About the Lab

Lab FAQs

FAQs

1. What is the Media Lab?
2. Can I visit the Media Lab?
3. I would like to collaborate with Media Lab research staff on an idea. How do I do that?
4. Who may rent event space(s) at the Media Lab?
5. I would like to buy one of your products or services. How do I do that?
6. Is it possible to borrow a computer or other piece of equipment for a project I'm working on?
7. I have a question about a specific research project. Could you help me find more information about it?
8. Do you have a summer program for high school students or undergraduates?
9. Is there a list of Media Lab spinoff companies?
10. Can I work at the Media Lab?
11. Where can I direct my technical or computing question?
12. I'm writing a report. Who do I go to for help?
13. I'd like a Media Lab professor, researcher, or graduate student to give a lecture or presentation at a meeting of my group. How do I schedule this?
14. I'd like to interview a Media Lab professor, researcher, or graduate student. How do I arrange this?

1. What is the Media Lab?

   The MIT Media Lab was founded by MIT Professor Nicholas Negroponte and the late Jerome Wiesner (former science advisor to president John F. Kennedy and former president of MIT), who foresaw the coming convergence of computing, publishing, and broadcast, fueled by changes in the communications industry. As this convergence accelerated, it spurred interconnected developments in the unusual range of disciplines that the Lab brought together, including cognition, electronic music, graphic design, video, and holography, as well as work in computation and human-machine interfaces. True to the vision of its founders, today's Media Lab continues to focus on the study, invention, and creative use of digital technologies to enhance the ways that people think, express, and communicate ideas, and explore new scientific frontiers. For information on current research activities at the Lab, please see the Research section.

2. Can I visit the Media Lab?

   The MIT Media Lab is an academic research laboratory that does not offer general public tours of the lab's research areas.

   On a case-by-case basis, we accept requests from mission-aligned organizations interested in learning how to engage more formally with the lab (corporate member, donor, philanthropic organization, etc.). Please fill out the request form if you'd like to request a tour.

3. I would like to collaborate with Media Lab research staff on an idea. How do I do that?

   Due to the high volume of requests, we are unable to reply to all inquiries regarding individual collaborations with Media Lab research staff.

4. Who may rent event space(s) at the Media Lab?

   The Media Lab has several event spaces which are available for rental for MIT-related events. Non-MIT entities are permitted to rent the space provided that:

   1. An MIT sponsor is present at all times.

   2. The event has relevance to MIT's educational and/or research mission.

   The spaces cannot be rented for personal events, corporate off-site meetings, etc.

   If you're a member of the Media Lab and wish to reserve space for an upcoming event, please work with your group's administrative assistant.

   If you're a member of the MIT community but not affiliated with the Media Lab, please review the rental guidelines. If your event meets the guidelines for acceptance, submit a reservation form for review.

   Please note: the reservation system only allows reservations to be made nine (9) months in advance.
   

5. I would like to buy one of your products or services. How do I do that?

   The Media Lab produces demos and prototypes that are for research purposes only. Media Lab sponsors are entitled to access to new technology developed at the Lab as a part of their sponsorship agreement. If you are a sponsor, please contact your Media Lab liaison.

6. Is it possible to borrow a computer or other piece of equipment for a project I'm working on?

   Due to the high volume of requests, the Media Lab is unable to lend computers or equipment.

7. I have a question about a specific research project. Could you help me find more information about it?

   The Media Lab usually has more than 400 active research projects. As students graduate, some projects end or change into new projects. Specific project information can be found on each research group's webpage within the Research section of the Media Lab website; however, some projects are so new they may not have a web presence, and some older projects may have pages that are no longer active or updated. Should you have further questions, or if the information you're looking for isn't on the group's page or website, each research group page has contact information. Please note that due to the volume of requests, faculty and staff are unable to answer every inquiry.

8. Do you have a summer program for high school students or undergraduates?

   The Media Lab is an academic research lab with a graduate program only. MIT undergrads may work on research projects at the Lab as a part of MIT's UROP program. Undergraduate sophomores, juniors, and non-graduating seniors can apply to intern through the MIT Summer Research Program. We do not have an internship program for high school students.

9. Is there a list of Media Lab spinoff companies?

   Why yes, there is! 

10. Can I work at the Media Lab?

    The Media Lab provides an exciting, intellectually stimulating, and informal work environment. Current openings will be displayed on the Lab's opportunities page. Any questions about employment at MIT should be sent to MIT's Staffing Services. When applying for a position, please include the appropriate job code number (if any) with your cover letter. For electronic submissions, applicants should visit MIT's main employment portal, and select School of Architecture & Planning for Organization and Media Lab for keywords to locate and apply for a position.

11. Where can I direct my technical or computing question?

    Unfortunately, due to the volume of requests received, Media Lab faculty and staff are not available to act as fact-checkers or as a substitute for research.

12. I'm writing a report. Who do I go to for help?

    Media Lab faculty and staff are not available to act as fact-checkers or as a substitute for research. For background on the Media Lab, many articles are available; consult your local library for assistance in locating them.

13. I'd like a Media Lab professor, researcher, or graduate student to give a lecture or presentation at a meeting of my group. How do I schedule this?

    Such visits are scheduled directly by individual faculty members, researchers, and graduate students. Contact information for specific faculty, research staff, and graduate students can be found by searching the MIT directory. If you are unsure which member of the Media Lab staff would be most appropriate, please browse our Research section for an overview of research at the Media Lab. Due to the large volume of requests, unspecified general inquiries about speakers will not be answered.

14. I'd like to interview a Media Lab professor, researcher, or graduate student. How do I arrange this?

    Please contact the Media Lab's press liaison through our Contact Us page to schedule interviews.