Thomas Hikaru Clark was a high school teacher with no plans for academia when he learned about the research being done in BCS. “During my undergrad, I was interested in computer science and linguistics, but never really found a satisfying way to combine those research interests,” he says. “But then a college classmate connected me with the exciting, interdisciplinary language research happening at BCS, re-sparking my desire to pursue research.” Clark, now a second-year PhD student in BCS, didn’t leave his passion for teaching behind, as evidenced by his recent TA Spotlight Award. The award is a chance for BCS graduate students to nominate peers who have gone above and beyond in their dedication and commitment to TA-ing.

Rett syndrome is a devastating developmental disorder, principally occurring in girls, caused by mutations in the gene MECP2. The disorder leads to severe cognitive, motor, and other symptoms. The March 10 approval by the FDA of the first-ever treatment for the disorder, a drug called Trofinetide based on the natural protein IGF-1, brings new hope to patients and their families. The approval is also a dream come true for BCS and Picower  Mriganka Sur. His lab’s preclinical discoveries in mice provided the first demonstration that injecting IGF-1 or its peptide fragment could reverse the effects of reduced or altered MECP2.

BCS professor John Gabrieli has been selected as an MIT MacVicar Faculty Fellow. The MacVicar Fellows Program is a highly competitive award recognizing MIT faculty who have made exemplary and sustained contributions to the teaching of undergraduates. "As we gathered materials for this nomination, I was deeply moved by the impact John has made on generations of students; his love of teaching and empathy for his students shone through," says BCS department head Michale Fee. "John has also contributed significantly to improving teaching across MIT through many activities."