# School of Architecture and Planning Published articles for School of Architecture and Planning. This is one page of public article previews, not the complete archive. Follow Next page to continue. Summaries are not the original full articles. ## Walter Torous named executive director of MIT Center for Real Estate DevFeed: [Walter Torous named executive director of MIT Center for Real Estate]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Denise Brehm | MIT Center for Real Estate | Department of Urban Studies and Planning Published: 2026-09-01T21:25:00Z Content type: news Language: en Sources: [MIT AI News]() Topics: [Finance]() Tags: [academic](), [ai-and-real-estate](), [architecture](), [artificial-intelligence](), [center-for-real-estate](), [civil-and-environmental-engineering](), [education-teaching-academics](), [executive](), [faculty](), [hashim-sarkis](), [leadership](), [machine-learning](), [master-of-science-in-real-estate-development-program-msred](), [media-lab](), [mit-center-for-real-estate](), [mit-cre](), [mit-dusp](), [mit-leadership](), [mit-sloan-school-of-management](), [operations](), [pandemic-effect-on-real-estate](), [program](), [real-estate](), [residential-real-estate](), [school-of-architecture-and-planning](), [school-of-engineering](), [siqi-zheng](), [urban-studies-and-planning](), [walter-torous]() ### AI overview Walter Torous, a senior lecturer at MIT and director of the Master of Science in Real Estate Development Program, became executive director of the MIT Center for Real Estate effective July 1, 2026. He will oversee the center's teaching, consortium activities, fundraising, events, staff, budget, and strategic direction. ### Source excerpt The senior lecturer, already director of the degree program, will now oversee all aspects of the center's activities and operations. ## Ila Kumar: Innovating with communities DevFeed: [Ila Kumar: Innovating with communities]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Gitana Savage | MIT News correspondent Published: 2026-09-01T04:00:00Z Content type: news Language: en Sources: [MIT AI News]() Topics: [digital](), [context]() Tags: [artificial-intelligence](), [assistive-technology](), [child-welfare](), [communities](), [digital](), [engineering-systems](), [graduate-postdoctoral](), [ila-kumar](), [lifelong-kindergarten](), [media-lab](), [mental-health](), [mit-graduate-students](), [profile](), [psychology](), [school-of-architecture-and-planning](), [students](), [tech-for-good](), [technology](), [technology-and-society]() ### AI overview MIT PhD student Ila Kumar researches community-based design, involving young people who have experienced childhood trauma in shaping digital technologies intended to support healing, connection, independence, and well-being. ### Source excerpt The PhD student works to give young people an active role in shaping digital technologies that can support their own well-being. ## 3 Questions: Neural transparency and the future of AI design DevFeed: [3 Questions: Neural transparency and the future of AI design]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Media Lab Published: 2026-07-15T20:25:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [MIT AI News]() Topics: [Artificial Intelligence](), [Neural Network](), [User Interfaces](), [interface](), [Language models]() Tags: [3-questions](), [ai](), [ai-companion](), [ai-empathy](), [ai-hallucinations](), [ai-personalization](), [ai-safety](), [ai-sycophancy](), [ai-toxicity](), [algorithms](), [anthony-baez](), [apps](), [artificial-intelligence](), [behavioral-prediction](), [character-ai](), [chatbot-behavior](), [computer-science-and-technology](), [data](), [ethics](), [faculty](), [human-ai-interaction](), [human-computer-interaction](), [interface](), [interview](), [language-models](), [large-language-models](), [machine-learning](), [mechanistic-interpretability](), [media-lab](), [mental-health](), [mit-faculty-interview](), [mit-media-lab](), [neural](), [neural-transparency](), [pat-pataranutaporn](), [persona-scores](), [persona-vectors](), [personalized-ai](), [research](), [safety](), [school-of-architecture-and-planning](), [sheer-karny](), [sunburst-visualization](), [technology-and-society](), [transparency](), [users]() ### AI overview An MIT Media Lab team introduces "neural transparency," an interface that visualizes internal patterns in AI models to help users anticipate how personalized chatbots may behave. The approach compares model activations associated with contrasting traits such as empathy, honesty, toxicity, hallucination, and sycophancy, then maps custom system prompts onto those behavior directions. ### Source excerpt Assistant Professor Pat Pataranutaporn describes a new interface that lets everyday users glimpse inside an AI's neural network before their chatbot ever says a word. ## How MIT students