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C Varenhorst

MacVicar Day honors teaching excellence and highlights Energy Minor

March 11, 2011

Founded in honor of Margaret MacVicar, physicist, teacher, and first dean of undergraduate education at MIT, MacVicar Day and the MacVicar Faculty Fellowships program were established in 1992 in recognition of Dr. MacVicar's life and contributions.

To celebrate teaching excellence at MIT, MacVicar Faculty Fellowships are yearly awarded to outstanding faculty. This year’s recipients were: Bishwapriya (Bish) Sanyal, Christopher Schuh, George Verghese, and Patrick Winston. 

March 9 was the 20th anniversary of MacVicar Day and this year's celebration featured a panel discussion on MIT's new energy studies minor, created to engage MIT students in tackling complex, real-life problems. Vladimir Bulovic who, along with Donald Lessard, is co-chair of the Energy Education Task Force, explained that the program channels students along thematic lines rather than areas of discipline.

Attracting 25 undergraduates from 12 departments and schools, the energy minor curriculum encompasses 35 MIT classes. The pedagogical principles for the program center around three facets of a prism: 

  1. Study of the science behind energy creation and entropy production.
  2. Examination of the social science issues that underlie human behavior in regards to energy use and perspectives on energy.
  3. Exploration of concrete applications and technologies in order to harness innovative solutions.

Prof Robert Jaffe gave an overview of his course, “The Physics of Energy”, one of the fundamental courses in the program's curriculum. Students learn about the physics of energy so that they are able to perform essential energy-related calculations and do not need to rely on the expertise of others.

Donald Lessard spoke about his “Energy Decisions, Market and Policies: the Social Science of Energy” course which studies markets, policies, governments and culture. Understanding these forces is necessary in order to work effectively towards changing energy systems.

Lastly, Leon Glicksman gave an overview of  “Fundamentals of Energy in Buildings”, a seminar of student-designed projects that focus on efficient use of energy and alternate energy sources.

In the Q&A period, TLL director Lori Breslow asked about the pedagogical challenges of teaching students with different expertise and preparations. Lessard responded that the key to success is to engage students with the subject matter, and to tailor assignments to attract diverse abilities and skills. Vlad Bulovic added the importance of using different modalities in teaching to keep students interested.

In addition to the energy minor, many students have the opportunity to participate in full-time energy UROPS, coordinated by MITEI.

After Q&A, the panel and attendees adjourned to the energy poster sessions in the TSMC Lobby. 15 energy-related projects were represented from MIT classes, energy UROPs and energy student groups.

Wind energy and various alternative fuels for vehicle propulsion were presented by such groups as the MIT Electric Vehicle Team, Biodiesel@MIT, MIT Solar Electrical Vehicle Team, as well as several MITEI UROPs on biofuels, campus wind resources and small wind turbines.

 

Of particular interest was the go-cart designed by Prof. Steven Leeb's   "Physics of Energy" freshman seminar and which Prof. Robert Jaffe test-drove in the TSMC hallway of Stata Center.

 

- Molly Ruggles

Photographs kindness of Jennifer Susan DiMase, MITEI.

Photography: Justin Knight.

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