Past Events

Whether someone has never filed a request before or if they’re trying to pick up some additional tips and tactics, this FOIA 101 training will help file smarter requests that get responded to more quickly while releasing more information. Covering the basics of both federal FOIA and state records laws, participants will leave with a solid approach for turning their questions and story ideas into concrete requests. They will also be introduced to a range of techniques to help them…

What counts as a fact? Who counts as a reliable source? What do you do when an interview subject asks to review quotes before publication? In this session, Jane Roberts, Deputy Editor and head fact-checker for Undark magazine, and Brooke Borel, Undark Articles Editor and author of The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking, break down the dos and don’ts of fact-checking — and take you behind the scenes of Undark Magazine’s vaunted fact-checking operation.   Please contact Learning and Events Coordinator Claire Sadar if…

KSJ is excited to welcome Dr. Jody Freeman, Archibald Cox Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. Professor Freeman has written extensively about climate change, environmental regulation, presidential power, and judicial review, and has been recognized as the second most cited public law scholar in the country. She has produced several books including the landmark Global Climate Change and U.S. Law (co-edited with Gerrard and Burger) with the new edition to be published in 2023. Professor Freeman will discuss the intersection…

KSJ is excited to welcome Dr. Johan Chu, Assistant Professor of System Dynamics at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Dr. Chu's research examines the shifting bases of social power and corporate advantage. Recently-developed technologies allow low-cost, wide-reach communication, and democratize access to global markets, knowledge, capital, and labor. How do these developments alter the dynamics of social contention and market competition? How can we create thriving, equitable communities against this backdrop? Dr. Chu will discuss how increased competition benefits…

Mitch Galanek, MIT's Institutional Radiation Safety Officer, will join us for an electrifying show and tell of items with (a low level of!) radioactivity. Mitch will also discuss how radioactive items and fuels used at MIT are safely stored, transported, and disposed of. Please contact Learning and Events Coordinator Claire Sadar if you are interested in attending. Please note that this seminar has been rescheduled from its original date of September 27. Photo: TheBeSphereOfCourse. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-…

Mackenzie Brady Watson, of the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency and a former research technician, is a literary agent focusing on narrative non-fiction for all ages, and select fiction and illustrated books. She is particularly interested in interdisciplinary narratives that sit at the intersection of science and society. In her seminar, she’ll answer all your questions about landing a book deal and what goes into writing and launching a successful book. http://skagency.com/agents/mackenzie-brady-watson/ Please contact Learning and Events Coordinator Claire Sadar if you are interested in attending.

KSJ is pleased to welcome Dr. Rob Simcoe, the Francis L. Friedman Professor of Physics and Director, MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research for a seminar on the Webb Telescope. The James Webb Space Telescope was launched on Christmas Morning 2021, and after a highly successful commissioning period of six months, is now in full science operations. This talk will cover the reasons this telescope was built and is an important contributor to human knowledge, and describe a…