Deconstructing MIT THINK: Premise, Application Essentials, and More!
Every individual, irrespective of their background or experiences, possesses the capacity to spark monumental change in their own lives and communities. Higher education institutions search for this passion and drive within high school students, to distinguish those who intentionally stand out. Outside of global impact, it’s imperative that students participate in activities that interest them—feeding into their creativity and inquisition. Many universities and colleges establish programs that aim to fulfill that need for students, not only hearing their ideas but working to form a reality.
In this blog post, we will highlight the mission of MIT THINK at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, its mission, and highlight some of the winning proposals from recent years.
The Premise of MIT THINK
In 2008, a group of MIT undergraduates founded a science “competition” whose objective was to promote Technology for Humanity through Innovation, Networking, and Knowledge, known as “THINK.” Even 15 years later, new cohorts of undergraduates maintain the program's progress as members of the largest technology club at the Institute—MIT TechX. Since its inception, MIT THINK has aided in the manifestation of 90 projects. THINK is very competitive, with only six projects receiving funding.
Unlike most “competitions” in the STEM field, prior research projects are not a requirement to apply to MIT THINK! Instead, students must draft a proposal to demonstrate their personal research on a potential project and outline a hypothetical execution plan. If selected as a finalist, the MIT THINK program will invest $1,000 and provide a mentor to help students complete their projects in one semester.
Additional Benefits of MIT THINK
Completed projects, particularly for college applications, are not the only perk MIT THINK has to offer! Finalists are also invited to an all-expense-paid four-day trip to the Institute, to receive a tour, present their findings to students and faculty, formally meet the minds behind MIT THINK, and experience student life at the Institute!
Examples of MIT THINK Finalist Proposals
Similar to Inspirit AI, many MIT THINK finalists design products to improve our societies. Read a few summaries below!
(2020) EyeHear: Smart Glasses for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
designed by Ishaan Sinha and Owen Caverly | Glencoe High School, Oregon
In this proposal, Sinha and Caverly highlight the current plight of many individuals with hearing loss, noting that its origin is an issue of sound localization; in other words, they are unable to identify the location of a source of sound. An inability to do so places further danger upon us in terms of communication or even detecting oncoming traffic before we cross the street. With MIT THINK, the students chose to create auditory aids, similar to what artists use during loud concerts, “that is able to recognize and estimate the direction of arrival of speech sources in real-time, and display that information on an intuitive graphical user interface” (Sinha and Caverly 2020). Through troubleshooting with the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, they envision a revolutionary future for all assistive devices.
(2020) A Self-Adapting Device that Utilizes Neuroplasticity for Rehabilitation of Stroke Victims
designed by Brooke Dunefsky | Irvington High School, NY
Dunefsky’s MIT THINK project aims to establish a new framework for recuperation and recovery. Strokes tend to impair some neurons, prohibiting victims from engaging in activities requiring motor skills. Rehabilitation is known to be tedious and sometimes maladaptive to the patient. Dunefsky hoped to escalate the process by enhancing an ergonomic handle she designed with a 3D printer, pairing it with a video game interface to train patients in “performing supination and pronation.” With new sensors, the device will prompt a microcontroller “guided by an algorithm to adjust the resistance the device creates.” Physicians and other medical personnel can receive any feedback and progress from the device to proceed accordingly.
(2023) Wall-Climbing Robot in Disaster Zones
designed by Emily Stanton and Anna Brusoe | University High School and Homeschool, WV
Although it is far more difficult to curb the occurrence of natural disasters, Stanton and Brusoe believed that efforts are still possible to preserve the lives of any victims and the first responders that play a role in preserving said lives. They devised a blueprint for a wall-climbing robot that will scale buildings, capture visuals of damaged locations, and provide essentials to anyone captured by the aftermath of the natural disaster. The technology involved includes modified suction cups to tread any surface, pneumatic-powered limbs to extend the robot’s reach, and Lidar sensors to aid in creating the visuals.
You may also like this blog post on Becoming a Finalist at MIT THINK.
