In honor of Commencement, Slice of MIT looks back at some of the wise words shared by invited speakers at MIT graduation ceremonies past.

MIT spinoff Electrified Thermal Solutions is developing electrically charged bricks that generate and store heat as part of an effort to replace fossil fuels. “Our mission is to decarbonize industry with electrified heat,” says CEO Daniel Stack SM ’17, PhD ’21.

MIT researchers are learning how to control muscles with light. Their new study suggests optogenetics can drive muscle contraction with greater control and less fatigue than electrical stimulation.

A volunteer team used the tools of MIT.nano to etch the names of 339,537 community members, from 1861 to 2023, onto an 8-inch silicon wafer. “No matter when we came to MIT, whatever our roles, we all leave a mark on this remarkable community,” Vladimir Bulović says.

In international relations, it’s the message, not the medium, political scientists report. Their research shows that warnings issued by world leaders are taken equally seriously whether issued on social media or through formal statements.

On campus and beyond, senior Cindy Xie is working to connect people grappling with the social and cultural implications of climate change. “With climate action, there is such a need for collective change. We all need to be a part of creating the solutions,” she says.