[UA - The Byte] Mar. 1, 2021

Mon Mar 1 10:57:18 EST 2021

Vol. 5 Issue 14 - March 1, 2021

The Byte
 <https://www.facebook.com/undergraduateassociation/>
 <http://ua.mit.edu/>
 <mailto:ua-secretary at mit.edu>
SUBMIT AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE UA
 <https://forms.gle/GcrFoaD7Xtc9GzRr5>
Hi Undergrads, 

Happy first day of March! MIT's annual Random Acts of Kindness (RAK <https://mindhandheart.mit.edu/news/RAKWeek2021>) week is this week, 3/1-3/5. In case you missed it, BSU members released a video <https://www.instagram.com/tv/CLua-sphWTs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link> & accompanying Op-Ed <https://thetech.com/2021/02/25/reimagining-mit-curriculum> for Black History Month-- check it out!

Tuesday, 3/2 from 8-9 PM will be the third UA council meeting of the semester! The meeting will be happening here <https://mit.zoom.us/j/94848054203> & we will be discussing a consensus decision on the MIT Climate Action Plan (visit ua.mit.edu/uacouncil <http://ua.mit.edu/uacouncil> for more details)! This is a chance to have your voice heard by your council representative on policy that could be presented to institute leaders. 

The Byte is a biweekly UA newsletter to inform undergraduates about what's happening in the MIT community.

The Byte is run by the UA which works to improve your undergraduate experience through policy, projects, and events. We're always happy to listen to your suggestions, concerns, and comments. Learn more at ua.mit.edu <http://ua.mit.edu/>.

~ Naomi
UA Secretary

 Community
MIT Reflects: Moments of Remembrance and Hope 
MIT COVID Surveillance Study
dynaMIT Mentor Applications
Women’s Entrepreneurship Showcase
MIT School Spirit Contest 
MIT Coalition for Black Athletes 
Solitude & Solidarity: Issue Two of the Rooted zine
Secular Society: Out and Out Episode 9
 Undergraduate Association
UA Council Meetings
Student Coder Needed - MIT Policy Pal
 Institute News
Seeking student writing submissions: The Isabelle de Courtivron Prize
Free Wall Street Journal Membership
MIT Innovation Initiative Spring ELOs
COMMUNITY

MIT Reflects: Moments of Remembrance and Hope 
When: Wednesday, 3/10 4:30-5:30 PM ET 
Webcast: http://web.mit.edu/webcast/s21/1/ <http://web.mit.edu/webcast/s21/1/>

A year ago, Covid-19 upended everything. As we contend, separately and together, with the pressures and losses of this long crisis, President Reif and the MIT Chaplains are inviting the MIT community to an online gathering for reflection.

Through music and poetry as well as prayers drawn from the diversity of the world’s spiritual and ethical traditions, we will honor the people we have lost, recognize one another’s struggles, reflect on what gave us meaning and celebrate the strengths we found. After the opening program, attendees may join the Chaplains and fellow community members in small Zoom groups for further conversation, including the opportunity to name those new insights, habits, practices and friendships from this strange time that we each hope to sustain – our personal “Covid keepers.” 

MIT COVID Surveillance Study
Participate: medical.mit.edu/covidstudy <http://medical.mit.edu/covidstudy>

 Are you in Covid Pass?

If so, you are eligible to participate in the MIT COVID Surveillance study to help better understand how behaviors influence transmission rates during a pandemic.

To participate: 

Sign up at medical.mit.edu/covidstudy  <http://medical.mit.edu/covidstudy>
Fill out regular surveys about your behaviors during the pandemic
You also have an opportunity to use a wearable device to track your health.

dynaMIT Mentor Applications
Apply: tinyurl.com/dynaMentor2021 <http://tinyurl.com/dynaMentor2021>

Are you excited about STEM, and want to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers? Do you want to meet other MIT students who are also passionate about education?? Are you looking for opportunities to help students from underserved communities to gain exposure to the STEM field???

Look no further, dynaMIT is where you want to be this summer!! dynaMIT is a two-week-long STEM enrichment program for local middle-schoolers of underprivileged backgrounds, with the aim of INSPIRING young minds who have low exposure to the STEM field. As a mentor, you'll work closely with a small group of students to do interesting scientific experiments and fun, educational activities, and make a difference in their lives! Check out our website at dynamit.mit.edu <http://dynamit.mit.edu/> for more information and examples of activities we do.

dynaMIT needs you, and our application for summer 2021 is now up!! APPLY HERE <http://tinyurl.com/dynaMentor2021> BY MARCH 7th!!!