are helping to prevent cyberattacks DevFeed: [How MIT students are helping to prevent cyberattacks]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Nicole Estvanik Taylor | Department of Urban Studies and Planning Published: 2026-07-13T19:10:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [MIT AI News]() Topics: [Cybersecurity](), [Security & Privacy](), [ransomware](), [Business Security]() Tags: [ai-and-security](), [ai-in-cyber-crime](), [artificial-intelligence](), [attacks](), [business-and-management](), [classes-and-programs](), [collaboration](), [computer-science-and-technology](), [cyber-attacks](), [cybersecurity](), [government](), [health-care](), [jungwoo-chun](), [lawrence-susskind](), [local](), [massive-open-online-courses-moocs](), [mit-class-11-074-11-274-cybersecurity-clinic](), [mit-cybersecurity-clinic](), [mit-dusp](), [mitx](), [organizations](), [prevent](), [public-sector](), [ransomware-attacks](), [school-of-architecture-and-planning](), [software](), [technology-and-society](), [training](), [urban-studies-and-planning](), [vulnerabilities]() ### AI overview MIT's Cybersecurity Clinic trains students to assess cyberattack vulnerabilities and provide free, confidential security assessments to municipalities, health-care organizations, and other at-risk communities. ### Source excerpt Students from the MIT Cybersecurity Clinic help local governments and other vulnerable organizations defend against digital threats. ## Tiny robot boats build floating structures DevFeed: [Tiny robot boats build floating structures]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Rachel Gordon | MIT CSAIL Published: 2026-07-09T15:50:00Z Content type: news Language: en Sources: [MIT AI News]() Topics: [Robotics](), [Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL)](), [Computer science]() Tags: [alejandro-gonzalez-garcia](), [aquatic-robots](), [architecture](), [artificial-intelligence](), [autonomous-vehicles](), [bioinspiration](), [cities](), [computer-science-and-artificial-intelligence-laboratory-csail](), [computer-science-and-technology](), [daniela-rus](), [electrical-engineering-and-computer-science-eecs](), [fire-ants](), [floatform](), [floating-infrastructure](), [hybrid-coordination](), [infrastructure](), [machine-learning](), [mit-csail](), [mit-eecs](), [mit-schwarzman-college-of-computing](), [mit-sea-grant](), [mit-sea-grant-program](), [mit-senseable-city-lab](), [modular-robotic-boats](), [modular-self-reconfigurable-robots](), [niklas-hagemann](), [nonlinear-hydrodynamics](), [raft](), [research](), [robot-boats](), [robot-self-assembly](), [robotics](), [robots](), [school-of-architecture-and-planning](), [school-of-engineering](), [science](), [self-reconfiguration](), [senseable-city-lab](), [snap](), [swarm](), [swarm-robots](), [tiny](), [transportation](), [ultrasonic-beacon-system](), [urban-studies-and-planning](), [water](), [wei-wang]() ### AI overview MIT researchers developed FloatForm, a swarm of small robotic boats that can assemble into reconfigurable structures on the water and later break apart and reassemble into new configurations with minimal human direction. ### Source excerpt MIT researchers developed FloatForm, a swarm of small aquatic robots that snap together like ants forming a raft, assembling into reconfigurable structures on the water. ## 3 Questions: Beyond data-driven aesthetics DevFeed: [3 Questions: Beyond data-driven aesthetics]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: School of Architecture and Planning Published: 2026-06-29T18:00:00Z Content type: news Language: en Sources: [MIT AI News]() Topics: [Artificial Intelligence](), [Data visualization](), [Algorithms](), [Mathematics](), [Computer science](), [Machine learning]() Tags: [3-questions](), [aesthetic-judgment](), [ai](), [ai-and-aesthetics](), [alexandros-haridis](), [algorithms](), [alumni-ae](), [applied-arts](), [architecture](), [artificial-intelligence](), [beyond-data-driven-aesthetics](), [computational-aesthetics](), [computer-science-and-technology](), [data](), [data-visualization](), [design](), [design-computation](), [exhibits](), [interactive-installations](), [interview](), [machine-learning](), [mit-architecture](), [mit-exhibits](), [mit-keller-gallery](), [mit-sa-plus-p](), [philosophy](), [research](), [school-of-architecture-and-planning](), [shape-grammars](), [special-events-and-guest-speakers]() ### AI overview An MIT Keller Gallery exhibition by Alexandros Haridis examines the history of aesthetic judgment and creative production in computing, connecting architecture, design computation, algorithms, and machine-learning systems. ### Source excerpt In a new Keller Gallery exhibition, Alexandros Haridis SM '17, PhD '22 traces centuries of ideas about aesthetic judgment and explores how design can make complex computational systems visible.