Q&A session is included.

The session is intended for first-timers only

Software-defined Radio (SDR) technology is having a tremendous impact not only in consumer devices but also in the areas of rapid prototyping and research and development.  MIT Lincoln Laboratory is offering a course to introduce students to SDR fundamentals and applications.  Students will gain hands-on experience with the USRP SDR platform ad GNU Radio toolkit, while learning theory and practice of digital signal processing and digital communications.  The course will consist of several projects, such as FM radio receivers, digital video transmissions and reception and spectrum sensing, highlighting the flexibility of software radios.

Not a Metallurgy class! This veteran crash-course is coming back in full force and will have you head banging, air guitaring, and devil horn raising in no time! Learn everything you ever wanted to know about Heavy Metal, including how Metallica continues to evolve, why Lemmy IS God (RIP), how the genre tackles some of today's biggest sociopolitical challenges, why metal bands exist in every country on Earth, and why you're probably already a metalhead without even knowing it.  

WARNING: This series most definitely goes to 11!  Earplugs optional.

We'll look at metal cultures, explore the fringes of the most extreme forms of metal, and, of course, listen to some SCREAMING HEAVY METAL! This is guaranteed to be the most BRUTAL class ever offered at MIT! Anyone is welcome to join, and since we're remote again this year, seating isn't limited. Learn more about this series' past in the class archive!

Heavy Metal 101: Music and Culture

Monday January 15, 2024

An introduction to Heavy Metal. Topics include the musicology of Heavy Metal as well as an examination of Heavy Metal culture. This multimedia extravaganza covers everything you ever wanted to know about Heavy Metal!

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

Music as Emotional Catharsis with Jason McMaster

Tuesday January 16, 2024

MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Jason McMaster. Jason McMaster, metal vocalist from bands including Watchtower and Dangerous Toys, will delve into the unique ways heavy metal serves as a form of emotional release and a coping mechanism for millions worldwide. Also a seasoned School of Rock educator for the past 18 years, Jason will discuss the process of song creation, from the intellectual spark to the physical act of crafting melodies with wood and wires, and how this genre has evolved into a therapeutic art form.

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

Guitar Tablature Generation with Deep Learning with Pedro Sarmento

Wednesday January 17, 2024

MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Pedro Sarmento. Within the field of symbolic music generation with deep learning, most works focus on MIDI representations, but less attention has been paid to guitar-focused symbolic music using digital tablatures. Guitar Pro format tablatures are a type of digital music notation that encapsulates information about guitar playing techniques and fingerings. Tablatures are often the preferred way of notating music digitally amongst the rock and metal communities.  This presentation will showcase the findings concerning the generation of multi-instrument compositions in Guitar Pro with Transformer architectures. The talk will focus on (1) the DadaGP dataset, a corpus of Guitar Pro tablature data suitable for sequence models, (2) GTR-CTRL, conditioning methods for Transformer models for the task of guitar tablature generation that allow for control over instrumentation and musical genre, (3) ShredGP, methods for guitarist-style conditioned guitar tablature generation with Transformers and (4) ProgGP, a practice-based research approach for creating AI-generated but human-produced prog metal music.

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

Innovating Metal Music with Technology with Jordan Rudess - LIVE In-Person and Online!

Thursday January 18, 2024

This class will take place online in-person on MIT's Campus in room 35-225 and will be livestreamed (if possible) and recorded for later viewing.

MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Jordan Rudess. Jordan Rudess, keyboardist for the progressive metal band Dream Theater and founder of Wizdom Music will share his expertise on the fusion of technology and metal music. Focusing on the innovative use of Riffler, an app for creating copyright-free guitar riffs, Jordan will also invite conversation regarding the roles of artificial intelligence and creativity in musical performance. This class will be an opportunity to gain insights from a pioneer in the integration of digital technology in metal music.

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

Heavy Music Mothers: Extreme Identities, Narrative Disruptions with Joan Jocson-Singh and Julie Turley

Monday January 22, 2024

MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturers, Joan Jocson-Singh and Julie Turley. The book Heavy Music Mothers: Extreme Identities, Narrative Disruptions is an exploration of women and heavy music and the ways in which women have historically engaged with musicking as mothers. Julie Turley and Joan Jocson-Singh, musicking mothers themselves, largely employ an ethnographic lens, foregrounded in powerful one-on-one original interviews as vignettes that narrate thematic patterns. Other chapters examine motherhood identity embedded in respective published rock music memoirs, discussions of rock performance as a site of maternal bonding, and themes that arise when heavy music mothers write about motherhood.