Eligibility Requirements for MIT THINK
Any proposal submitted to MIT THINK, written by an individual or a pair of students, can surround novel STEM ideas while adhering to additional criteria. However, the specific eligibility requirements aren’t extensive to apply for MIT THINK! To vie for a finalist spot, you
must be a permanent resident of the United States during the 2022-2023 academic year (This does not require citizenship, but you must live in the country during this period.)
be a full-time high school student at the time of application
You can submit only one proposal per application cycle.
Proposal Guidelines for MIT THINK
The THINK team requests that all project proposals, no more than ten pages, be submitted in a specific format, outlined in separate sections.
One: Title and Abstract
Like any research paper, extensive pages tend to be exhausting to read. Nevertheless, discouraging curious readers should be far from your intention! MIT THINK allows a maximum of ten pages to work with; thus, an abstract must appropriately summarize three elements:
Motive: What problem is your project addressing?
Goals: What would you like to achieve through your project? What is the future of your project, if made a reality through MIT THINK?
Approach: How do you plan to execute your project?
If you can encapsulate these three points within your abstract in 250 words or less, readers will not only be able to understand the premise of your proposal but may even feel compelled to keep reading!
Two: The Big Idea
This section is arguably one of the most important, as clarity is vital. Ensure that the THINK team understands your solution in its entirety. To cover all the bases, you can refer to the following points:
Problem (and Current Work)
Here, you can elaborate on your motivation and the necessity your project addresses. If there is any scientific terminology or background information required to fully grasp the problem at hand, be sure to include it!
Another perspective to consider including in current scientific efforts to address the same problem. Attempt to answer the question: Where does their work fall short? Ideally, your work should account for these inconsistencies.
Solution
Explain a proposed solution and how it will effectively address the concern you previously posed. How may your idea relate to or even improve current approaches?
Three: The Game Plan
Approach
This section is another opportunity to shine and demonstrate your intellectual bandwidth for MIT THINK. Your approach and implementation should be justifiable in every regard possible. Leave no paragraph void of indication that your solution is feasible, which you can prevent through noting calculations and other evidence you discover!
Resources
Outline any supplies necessary to execute your proposal, be it mentors within and outside of THINK, funding, and materials. Note how you will acquire any of these aids.
Goals
Set expectations and milestones for the execution of your project so that you can gauge where you can assess where your progress circulates. What is your evaluation strategy? How will you collaborate with your potential partner?
Risks
List a few potential setbacks that may arise while working on your project. Do you have any methods to prevent them or address them as they occur?
Timeline and Current Progress
Be sure to set some concrete deadlines when you can provide new revelations and progress and explain how you plan to document them. If there is anything you achieved before applying, note what may be left to complete post-program.
Budget
As mentioned in the premise of MIT THINK, students have $1000 to conduct research during the late spring and summer months. The THINK team requests that students build a budget through a visual table, including estimated costs and links, like so:
Four: All About Me (or Us)
With all of the formalities out of the way, you have the chance to allow the THINK team to learn more about the mind behind the madness! Include a brief biography about yourself, noting your academic background and personal interest in the research you’ve discussed. What skills do you have and / or need to acquire to complete your project?
Five: References
Finally, cite all of your referenced sources in APA format on additional pages. You are also encouraged to utilize in-text citations within your work.
For any additional information or clarification, see the guidelines for this past cycle. The application portal typically opens around November and closes on the first of January the following year.
Tips for a Finalist-Worthy MIT THINK Proposal
Simply put, the THINK team is looking for clear innovation.
the relevancy of the identified concern
its correlation to existing efforts
accuracy in the discussion of solutions
feasibility within one semester
And above all, How much will the completion of this project benefit from MIT THINK funding and mentorship?
Where to Begin with MIT THINK?
Innovation derives from interest and passion, first and foremost. If a student is able to intellectualize their desire and excitement for discovery and the betterment of the world, there is no telling where it may take them! Best of luck with your MIT THINK applications!
About Inspirit AI
AI Scholars Live Online is a 10 session (25-hour) program that exposes high school students to fundamental AI concepts and guides them to build a socially impactful project. Taught by our team of graduate students from Stanford, MIT, and more, students receive a personalized learning experience in small groups with a student-teacher ratio of 5:1.
