MIT Challenges Back Catalogue

Welcome to the MIT Challenges Back Catalogue page. Here, you will find our past MIT challenge courses. We invite you to explore them and take part in any that interest you. 


Please do not add work or questions to the closed walls - but do feel free to browse them for inspiration! If you would like to share new work related to the challenges on this page, please click the button below to post it to our wall for new submissions.


MIT Challenges: Extreme Weather

Why are we having more floods, droughts, cyclones, wildfires, and extreme weather than any of us can remember? Climate change and warming ocean temperatures are wreaking havoc on Earth, and MIT scientists are determined to help find ways to save our planet. Three MIT experts challenge you and your students to research past and present weather events, navigate extreme weather, and explore solutions for climate change.

Explore the complex weather dynamics of tropical cyclones, become a weather forecaster, learn how oceans play a role in all weather events—even droughts—and connect changes on the surface of the earth from ancient weather events to modern impacts. We're excited for you and your students to meet these inspiring MIT climate leaders!

Tropical Cyclones with Dr. Kerry Emanuel

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Sea Sleuth with Dr. Caroline Ummenhofer

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Scratching the Surface with Dr. Kristin Bergmann

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MIT Into the Void

Meet three MIT experts conducting out of this world research. These experts are working on advancing and enabling human exploration of space, including human travel to Mars (and the equally important journey home to Earth).

How can our exploration of space, the moon, and other planets be successful, sustainable, and responsible to humanity, Earth, and our universe? Our experts challenge you and your students to help produce oxygen on Mars, improve the human experience in space, and provide equitable and sustainable satellite resources.

Living in Space with Dr Ariel Ekblaw

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Mission MOXIE with Dr Jeff Hoffman

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Space Sustainability with Dr Danielle Wood

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MIT Reveal

Images are an essential part of the currency of the 21st century. But their importance extends far beyond YouTube and Instagram. At MIT, images are an integral part of science and discovery.

Through Reveal, we highlight the work of three MIT experts—along with their graduate students and research teams—for Nord Anglia to use as inspiration for developing its own ways to see the world in new ways.

A Different Lens with Dr Felice Frankel   

Extreme Exposure with Dr Allan Adams

The picture of Health with Dr Jim Collins

MIT Steam Superheroes

Superheroes are a mainstay of popular culture. The fantasy and science fiction associated with superheroes is alive and thriving on the MIT campus. High-tech gadgets, wearables, animal-inspired technology, and life-saving innovations are being developed in labs and applied to some of the most critical world problems.

In STEAM Superheroes, we highlight the research of three MIT professors—and their sidekick graduate student researchers—for Nord Anglia to use as inspiration for developing their own superhero powers, devices, identities, and more.

Epic Identity
Super Natural

Medical Marvel

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MIT Navigating Tomorrow

Transportation inspires hundreds of MIT professors, researchers, and students to solve global problems including climate change. Three professors and their labs are featured in Navigating Tomorrow: Daniela Rus teaches your students about self-driving cars and artificial intelligence, and their potential impact on our cities and lives; Karen Willcox challenges your students to design the aircrafts of the future that can meet the dramatic projected increase in demand for air travel while reducing impact on the environment; and Kristala Prather’s work helps your students discover ways in which biofuels are part of an energy solution.

Street Smarts
Greener Skies

Rethink / Refuel

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MIT Curiosity Challenge

Curiosity is what makes scientists, engineers, and inventors successful. They want to know how and why things behave the way they do, and how to make things better. Your students have that same curiosity inside of them and this challenge will help them harness it to their advantage. Intentionally broad, this challenge is designed to stimulate inquisitive thinking, questioning, and exploration. Curious? Check out this challenge.

MIT Curiosity Challege

Building Curiosity

Data Curious