Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technology was founded in 1861 in Boston by William Barton Rogers, a natural scientist who sought to create a new kind of institution focused on applied science, engineering, and the practical application of knowledge to benefit society during the rapid industrialization of the United States. Classes began in 1865 in the Back Bay area of Boston, and MIT quickly became a leader in scientific and technological education. In 1916, the institute moved to its current location in Cambridge across the Charles River, and throughout the 20th century it played pivotal roles in major scientific breakthroughs, wartime research (notably the Radiation Laboratory during World War II), and the rise of the modern high-tech economy, especially through its close relationship with companies in the Route 128 corridor and later Silicon Valley.

MIT’s main campus spans approximately 168 acres along the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts, featuring a striking mix of distinctive modern architecture and historic brick buildings. Iconic landmarks include the Great Dome atop Building 10, the Stata Center designed by Frank Gehry, the transparent Green Building (the tallest academic building in Cambridge), and the beautiful Killian Court facing the river. The campus is highly walkable, densely packed with research labs, maker spaces, athletic facilities, and student housing, and is directly connected to Boston via the Red Line subway and several bridges. MIT also maintains additional facilities in Kendall Square (the epicenter of the global innovation economy) and various international outposts.

MIT is governed by a self-perpetuating corporation known as the MIT Corporation, which consists of about 80 members including alumni, business leaders, scientists, and educators. The president, currently Sally Kornbluth (since January 2023, the 18th president and second woman in the role), leads the Institute together with five academic deans and various vice presidents. The administration is known for its relatively flat and decentralized structure that gives significant autonomy to departments and faculty, while the Institute maintains an endowment of approximately $24–27 billion (as of 2025), supporting its mission of need-blind admission and generous financial aid.

MIT offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional education through five main schools: Architecture and Planning; Engineering; Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences; Management (Sloan School); and Science, plus the Schwarzman College of Computing established in 2019. The Institute is famous for its rigorous, hands-on, problem-solving approach (“mens et manus” – mind and hand), with a strong emphasis on undergraduate research through programs like UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program). MIT consistently ranks among the top 1–3 universities worldwide in engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, and economics, and is home to 97 Nobel laureates affiliated with the institute (as of 2025), numerous Turing Award winners, and leaders in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum computing, and climate science.

MIT enrolls about 4,600 undergraduates and 7,200 graduate students, creating a highly intense, collaborative, and quirky community often described as “nerd paradise.” Undergraduate life revolves around the unique dormitory culture (especially the 18 independent living groups), the legendary “hacking” tradition (elaborate, technically sophisticated pranks), and over 450 student clubs ranging from robotics and dance to entrepreneurship and public service.