Agenda
10:30
1:15
Break
1:30
3:00
Break
3:30
5:00
Break
5:30
9:30–10:30am
Kick-off + Waffles
Hosted by FoL '24 team, 3rd Floor Atrium
Join us in the atrium to kick off the 2024 Festival of Learning with “Registration,” a.k.a. Make Your Own Name Tag, personalize your FoL swag, share waffles, and learn about our sessions this year!
10:30–12:00pm
Workshops Session 1
Make a Forever Bouquet
Hosted by Jocelyn Shen (Personal Robots Group), 3rd Floor Atrium
Come learn about Chinese Nylon Flower Making and craft your own bouquet of nylon flowers - just as beautiful as real flowers but without the wilting.
Solve a Rubik's Cube in 3*3^3 minutes!
Hosted by Fernando Fernández (City Science Group), 3rd Floor Atrium
Have you ever wanted to solve a Rubik's cube, but didn't know how? Come to unlock the secrets of this classic cube - and many other cubes!
Go Inside the Science of Yoga
Hosted by Maria Auday (ML Staff), E15-483
An introduction into the science of yoga and the mind body connection. Learn how to become a slower breather and gain practical take-home tools. No experience required.
Note: We have 9 yoga mats, it may help to bring your own!
Make Miniature Glass Sculptures
Hosted by Sam Chin (Responsive Environments), Mars Lab (2nd floor level of CBA Fabrication Shop)
Make a miniature sculpture using stringer glass and a candle flame, and aspire to be an neon light artist!
Note: Limited to 8, first come, first served!
Watercolor postcards
Hosted by Safinah Ali (Personal Robots Group), E14-393
Post some watercolor love! We’ll be making watercolor postcards. We'll learn about strokes, color mixing, moving with water and saturation. If time permits, we may also try the Gouache method!
Generative AI Music Masterpiece
Hosted by Lancelot Blanchard (Responsive Environments Group) and the AI Music Media Lab Club, with special guest CJ Carr from Dadabots / StabilityAI! E14-514B
Drop in to AI-generate some audio bits and bops using cool generative models, and let's create a musical masterpiece together!
Note: Bring a laptop!
The Philosophical Café
Hosted by Hosted by Valdemar Danry (Fluid Interfaces), 5th Floor Cafe
Bring your favorite philosophy book and let’s talk about some of the most impactful ideas over the last millennia. Everyone is welcome, from deep scholars of philosophical thought to anyone that ever had a shower thought.
Recharge + Remember ML Memories
Hosted by D. Pillis (Tangible Media Group) + ML HR, E14-493
Is FoL overstimulating? Come relax, explore the metaverse and Media Lab archives in this soothing room.
Note: This room is available all day!
12:00–1:15pm
MAS Lunch + Crazy AND Cool Pitch Session
Hosted by Andy Lippman (Viral Communications), Silverman Room, 6th Floor
“Wouldn't it be awesome if we, at the Lab, did X?” In this session, Media Labbers will pitch totally crazy but cool projects that could spark new research. Grab your lunch, take a seat, and cheer them on! Then, contribute your crazy ideas to a collective brainstorm.
1:30–3:00pm
Workshops Session 2
Strike a Pose with Martial Arts
Hosted by Danwen ‘Eggy’ Ji (City Science Group), E15-483
Strike a pose and explore a Chinese martial art that blends the traditional and modern! Wushu, (武术) (/ˌwuːˈʃuː/), combines Shaolin Kungfu, Tai Chi, and Wing Chun. The movement forms are called Taolu. Join us to explore how Taolus are performed in international competitions.
Play and Code with Jibo
Hosted by Jon Ferguson (Personal Robots Group), E15-359
Ever thought of using Jibo for your research? Just interested in learning more about Jibo? Join us to hear a little bit of his history and discuss research possibilities, while learning how to code him!
Note: Please bring your laptop.
Papercraft: Books
Hosted by Robert Arlt (NeCSys), 3rd Floor Atrium
Drop-in to learn the speedy craft of staple-bound bookbinding. Flex your creative muscle to design your own variations, to enjoy or share with others!
DJ 101
Hosted by Angela Vujic aka. vlad (Fluid Interfaces Group) and Philip Tan (MIT Game Lab), E14-240
Curious what's happening behind the decks? Many of the 99F DJs got started in this very class! Learn the technical basics and how to prepare your first set.
