In a wide-ranging live conversation, MIT President Sally Kornbluth joined Jim Braude and Margery Eagan live in studio for GBH’s on Thursday, February 5. They talked about MIT, the pressures facing America’s research enterprise, the importance of science, that Congressional hearing on antisemitism in 2023, and more – including Sally’s experience as a Type 1 diabetic.
Reflecting on how research and innovation within the treatment of diabetes has advanced over many years of labor, resulting in markedly higher patient care, Kornbluth exclaims: “That is science!”
With latest financial pressures facing universities, increased competition for talented students and students from outside the U.S., in addition to unprecedented pressures on university leaders and campuses, co-host Eagan asks Kornbluth what she thinks will occur in years to return.
“For us, one among the toughest things now could be the endowment tax,” remarks Kornbluth. “That’s $240 million a 12 months. Take into consideration how much science you possibly can get for $240 million a 12 months. Are we managing it? Yes. Are we still forging ahead on all of our exciting initiatives? Yes. But we’ve needed to reconfigure things. We’ve needed to merge things. And it’s not the best way we must be spending our money and time.”
Watch and take heed to the full episode on YouTube. President Kornbluth appears one hour and 7 minutes into the published.
Following Kornbluth’s appearance, MIT Assistant Professor John Urschel – also a former offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens – joined Edgar B. Herwick III, host of GBH’s newest show, to discuss his love of his family, linear algebra, and football.
On how he eventually selected math over football, Urschel quips: “Well, I hate to interrupt it to you, I like math higher… let me let you know, once I began my PhD at MIT, I just fell in love with the place. I fell in love with this concept of being on this environment [where] everyone loves math, everyone desires to learn. I used to be just always excited daily showing up.”
Prof. Urschel appears about 2 hours and 40 minutes into the webcast on YouTube.
Coming up on Curiosity Desk later this month…
Airing weekday afternoons from 1-2 p.m., will welcome additional MIT guests in the approaching weeks. On Thursday, Feb. 12 Anette “Peko” Hosoi, Pappalardo Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Jerry Lu MFin ’24, a former researcher on the MIT Sports Lab, visit to debate their work using AI to assist Olympic figure skaters improve their jumps.
Then, on Thursday, Feb. 19, Professors Sangeeta Bhatia and Angela Belcher talk with Herwick about their research to enhance diagnostics for ovarian cancer. We learn that about 80% of the time ovarian cancer starts within the fallopian tubes and the way this points the technique to a complete latest approach to diagnosing and treating the disease.