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

The Physics of Shred with Dr. Gore

Tuesday January 23, 2024

MIT Heavy Metal 101 is pleased to present guest lecturer, Dr. Gore. Dr. Gore’s session will focus on the relationship between the physics of the electric guitar and the characteristic sounds of heavy metal guitars. Topics covered will include pickup design and placement, natural and artificial harmonics, multiscale/”fanned fret” guitars, the boons and banes of nonlinearity, and why distortion is so integral to the “heavy metal sound.” Dr. Gore will also perform some shredtastic demonstrations of each of these principles along the way.

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

History of Heavy Metal: Part I

Wednesday January 24, 2024

A seminar examining the history of Heavy Metal from the late 1960s through the early 1990s. Topics will include Hard Rock, Archetypal Heavy Metal, and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM).

Zoom Registration

Facebook Event

How do religions evolve and change? Is there anything inevitable about religious violence or peace? Who's the Flying Spaghetti Monster? Join us this IAP for an interactive series all about understanding religion's role in the world today.

Do you enjoy being outdoors but don't know what to do when the temperature drops? Do you live for summer but suffer in winter? Are you cooped up from November to March? Don't hide from the cold — celebrate winter! During IAP, participate in MIT Outing Club's Winter School, where you can have fun learning skills like winter hiking and backpacking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing and more! Winter School is MITOC's crash course in cold weather activities.

The lecture schedule is as follows:

• Mandatory 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 9 MIT room Room 10-250.
• Mandatory 7pm-9pm Thursday January 11 MIT room Room 10-250.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 16 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday January 18 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 23 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday January 25 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Tuesday January 30 MIT room Room 6-120.
• 7pm-9pm Thursday February 1 MIT room Room 6-120.

Winter School is an annual IAP course presented by the members of MITOC. Its goal is to teach the skills one needs to enjoy outdoor sports in the winter. During the month of January, participants attend lectures every Tuesday and Thursday evening and spend time outdoors during the weekends. Trips are offered at various levels of intensity and include hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, back-country skiing, ice climbing, winter camping, orienteering, and mountaineering.

For more information on how to sign up and participate, please visit the MIT Outing Club website: https://mitoc.mit.edu/events/winter-school. 

Photo Credit:  Emily Joy Sotomayor

Special IAP Seminar hosted by the MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Abstract:

Lieutenant Colonel Kristen Dewilde will discuss her experience in the US Air Force with Operation Allies Welcome, which aimed to resettle vulnerable Afghans in the US, many of whom worked with American forces in Afghanistan.

Speaker:

Kristen DeWilde

Lieutenant Colonel DeWilde is the United States Air Force’s 2023-2024 MIT Security Studies Program Military Fellow. Before this assignment, she served multiple operational flight surgeon roles, including Squadron Medical Element and Chief of Aerospace Medicine. Lt Col DeWilde was the commander of the 559 Aerospace Medicine Squadron.

Sponsor:  MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Open to the MIT community
MIT is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you need a disability related accommodation to attend or have other questions, please contact us at ssp-info@mit.edu.

Come for a day-long visit to learn about planning issues and efforts in the Forest City with the former Planning & Urban Development Director for Portland. We will travel by transit to experience how an innovative transit system works in a small city, and meet with city planning officials working on economic, housing, climate resilience and transportation issues.

Well known for its great architecture and food, Portland is rapidly becoming a place where climate migrants, affluent retirees, and those seeking urban amenities at a smaller scale are relocating. As a result, housing prices are up – as is homelessness. How does a Small City make sure any success is equitable? How do you make transit and walkability work in a place with relatively little traffic congestion? We will learn about how this small city by the ocean is trying to guide growth and change sustainably and justly. We will close out the day with a visit to a redevelopment district and one of the many tasting rooms in town, before taking the Downeaster train back to Boston.

This session will use this visit to learn about an emerging trend in urban development – the rise of the Small City. More than previous generations, Millennials are choosing to locate in these second- and third-tier cities as a way of balancing quality of life, employment opportunities, and the benefits of city amenities. The pandemic and increases in working “wherever” appear to be driving this trend even more quickly. How do we make sure current residents can stay when new residents inevitably drive up the cost of housing and create competition for employment? What about social services and the opportunity faced by New Americans, who are also living in Small Cities?

Be prepared for a long but interesting day, starting around 7 am. and returning to the Boston area around 8 pm. You should plan to dress for a Maine winter, including proper footwear, warm socks, and layers, as we will be walking outdoors for parts of the day.

