During January, many of us on campus enjoy a slightly slower pace and the myriad opportunities provided by IAP (Independent Activities Period). According to the website, For over four decades, IAP has provided members of the MIT community (students, faculty, staff, and alums) with a unique opportunity to organize, sponsor and participate in a wide variety of activities, including how-to sessions, forums, athletic endeavors, lecture series, films, tours, recitals and contests. 

Since climate change is uppermost in our minds, we are grateful to all those who are offering courses and lectures related to this topic. There is a dedicated website called Climate IAP which provides a comprehensive list. Some have already taken place, but many others are yet to come. The department of Civil and Environmental Engineering sponsored a a team-based project looking at the problem of sea level changes, specifically in Boston, Cambridge and Singapore. Final presentations are being held on Thursday, January 19 at 10am and are sure to provide fascinating perspectives on how to deal with this looming crisis.

Other topics range from Mexico's energy policy to designing electric cars to a Hackathon for Climate Change. Towards the end of IAP, there will be a 3-day series called Climate Change Policy, Now More Than Ever!  which is especially topical considering the appointments being made in DC at the moment.

On a local level, the PKG Public Service Center is provding an opporutnity for the MIT community to volunteer through their CityDays service projects on Friday, January 20. Although registration is closed for large groups, registration for individuals is still open. We hope to see you at some of these excellent programs!