In the News

Situated near the midpoint of the first-floor hallway of building 5 is MIT Museum’s Francis Russell Hart Nautical Gallery, one of the oldest marine technology archives in the United States. This space tells the story of MIT’s deep history with the ocean and, for more than a decade, has also been home to a sizable collection of stories, highlights, and artifacts that reveal MechE’s history more broadly. The MechE section, last updated around 2009, was due for a refresh – and the planned 2.150 Celebration provided a perfect opportunity.

MechE’s mission, education, and research areas appear on a gallery wall graphic that evokes the MechE logo. A video display shows MechE content. Credit: Tony Pulsone

“This was one of the most rewarding projects that I’ve had the pleasure to observe during my time in the department. The level of collaboration between faculty, staff and students as they worked side by side to achieve something so significant in such a short period of time was extraordinary,” explains Joanne Mathias, MechE’s director of administration and finance. “I was genuinely amazed to see how the work progressed each day as I walked by the Hart Gallery on my way into the office. As various elements arrived and were installed, I was continually impressed by the attention to detail. Seeing the history of the department unfold in such a visually impressive way was really remarkable.”

The previous displays highlighted the department’s seven research areas – mechanics, design and manufacturing, control, instrumentation and robotics, energy, ocean engineering, biological engineering, and micro and nano technology. The displays told the stories of research that captured the breadth of the department, but didn’t fully encapsulate MechE’s collaborative, innovative, and playful culture.

Departmental leadership formed a committee to spearhead the redesign process, embarking on a collaborative effort involving staff and faculty members, students, and designers who worked together to reimagine the gallery’s story, look, and feel. With their charge, the team was determined to both illustrate the department’s core mission as well as bring additional values and strengths to bring to the forefront. Central to the planning process were questions like, “What makes MechE unique?” and “How did the department get to where we are today?”

The Frontiers of MechE display focuses on emerging research areas within the department, Robotics, Data, and AI. Credit: Ritu Raman

After many brainstorming sessions, the topics selected to be featured were closely related to the evolution of the department and the core values within – the history of MechE at MIT, the latest frontiers of our groundbreaking research, a look at how the past has informed our present, hands on education, and more through a variety of posters, digital displays, and interactive content. The goal was to create a versatile environment that shows the breadth of the department.

MechE’s Senior Administrative Assistant for Space Planning Meg Nagle, who played an integral role in the project ensuring that changes to the physical space could be successfully implemented on the project’s tight seven-week timeline, fondly recalls the “can-do” approach the team adopted. “Need a ladder and a tall person to take down a 12ft banner? Let’s see who is around and what materials we can find! Will a display not fit because there’s an unexpected nail? Let’s go find a reciprocating saw!” she quips.

The project came together with new displays, a refreshed paint job, more natural light from previously covered windows, brand new video monitors, and a new collection of artifacts.

Visitors now begin with a look at MechE through the years, which highlights a few of the places and ideas that shaped our department’s early years. A display showcasing Frontiers of MechE follows, which features six different research projects from two emerging areas within MechE: Next-generation robotics and Artificial Intelligence. Elsewhere in the room, visitors can explore topics like how imagery brings research to life and MechE’s commitment to hands-on learning – in fact, they can participate in such learning through a ‘guided discovery’ with a tabletop experiment designed by Professor Ely Sachs.

“We felt it was our duty to serve as ‘scientific historians,’ making sure we portrayed the context, chronological timeline, and specifics of each achievement accurately,” reflects Professor Carlos Portela, who co-led the development of a Then and Now display alongside Professor Ellen Roche. The display explores the birth and evolution of 3D printing and biomedical devices.

“What was most exciting to me was seeing the diversity of contributions within a single topic—for instance, with 3D-printed parts that spanned from less than 100 micrometers in height to some parts that almost reached 1 meter,” shares Portela.

The 3D Printing timeline begins in 1980 with the 3D Printing Project where the field was founded by Professors Ely Sachs, Michael Cima, Linda Griffith, Samuel Allen, and Nicholas Patrikalakis and extends through contributions in development today, including Portela’s research and development of 3D-printed nanomaterials that can absorb impact energy from supersonic microparticles.

“Putting the board together took me back to the times of group projects throughout various stages of my educational career — with one big difference, this time my team members were the pioneers of these topics being presented,” he says, sharing a full circle moment that emphasized what participating in the galley project meant to him.

Artifacts are visible from both inside and outside the space through glass display cases connecting the space to the hallway. Visitors and passersby can watch videos of some of the hands-on experiences while also getting a glimpse into some of the projects that have come out of MechE classes and labs over the years.

The department invites you to experience the newly redesigned Hart Gallery for yourself. Whether you’re a longtime member of our alumni community or a first-time visitor, the fresh look and improved features are sure to make your visit memorable.