Enrollment is limited to 12. Please send a short email of interest to Jeff Levine at jrlevine@mit.edu before 12/15/23.  Given limited spots and likely strong interest, admitted students must commit to attending, except in case of illnesses or other serious issues. Preference given to DUSP students.

E-beam lithography enables advanced semiconductor chips; without e-beam lithography minimum features sizes would be limited to approximately 200 nm. In research environments e-beam lithography allows direct write, maskless lithography enabling quick and relatively cheap design changes.

This talk introduces the basics of e-beam lithography and pattern transfer, including electron energy, material interaction, limits to resolution, e-beam resists, throughput, proximity effect correction, and characteristics of different e-beam lithography tools.

Anyone interested in e-beam lithography, from neophyte to experienced users should be able to gain something from this talk.

Instructors: Mark Mondol, Assistant Director of Nano Structures Laboratory; Juan Ferrera, Research Scientist

Registration is now closed 

Registration deadline: January 17, 2024 

Buddhist Meditation IAP

RSVP HERE

Dates: January 19 - 21 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

Location: SPXCE Room (W31-110)

There will be 3 drop-in sessions each day for 3 different meditation traditions.

Mind (9:30-11:00 AM): Vipassana meditation - Learn how to focus through contemplative meditation

Hand (1:30-3:00 PM): Yogic meditation - Learn to prepare the body for meditation focused on bodily harmony

Heart (5:00-6:30 PM): Metta meditation - Learn to spread love with mantras intended to open the heart <3

Some of the guest meditation leaders are listed below!  Tea will be served.

• Ven. Dorjey Dolma (Tibetan)
• Ven. Deung Myoung Sunim (Korean)
• Ven. Tenzin Gyurmey (Tibetan)
• Ven. Nedagamuwe Samitha Thero (Bhante Samitha) (Sri Lankan)
• Saly Sirothphiphat (Thai)
• Prahlad Iyengar (Hindu)
• Dr. Santoshkumar Raut (Indian Buddhist)
• Kyle Saisakorn Sandberg HDS MDiv student with IMS experiences

Most watches these days are electronic miracles, but we cannot easily get insight into how they work. The traditional mechanical watch is different in that we can see all of the parts and how they interact. A mechanical watch is a highprecision mechanical device with lots of clever ideas and insights that we can learn from.

Professor Sussman will explain the theory and design of the mechanical watch and its relationship to an electronic impulse-driven oscillator. There will be a discussion of friction (resistance) and its effect on Q and timing precision. He will explain why it is essential for the impulse to be supplied to the oscillator at the zero crossings of the angle, and why the oscillator will enter a limit cycle of a known amplitude.

In this lecture Professor Sussman will be assisted by Jack Kurdzionak, AWCI Fellow.

The lecture is scheduled for 2:00 PM, Friday, 19 January 2024, in lecture hall 32-141.

In this activity each student will learn about the design and construction of a mechanical watch.  The student will take apart a watch movement and put it back together, with instruction from Jason Champion (instructor from the AWCI: American Watchmakers and Clockmakers Institute), with help from Jack Kurdzionak and Steve Boynton (professional watchmakers), and Prof. Gerry Sussman (an amateur watchmaker).  The entire exercise will take 4 hours.  Each session will be limited to 8 students.  Students need no prior experience, and all tools and materials will be provided by the instructors, as needed.

Enrollment is limited.  You must sign up for one of the 4-hour sessions:

Saturday, 20 January 2024, 9am-1pm
Saturday, 20 January 2024, 2:30pm-6:30pm
Sunday, 21 January 2024, 9am-1pm
Sunday, 21 January 2024, 2:30pm-6:30pm

Registration is closed.  If you wish to be added to the waitlist for one of the sessions, please email crosenth@mit.edu.

As part of this activity Professor Sussman will give a lecture on the theory of the mechanical watch and its relationship to an electronic impulse-driven oscillator.  There will be a discussion of friction (resistance) and its effect on Q and timing precision.  The lecture will explain why it is essential for the impulse to be supplied to the oscillator at the zero crossings of the angle, and why the oscillator will enter a limit cycle of a known amplitude.

The lecture is open to the MIT community.  It will be at 2:00-3:00 PM, in 32-141 on Friday, 19 January.