IFC and Panhel Present: BLACKBALLED
When: Monday, 3/8 from 3-4:30 PM ET
RSVP: tiny.cc/BLACKBALLED <http://tiny.cc/BLACKBALLED>

MIT IFC and Panhel are excited to be hosting BLACKBALLED, a lecture on campus racism by author and speaker Lawrence Ross. Ross wrote Blackballed and The Divine Nine, and has lectured at hundreds of college campuses across the nation. The virtual lecture on March 8th at 3PM ET, and admission is free to all MIT students.

Save the date and RSVP <http://tiny.cc/BLACKBALLED> to receive the Zoom link! Learn more about Lawrence Ross and the event at mitifc.com/blackballed <http://mitifc.com/blackballed>.

Women’s Entrepreneurship Showcase
When: Monday, 3/8 from 6-9:30 PM ET
Apply: stemgemsmit.com <https://www.stemgemsmit.com/>

Celebrate the Women Run Start-ups at MIT/Wellesley! See the website <https://www.stemgemsmit.com/> and flyer for more info!

MIT School Spirit Contest
Submissions form: bit.ly/3puzDTq  <http://bit.ly/3puzDTq%C2%A0>
Learn more: Full details <http://bit.ly/2MtpnfJ> & @mit_school_spirit <http://bit.ly/3opJUyP> 
Contact: emilyhan at mit.edu <mailto:emilyhan at mit.edu>, saracola at mit.edu <mailto:saracola at mit.edu>

We are holding an mit community-wide huge school spirit contest hosted on instagram to raise morale and have fun during these sad remote times, running for the months of February and March! Undergrads, graduate students, faculty, staff, and pretty much anyone in the MIT community can submit entries in a variety of media across a variety of themes on instagram to share nostalgic memories of and your favorite things about MIT 💕. Every week prizes will be given out!! 

funded by: mindhandheart & the baker foundation
organized by: some spirited undergrads 😋

MIT Coalition for Black Athletes
Join: tinyurl.com/MIT-Black-Athletes <http://tinyurl.com/MIT-Black-Athletes>

We are looking to identify Black students who would be interested in joining a Coalition of Black Athletes. If you identify as Black and have been a member (currently or in the past) of a Varsity or Club sports team at MIT, please fill out this interest form <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdiMMZIk_4H3bFj6CBvcJbG-HySIlg9rdSbLIDJtMzjDjUqWg/viewform>.

Solitude & Solidarity: Issue Two of the Rooted zine
When: Submissions due Sunday 3/28
Submit content: here <https://forms.gle/aKzNWvjoskzL163d8>

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!

tl;dr Submit your art/writing to Issue Two of the Rooted zine on solitude and/or solidarity. 

MIT Asian American Initiative (AAI) is looking to feature stories from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in the second issue of our zine series Rooted. Short stories, poems, drawings, photography, and any form of printable art revolving around the themes of solitude, solidarity, and boundaries are welcome. Anyone interested in contributing — whether an undergrad, grad student, faculty, staff, or alumni — is invited to submit. Anonymous submissions are welcome. Submit and read more details here <https://forms.gle/aKzNWvjoskzL163d8> by Sunday, March 28, 2021! Check out last year's zine on immigration stories here <https://issuu.com/mitaai/docs/zinefinal_4_no_bleed_for_online_export-compressed>! Funded by the Council for Arts at MIT.

Secular Society: Out and Out Episode 9
When: Wednesday, 3/10 from 7-8:30 PM ET
Where: Register here <https://mit.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYlcu-urjgjHtzeIiw_wfHVyUvk_azzNFDY>
Learn More: Facebook event <https://www.facebook.com/events/415888549633969>, MIT event <http://calendar.mit.edu/event/ssomit_outandout_episode9>, YouTube Live Stream <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp88XfzTTtQ>

The Catholic Church is one of the oldest, wealthiest, most influential, and most centralized religious institutions in the world, claiming unbroken apostolic succession and divine mandate beyond scripture for nearly two millennia. Like hundreds of millions the world over, Jenna Belk was raised to find belonging in its fold, and answers in its teachings. Once having prepared herself to serve the Church, she is today not only an atheist, but is one of the most public and active advocates for atheism in her generation, while also promoting curiosity and kindness in the community.

The Secular Society of MIT is proud to have her as the featured speaker for the 9th episode of our "Out And Out" ex-believer story-sharing series. Talk followed by audience Q&A. Free and open to the public. The event will be recorded. Stay on after for a post-event informal discussion hangout.

