From WGBH's 'Greater Boston': Kendall Square Boom!

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:01:20 GMT

MIT's Phillip Sharp on Kendall Square's growth over the last four decades.

Harnessing the Wind at MIT: Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:05:42 GMT

The wind Tunnel has proven instrumental in the examination of aerospace, architectural, vehicular, sports and other engineering systems

Barry L. Vercoe - Oral History Interview no. 2, April 24, 2012

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 07:03:49 GMT

Oral history interview with Barry Vercoe, MIT Professor Emeritus of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT, founding member of the MIT Media Lab, and computer music pioneer and composer. Interviewed by Forrest Larson and Christopher Ariza, MIT Video Productions studio. Topics include: Early years of computer music; Pursuing control in electronic composition; Mario Davidovsky; Using of computers to mimic or accompany live performers; Computer-composed music; Real-time performance and real-time composition; New perspectives on sound offered by synthesis; Sound file manipulation in MUSIC 11, MUSIC 360, and Csound; First real-time Csound performance; Founding vision of the MIT Media Lab; Conflict between technology and art at the Media Lab; Music-engineering dichotomy at IRCAM; Computer music courses at MIT; Graduate degree in Media Arts and Sciences; Retirement of the summer composer workehops; Plans for a resident ensemble with the late Larry Beauregard; Performance of computer music that lacks visual elements; Compositions by Jim Dashow and Jean-Claude Risset; Development of Max/MSP; "Music minus one"; Evolution of research in the Experimental Music Studio; Bill Gardner's research on two speaker 3D sound; Joe Pompei's research on laser loudspeakers; Marvin Minsky's advice on effective graduate student advising; Collaborative selection in the Experimental Music Studio; Development of Csound; Early usage of UNIX at MIT; Technical details of MUSIC11 and Csound; Rejection of fancy software front ends; Public participation in Csound development from the LPGL; Retaining a private version of Csound; Csound on the One Laptop per Child computer; OLPC deployment in the Solomon Islands; Devotion to education for disadvantaged people in the South Pacific; Institutional support for the arts and music at MIT; Evolution from composition to engineering and software development; Interest in Renaissance choral music; Support of choral music in New Zealand.

"Development of the Hudson 9 Slide Rule" - MIT Museum

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 07:03:49 GMT

Excerpt from an interview with Frank Adorney about U.S. Naval Academy professor James R. "Pop" Bland and the invention of a new slide rule, the Hudson 8 and the Hudson 9, prototypes of the Keuffel & Esser Deci-Lon, the last major slide rule introduced by K&E. Adorney, who constructed the prototypes, gave his collection and original notes to the MIT Museum. These rules are now on display as part the the museum's ongoing exhibition, Most Important Instrument: Slide Rules and the Making of the Modern World.

This interview was conducted by MIT Museum curator Deborah Douglas on January, 25, 2012.

"Pop Bland and the Hudson 8/9 Slide Rule" - MIT Museum

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 07:03:49 GMT

This interview was conducted by MIT Museum curator Deborah Douglas on January, 25, 2012.

"Pop Bland wrote the book...literally" - MIT Museum

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 07:03:49 GMT

This interview was conducted by MIT Museum curator Deborah Douglas on January, 25, 2012.

History of the Hudson 8/9 Slide Rule - MIT Museum

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 07:03:49 GMT

Full interview with Frank Adorney about the conception, development and fabrication of the Hudson 8 and Hudson 9 slide rule. This rule, invented by James R. "Pop" Bland, a mathematics professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, was the prototype for the famous Keuffel & Esser Deci-Lon slide rule. Bland asked his former student Frank Adorney for help fabricating the initial mock-ups and working prototypes of his new rule.

This interview was conducted by Deborah Douglas, curator of science and technology at the MIT Museum on January 25, 2012 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It provides extensive background about the rules which are now part of the MIT Museum's collection.

Jamshied Sharifi - Oral History Interview, February 27, 2012

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 07:04:03 GMT

Oral history interview with Jamshied Sharifi, MIT Class of 1983, second director of the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble, 1985-1992, composer, keboard player, producer and arranger.

Interviewed by Forrest Larson, MIT Video Productions studio.

Topics include: family and childhood in Kansas City, growing up in a two-faith household, singing in a church choir and piano lessons, high school glee club, jazz fusion band, guitar lessons, starting at MIT, early interest in synthesis and owning a Minimoog, joining the Festival Jazz Ensemble, counterpoint with Ed Cohen, senior thesis work with Marvin Minsky, composition for an improvisational ensemble, FM synthesis with Barry Vercoe, Bartok with Stephen Erdely, FJE audition, Herb Pomeroy's character, Herb's approach to jazz education and bandleading, studying line writing with Herb at Berklee, acoustics with Amar Bose, musical colleagues at MIT: Dave Ricks, Forrest Buzan & Charlie Marge, limited use of the MIT Music Library, studying jazz composition & arranging and film scoring at Berklee, Herb's harmony and arranging class, succeeding Herb as director of FJE, running auditions with Everett Longstreth and the MIT Concert Jazz Band, updating the "old experimental direction" of FJE, the role of music at MIT, different theoretical approaches to improvisation, West African, Middle Eastern, and Persian influences in composition, Agbekor drumming group at Tufts, defining jazz, more on composing for improvisation, recent work with the MIT Wind Ensemble and Fred Harris, Persian and Arabic melodic modes, hybridizing world music, film music experience, Jon Hassell and "fourth world music," Duke Ellington's wide ranging influences.

Building the Foundation of Modern Cancer Research: Four Decades of Discovery within the CCR at MIT

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:30:09 GMT

This film traces the story of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at MIT, from its founding in the early 1970s to its transition to the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research in 2007.

Technology 1934

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:46:28 GMT

A silent film produced by MIT in 1934 to introduce viewers to the Institute.

The Social Beaver

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:48:26 GMT

A historical view of MIT from the early 1960's.

Take Me Back To Tech

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:43:01 GMT

A historical view of MIT from its beginnings in Back Bay to the 1970's.

Phi Beta Epsilon

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:21:05 GMT

Historical footage from the Phi Beta Epsilon fraternaty (no sound).

MIT Mid-Century Convocation Featuring Winston Churchill

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:10:16 GMT

MIT hosted a Mid-Century Convocation and invited Winston Churchill to speak.

How fast is fast?

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:44:16 GMT

Take a look at the life and effect that Harold "Doc" Edgerton had on MIT and the world.

Daper DSL - Student Life

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:38:29 GMT

Other than the academics, take a look at what makes up an MIT student.

Building 20: Retired in 1998

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:34:53 GMT

MIT's Building 20 was called "The Magical Incubator" for its use to create some historical inventions at MIT, such as RADAR.

Recent Videos posted to History of MIT on MIT Video

From WGBH's 'Greater Boston': Kendall Square Boom!

Harnessing the Wind at MIT: Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel

Barry L. Vercoe - Oral History Interview no. 2, April 24, 2012

"Development of the Hudson 9 Slide Rule" - MIT Museum

"Pop Bland and the Hudson 8/9 Slide Rule" - MIT Museum

"Pop Bland wrote the book...literally" - MIT Museum

History of the Hudson 8/9 Slide Rule - MIT Museum

Jamshied Sharifi - Oral History Interview, February 27, 2012

Building the Foundation of Modern Cancer Research: Four Decades of Discovery within the CCR at MIT

Technology 1934

The Social Beaver

Take Me Back To Tech

Phi Beta Epsilon

MIT Mid-Century Convocation Featuring Winston Churchill

How fast is fast?

Daper DSL - Student Life

Building 20: Retired in 1998