Special IAP Seminar hosted by the MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Abstract:

Logistics investments in force modernization have been low priority for the joint and service in the strategic transition from expeditionary deterrence focused on local and non-state actor threats to integrated deterrence where peer adversaries have the capability to challenge the global status quo. The most significant strategic implication in the increased capability of these actors the degradation of the United States’ multi-domain supremacy where regional access, once a presumption, is now at risk. Based on this strategic evolution, the modernization and investments in logistics capabilities directly influences adversary perceptions of strategic signaling in general and immediate deterrence and offers the ways and means to reinforce allied and partner perceptions through the persistent application of the functions of logistics. 

Speaker:

Marcus Gillett 

Lieutenant Colonel Gillett is the United States Marine Corp’s 2023-2024 MIT Security Studies Program Military Fellow. He has served in a variety of assignments in the Fleet Marine Forces to include: Company Command (2014-2015), Battalion Operations Officer and Executive Officer (2015-2017), and Commanding Officer of 9th Engineer Support Battalion (2021-2023). Lieutenant Colonel Gillett’s B-billet assignments include: Marine Officer Instructor at The Citadel (2011-2014), Commanding Officer, Recruiting Station Fort Lauderdale (2017-2020), and he served as a staff officer at Headquarters Marine Corps (2020-2021). 

Sponsor:  MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Open to the MIT community
MIT is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you need a disability related accommodation to attend or have other questions, please contact us at ssp-info@mit.edu.

Related LibGuide: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) by Paxton LaJoie

Special IAP Seminar hosted by the MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Abstract:

This presentation will walk the audience through the impacts made by technological advancement on war at sea, using examples from history to illustrate the transformation from the age of sail into the US’ current fleet and beyond.

Speaker:

Alan Janigian 

Lieutenant Commander Janigian is a United States Navy 2023-2024 MIT Security Studies Program Military Fellow. LCDR Janigian reported first to USS CINCINNATI (LCS 20) before LCS Crew 214 transferred to USS MANCHESTER (LCS 14). While on MANCHESTER he qualified as Tactical Action Officer and earned the 2020 Mine Division 12 Tactician of the Year Award. Successfully completing his tour as Combat Systems Officer, he fleeted up and currently serves as the Operations Officer.

Sponsor:  MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Open to the MIT community
MIT is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you need a disability related accommodation to attend or have other questions, please contact us at ssp-info@mit.edu.

Special IAP Seminar hosted by the MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Abstract:

Colonel Karl Sondermann, US Army Logistics Officer and a trained active-duty Army Unit Historian will present a talk on recent US Army efforts to improve historical mindedness across our force while also better connecting with the American public. During his 20 year career, COL Sondermann has been empowered by Army leaders to pursue his graduate degree in Historic Preservation, selected as the Arlington National Cemetery Military Historian and Operations Officer, and encouraged to volunteer with numerous historic organizations; all while serving on active duty and using his experience to implement various historic initiatives to professionally develop his Soldiers. As we approach our nation’s semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary, this talk will provide career insights and reasons why modernizing how US Army Historians record, educate, and promote our nation’s history can help the US Military reverse current losses in public trust and confidence.

Speaker:

Karl Sondermann 

Colonel Sondermann is the United States Army's 2023-2024 MIT Security Studies Program Military Fellow. Prior to his arrival at MIT, he was assigned the J4- Director of Logistics, Special Operations Command Central at MacDill AFB, FL. Previous non-command assignments include deployments to Iraq for 15 months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, a deployment to Afghanistan for 9 months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, a deployment to Kuwait for 9 months in support of Operation Spartan Shield, two EUCOM assignments to Germany for 5 years, and a three-year assignment as the Operations Officer/Military Historian at Arlington National Cemetery.

Sponsor:  MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Open to the MIT community
MIT is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you need a disability related accommodation to attend or have other questions, please contact us at ssp-info@mit.edu.

Special IAP Seminar hosted by the MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Abstract:

Historical account of the US military’s three major attempts at airborne aircraft-carriers along with why they ultimately terminated those programs/experiments. Further, a look at the future of this space and the impact of autonomous agents.

Speaker:

Nate Padgett 

Lieutenant Colonel Padgett is the United States Air Force’s 2023-2024 MIT Security Studies Program Military Fellow. Before coming to MIT, Lt Col Padgett served as the Senior Executive Officer for the Director of Staff, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He previously commanded the 60th Operations Support Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, California.

Sponsor:  MIT Security Studies Program (SSP)

Open to the MIT community
MIT is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you need a disability related accommodation to attend or have other questions, please contact us at ssp-info@mit.edu.