News + Media

	In the News October 14, 2020 Fotini Christia named director of the Sociotechnical Systems Research Center Terri Park, Schwarzman College of ComputingMIT News Fotini Christia has been named the director of the Sociotechnical Systems Research Center (SSRC) at MIT. The interdisciplinary center, part of the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society in the MIT Stephen A Schwarzman College of Computing, focuses on the study of high-impact, complex societal challenges that shape our world.
	In the News October 14, 2020 A new world of warcraft Leda ZimmermanPolitical Science Political scientist Erik Lin-Greenberg explores how a burgeoning high-tech arsenal is shaping military conflict
	In the News October 13, 2020 Anat Biletzki on the Human Rights and Technology Fellowship Program MIT News Anat Biletzki is a founding co-director of the Center's Human Rights and Technology Fellowship Program. The program offers research fellowships to MIT students and invites proposals for its 2020-21 cohort of fellows through October 26. She speaks here on the fellowship program.
	In the News October 13, 2020 North Korea has unveiled new weapons, showing Trump failed to tame its nuclear program Alex WardVox Vipin Narang quoted: “The temperature is down because Trump is happy to live in denial,” MIT nuclear strategy expert Vipin Narang told me. “The problem with that is when the temperature inevitably turns back up.”
	Analysis + Opinion October 13, 2020 Vipin Narang on the global nuclear landscape: hype and reality The Diplomat With many nuclear powers pushing their envelope and, in some cases, luck, and the future of arms control under stress, the current nuclear environment is defined by several challenges around proliferation and escalation risks.
	In the News October 12, 2020 Threat from nuclear weapons and missiles has grown since Trump entered office Paul SonneThe Washington Post Vipin Narang quoted: Trends were already moving in a worrisome direction before Trump took office, and any administration would struggle to strike substantive new arms control deals in the current environment, said Vipin Narang. But Trump has exacerbated the challenges, he argued. “It’s not just we are building and modernizing our nuclear weapons program; we are doing it at a time when states are seeking riskier behavior with each other also.”
	In the News October 11, 2020 North Korea unveils ‘very destabilizing’ ICBM Patrick TuckerDefense One Vipin Narang quoted: MIT associate professor Vipin Narang echoed Lewis’ analysis that the ICBM was no surprise, and that it was likely intended to deliver multiple defense-thwarting warheads. “Be thankful we didn’t see a solid fuel ICBM!” tweeted Narang, a member of MIT’s Security Studies Program.
	In the News October 11, 2020 Trump’s virus treatment revives questions about unchecked nuclear authority David E Sanger and William J BroadThe New York Times Vipin Narang quoted: “The history of obfuscating the medical condition of presidents is as old as the Republic,” said Vipin Narang. “The issue here is that the dex” — shorthand for dexamethasone — “can make you paranoid and delusional.” “We don’t know how much he was given,” Mr. Narang said. “And if he gives an order in the middle of the night, and no one is there to stop him, we are dependent on his military aide not to transmit the order or the duty officer at the national military command center to stop it.”
	In the News October 10, 2020 Trump says the US nuclear arsenal is now 'tippy top' thanks to him, but nuke experts say he's out of touch with reality Ryan PickrellBusiness Insider India Vipin Narang quoted: Vipin Narang, a security studies expert at MIT told Insider that the Trump's approach to nuclear policy and arms control has put US security in jeopardy. “The administration added the W76-2, but took away the [Iran nuclear deal], [Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty], and is now threatening to rip up New START so, on balance, has probably made us less safe in the nuclear domain,” Narang said.
	In the News October 6, 2020 MIT deepens connections to the Middle East MISTI launches new seed fund in Jordan as part of MIT-Arab World program. The new fund aims to support joint early-stage collaborations between researchers and their students in Jordan and their counterparts at MIT, and will enable the MIT-Arab World program to move forward on its key objectives.