I am thrilled that "MIT Alumni for Climate Action (MACA)" announced the formation of their new Architecture Working Group in their December 2025 Newsletter. The new MACA Architecture Working Group will be led by me (1) and it is such an honor to collaborate with esteemed MIT alumni and former research scholars/fellows.
MIT Alumni for Climate Action, MACA is a non-partisan group of MIT alumni and affiliates advocating for science-based solutions to climate change, pushing for net-zero policies, influencing MIT's own climate efforts (like the Climate Project), and engaging in advocacy, education, and technology/innovation support. (2).
The Founding President of MACA is Shiladitya DasSarma, Ph.D. He has obtained his Ph.D. from MIT under supervision of Nobel laureate HG Khorana, received MIT's MacVicar Leadership Award for his work with MACA and been named a Sustainability Champion by the University of Maryland. (3) Dr. DasSarma has published over 170 scientific papers and given more than 100 invited talks over his career. (4).
With the unique ecosystem created by MIT School of
Architecture and Planning’s alumni and former research fellows, I am confident
that we will take meaningful action in response to climate change across
architecture and all disciplines, professions, and practices related to the
built environment.
QS ranks MIT the world’s No. 1 university for 2025-26 (Ranking at the top for the 14th year in a row). (5)
MIT is also the home of the oldest architectural course of study in the U.S. (6).
As MIT President Sally Kornbluth emphasizes for MIT Climate Change Action Plan:
“We can only meet this crisis if we’re brave enough to lower our shields, reach out and work together in new ways. And we cannot be satisfied with the normal academic tempo—there simply isn’t time”. (7).
And recalling the words of previous MIT President Rafael Reif on MIT Climate Change Action Plan:
“…There is room and reason for each of us to be part of the solution. I urge everyone to join us in rising to this historic challenge…” (8).
References:
1. See, MACA, December 2025 Newsletter, https://maca.earth/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MACA-Newsletter-December-Issue.pdf, pp.5-6, last accessed on December 7, 2025.
2. See, https://maca.earth/, last accessed on December 7, 2025.
3. See, https://open.mit.edu/profile/01EGBQ7B2QGS1Y8D4ASPADB07S/, last accessed on December 7, 2025.
4. See, https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/profiles/dassarma-shiladitya/, last accessed on December 7, 2025.
5. See, https://news.mit.edu/2025/qs-ranks-mit-worlds-no-1-university-0618
6. See, https://betterworld.mit.edu/spectrum/issues/winter-2019/turning-points-150-years-of-architecture-at-mit, last accessed on December 7, 2025.
7. Letter to the MIT community: Announcing the Climate Project at MIT, President Kornbluth introduces a major campus-wide effort to solve critical climate problems with all possible speed, MIT News, Publication Date: February 8, 2024, https://news.mit.edu/2024/letter-announcing-climate-project-mit-0208, last accessed on December 7, 2025.
8. Reif, R., 2015, MIT Climate Change Action Plan, Letters to the MIT Community, October 21, https://reif.mit.edu/speeches-writing/mit-climate-change-action-plan, last accessed on December 7, 2025.