Note: Bring a laptop (with VirtualDJ installed), headphones, and some mp3s or WAVs with music you want to mix!
Creative Coding with Shaders (GLSL)
Hosted by Char Stiles (Future Sketches Group), E14-514B
Unlock the world of creative coding in our shader live-coding workshop! Dive into the fascinating realm of GPU programming where visual compositions come to life with code and a touch of mathematics.
Note: Some programming experience strongly suggested, please bring a laptop and charger!
DIY Kombucha
Hosted by Nathan Whitmore and Samantha Chan (Fluid Interfaces Group), 5th Floor Cafe
Marvel at SCOBY and make kombucha! You'll try a variety of kombuchas, get a kombucha starter, and get started on making your own!
Inside the Yellow Box
Hosted by David Sadat (Conformable Decoders), Yellow Box
Sign up for an exclusive hands-on experience in our state-of-the-art microfabrication cleanroom! Suit up in a ‘bunny’ suit, learn the stringent protocols for contamination control. Then dive into microfabrication, trying out photoresist coating and pattern development on delicate silicon wafers.
Note: Registration required. This session will run twice, from 1:30-2:30 and 2:30-3:30.
Recharge + Remember ML Memories
Hosted by D. Pillis (Tangible Media Group) + ML HR, E14-493
Is FoL overstimulating? Come relax, explore the metaverse and Media Lab archives in this soothing room.
Note: This room is available all day!
3:30–5:00pm
Workshops Session 3
Printmaking with Micro-Trash
Hosted by Hope Schroeder (Center for Constructive Communication), 3rd Floor Atrium
Turn tiny trash into multiplicative masterpieces with our 3D-printed printing presses. We will learn some basic relief, collagraph, and monoprinting techniques using trash. In the process, we will reflect on "trash," its beauty or grotesqueness, its scale and ubiquity, and the legacy of Trash Club and Trash OdysSEA. Bring your candy wrappers, microplastics, found flotsam, and other diminutive detritus!
Note: Registration required.
Kinetic Mobiles: Big and Small
Hosted by Maggie Hughes (Center for Constructive Communication), 3rd Floor Atrium
Ever wanted to make mobiles or kinetic sculptures? Create mobiles for home, to sway in the wind, or mini versions that double as earrings! We will use fun colored paper, clay, and other materials!
Note: Feel free to bring any small objects or materials you’d like to incorporate into a mobile :)
Imagining an Ideal City
Hosted by Daniela Morales (City Science Group), E14-393
What would your "ideal" city be? Join a participatory design session to discuss and create a vision together. We want people from all sorts of backgrounds to join!
Cooking the FoL Pasta Feast
Hosted by the FoL team, 6th Floor kitchen
Chef it up with the FoL team! Pop by the 6th floor kitchen to help with the dinner preparations.
How to Juggle Anything
Hosted by Marina Rakhilin (Center for Constructive Communication), E14-240
Learn to juggle in just 1 hour! Drop in to learn the tips and tricks to 3-item juggling using typical balls, fruit, office supplies, and anything else we can find!
Note: Bring a philosophical attitude to reflect on juggling different aspects of life.
Landscape Concept Art: Explore Digital Painting
Hosted by Jocelyn Shen (Personal Robots Group), E14-514B
Build your own world in under 1.5 hours! Learn to create quick digital landscape paintings, as well as tips on digital hacks, shape and colors.
Note: bring a computer or tablet with your preferred digital art software (photoshop, procreate, clip studio paint, etc).
Fearless Karaoke
Hosted by Jordan Madrid and Lauren Weinstock (ML HR) with Special Guest, Cesar Mieses, 6th Floor Lecture Hall
Get ready to unleash your inner superstar! Grab the mic and let your voice shine in our karaoke extravaganza. Whether you're a seasoned singer or a first-time performer, everyone is welcome to showcase their voice!
Intro to the Media Lab Recording Studio
Hosted by Ana Schon (Opera of the Future), Recording Studio
Did you know there's a recording studio at the Media Lab? Learn the basics of recording high-quality audio and how to use tools like surround sound! Plus, learn about other audio resources at MIT. Sound is at your fingertips!! Use it!
Recharge + Remember ML Memories
Hosted by D. Pillis (Tangible Media Group) + ML HR, E14-493
Is FoL overstimulating? Come relax, explore the metaverse and Media Lab archives in this soothing room.
Note: This room is available all day!
