Becoming Mit: Moments of Decision

by David Kaiser (Editor)

How did MIT become MIT? The Massachusetts Institute of Technology marks the 150thanniversary of its founding in 2011. Over the years, MIT has lived by its motto, "Mens etManus" ("Mind and Hand"), dedicating itself to the pursuit of knowledge and itsapplication to real-world problems. MIT has produced leading scholars in fields ranging fromaeronautics to economics, invented entire academic disciplines, and transformed ideas intomarket-ready devices. This book examines a series of turning points, crucial decisions that helpeddefine MIT. Many of these issues have relevance the moral implications of defense contracts,the optimal balance between government funding and private investment, and the right combination ofbasic science, engineering, and humanistic scholarship in the curriculum. Chapters describe the educational vison and fund-raising acumen of founderWilliam Barton Rogers (MIT was among the earliest recipients of land grant funding); MIT'srelationship with Harvard--its rival, doppelgänger, and, for a brief moment, degree-conferringpartner; the battle between pure science and industrial sponsorship in the early twentieth century;MIT's rapid expansion during World War II because of defense work and military training courses; theconflict between Cold War gadgetry and the humanities; protests over defense contracts at the heightof the Vietnam War; the uproar in the local community over the perceived riskiness of recombinantDNA research; and the measures taken to reverse years of institutionalized discrimination againstwomen scientists.

Genres: History

207 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

David Kaiser is an associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he teaches in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society and the Department of Physics. He and his family live in Natick, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Irene O'Hare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to learn more about MIT’s history as I knew nothing before. I especially enjoying learning about the MIT Report that sparked a movie for gender equity in universities. I knew about MIT’s huge contributions to science but not about their contribution to advancing gender representation.

[Gunderhaegg · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Becoming MIT' is the story of the birth, growth and life (until now) of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The book is divided into eight short stories concerning various aspects of the institute's history, such as its creation, research during the war, the ethics of defense related work, bioethics and gender. The essays are relatively dry, but for anyone interested in the direction of development for institutions of higher learning this book is a quick and interesting read.

[Edward Fenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting, though brief account of the rise of MIT through its first 150 years.