UNDERGRADUATE ASSOCIATION

UA Council Meetings
When: Meeting schedule & links here <http://ua.mit.edu/uacouncil> 
Where: https://mit.zoom.us/j/94848054203 <https://www.google.com/url?q=https://mit.zoom.us/j/94848054203&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw1f_jL4UdpWYCKcsg_97BOD>
Contact: ua-secretary at mit.edu <mailto:ua-secretary at mit.edu?subject=UA%20Council>

UA Council is the legislative body of the Undergraduate Association. All student are welcome to attend meetings and add items to the council agenda by emailing ua-secretary at mit.edu <mailto:ua-secretary at mit.edu?subject=UA%20Council>. Keep up with the going-ons of Council by adding yourself to ua-council-listeners via Athena or WebMoira <https://groups.mit.edu/webmoira/list/ua-council-listeners> and reading the published meeting minutes <http://ua.mit.edu/minutes>.

Upcoming Meetings:

TOMORROW, Tuesday, March 2nd from 8-9 PM ET
Tuesday, March 16th from 8-9 PM ET 
Tuesday, March 30th from 8-9 PM ET
Tuesday, April 13th from 8-9 PM ET
Tuesday, April 27th from 8-9 PM ET
Tuesday, May 11th from 8-9 PM ET
If you want to learn more about council, check out their governing documents <http://web.mit.edu/ua/governing-docs/council-bylaws.pdf>.

Student Coder Needed - MIT Policy Pal
Apply: Send a resumé to kiaraw at mit.edu <http://kiaraw@mit.edu/> or fill out this form <https://forms.gle/G1SHfPsKEb3XP9oe7>

Tldr; Get paid to implement a Chatbot in partnership with the UA that all MIT students can use this spring to navigate MIT’s COVID policies.

We’re looking for a student to help the UA implement a Discord Bot that will answer questions about the Institute policy. Currently, the robot is up and running here  <https://share.streamlit.io/sauhaardac/mitpolicypal/main/app.py>, but will be moved to the MIT-wide Busy Beaver’s and MIT Class of 2024 Discord server to make it more easily accessible for all undergraduates. Time commitment will be a minimum of 3-4 hours/week during February. The work is paid. 

Prerequisites: Basic skills in Python; preferably some experience with creating Discords or Slack bots; an interest in helping improve the undergraduate spring semester experience :DD  

If you’re interested, please send a resumé to kiaraw at mit.edu <http://kiaraw@mit.edu/>, or fill out this form <https://forms.gle/G1SHfPsKEb3XP9oe7>.

INSTITUTE NEWS

Seeking student writing submissions: The Isabelle de Courtivron Prize
Apply:  Here <http://mitgsl.mit.edu/writingprize> by 3/3 
Contact: languages-awards at mit.edu <http://languages-awards@mit.edu/>

MIT Global Languages seeks student writing submissions—creative or expository—on immigrant, diaspora, bicultural, bilingual, and/or mixed-race experiences for its annual Isabelle de Courtivron Prize.

* First prize $400. Second prize $100.
* Winning submissions featured on the Global Languages website

Open to all MIT undergraduate students. Entries will be judged by a panel and the winner will be announced in April 2021. Submission guidelines and past winning entries at mitgsl.mit.edu/writingprize <http://mitgsl.mit.edu/writingprize>

The Isabelle de Courtivron Prize was established to reward high-quality undergraduate writing (creative or expository) and to honor distinguished Professor Emerita Isabelle de Courtivron <http://mitgsl.mit.edu/people/emeriti-faculty-and-lecturers/isabelle-de-courtivron> on the occasion of her retirement in 2010.

Free Wall Street Journal Membership
Activate membership: WSJ.com/ActivateMIT <http://wsj.com/ActivateMIT>

As a reminder, MIT Libraries has partnered with The Wall Street Journal to sponsor complimentary memberships for all students, faculty and staff of MIT. 

Activate Your WSJ Membership
All students can activate their WSJ memberships at WSJ.com/ActivateMIT <http://wsj.com/ActivateMIT>. Share this link with your peers for unlimited access to award winning news coverage on WSJ.com <http://wsj.com/>, invitations to virtual WSJ events and more. 

The WSJ Jobs Summit
As Covid-19 continues to upend the job market, WSJ will be hosting another complimentary Jobs Summit on March 4. Designed with students and recent graduates in mind, we invite you to join us as we share a modern toolkit for navigating the job market. Invite your fellow club members and peers to RSVP through our registration page linked here <https://edu.wsj.com/e/858843/page-1685187-registration/4bpbd/198987947?h=dXLUjPS0nav-vvzvssAeVyq7mCEYoYXjBX9-SVSUbO8>. 

Earn Your WSJ T-Shirt
Refer five friends at your university to activate their school-sponsored WSJ membership and you’ll receive an exclusive WSJ t-shirt. Learn more and start sharing at WSJ.com/referral <http://wsj.com/referral>. 

Our mailing address is:
ua-secretary at mit.edu <mailto:ua-secretary at mit.edu>

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