Community Spotlight: Min-Min Liang
Thinking on Your Feet: Dance as a Learning Science
World-class
research
Our distinguished faculty do field-defining work and develop the values, vision, and ethical compass of tomorrow’s leaders. They produce operas alongside research that makes the world a better place.
Without human understanding, there is no understanding. The School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences is home to scholars and artists who are doing transformative work in fields that are vital to addressing the world’s most important challenges.
Making classical music and math more accessible
In math and in music, senior Holden Mui values interesting ideas, solving problems creatively, and finding meaning in their structures. “People want fresh, new, non-recycled approaches to math and music,” he says.
Aligning AI with human values
Senior Audrey Lorvo is researching AI safety, which seeks to ensure increasingly intelligent AI models are reliable and can benefit humanity. The growing field focuses on technical challenges like robustness and AI alignment with human values, as well as societal concerns like transparency and accountability.
Learn more about the research of our exceptional faculty.
Study in India shows kids use different math skills at work vs. school
A new study in India co-authored by MIT economists Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee shows a wide gap between the kinds of math problems kids who work in retail markets do well and the kinds of problems kids in school do well.
Examining American attitudes on global climate policies
Evan Lieberman, director of MIT’s Center for International Studies, describes new research in which he and colleagues find a sharp partisan divide over providing aid to poor nations. “Our research suggests that emphasizing a bit of blaming and shaming is more powerful than more diffuse messages of shared responsibility,” he explains.
SHASS offers an wide array of events through our departments, programs, and centers. We’ve featured some upcoming events below. See our events calendar for opportunities to drink tea with luminaries from SHASS fields, hear groundbreaking ideas at a symposium, or attend a film screening.
Healthcare Access Among Forcibly Displaced Persons
The Center for International Studies presents Healthcare Access Among Forcibly Displaced Persons: The Intersection of Trust, Technology, and Basic Science on Monday, Feb. 24 at 12 p.m. in Building E40-496 (Pye Conference Room). Join Boston University’s Muhammad Zaman as he examines challenges faced by people displaced due to conflict, persecution, climate change, and other issues.
Starr Forum: Syria and the Middle East: What’s Next?
The Center for International Studies presents Starr Forum: Syria and the Middle East: What’s Next? Join us on Tuesday, February 25 at 4:30 p.m. in Building E25-111 for a discussion featuring experts exploring the hopes and challenges of a post-Assad regime.
SHASS community spotlight
The SHASS community is made of inspiring students, staff, and faculty. Meet these individuals who have big impacts in the corridors of MIT and beyond.
Latest news from SHASS
Our work has broad impact at MIT and across the globe. Read the latest about new ideas coming out of SHASS.
Two from MIT named 2025 Gates Cambridge Scholars
Markey Freudenburg-Puricelli and Abigail Schipper ’24 will pursue graduate studies at Cambridge University in the U.K.
MIT faculty, alumni named 2025 Sloan Research Fellows
Annual award honors early-career researchers for creativity, innovation, and research accomplishments.
J-WAFS: Supporting food and water research across MIT
For the past decade, the Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab has strengthened MIT faculty efforts in water and food research and innovation.
