New additions to the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences for the 2025 academic year: 14 accomplished professionals join the faculty.
New Professors Join MIT's School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
Several distinguished scholars have joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS), each bringing unique research focuses to the table.
Naoki Egami is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at MIT. He specializes in political methodology, developing statistical methods for political science and social sciences. His research centers on external validity and generalizability, machine learning and artificial intelligence for social sciences, and causal inference with network and spatial data. He is also a faculty affiliate at the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.
Becca Lewis is an assistant professor in the Comparative Media Studies/Writing program at MIT. She holds a PhD in communication theory and research from Stanford University and an MS in social science from the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on the impact of digital culture on political participation, online activism, and the role of social media in shaping public opinion.
Valentin Figueroa is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at MIT. His research examines historical state building, ideological change, and scientific innovation, with a regional focus on Western Europe and Latin America. His current project explores the disestablishment of patrimonial administrations and the rise of bureaucratic states in early modern Europe.
Bailey Flanigan is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at MIT, with a shared appointment in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Her research combines tools from across several disciplines to advance political methodology and strengthen public participation in democracy.
Rachel Fraser is an associate professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT.
Paris Smaragdis SM '97, PhD '01 joins the Music and Theater Arts Section at MIT as a professor with a shared appointment in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He holds a BMus from Berklee College of Music. His research focuses on music information retrieval, digital signal processing, and music cognition.
Pascal Le Boeuf is an assistant professor in the Music and Theater Arts Section at MIT. He is a Grammy Award-winning composer, jazz pianist, and producer.
Bar Luzon is an assistant professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT. She completed her PhD in philosophy at New York University. Her research interests include philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and metaphysics.
Mark Rau is an assistant professor in the Music and Theater Arts Section at MIT, with a shared appointment in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He completed his PhD at Stanford's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics. His research focuses on computer music, digital signal processing, and machine learning.
Rebekah Larsen is an assistant professor in the Comparative Media Studies/Writing program at MIT.
Angela Saini joins the Comparative Media Studies/Writing program at MIT as an assistant professor. She is a science journalist and author, and her writing has appeared in National Geographic, Wired, Science, and Foreign Policy.
Viola Schmitt is an associate professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT. She is a linguist with a special interest in semantics.
Ben Lindquist is an assistant professor in the History Section at MIT, with a shared appointment in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
- The MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS) welcomes several new faculty personnel.
- Naoki Egami, a political science associate professor, emphasizes statistical methods and machine learning in his research.
- Becca Lewis, an assistant professor in Comparative Media Studies/Writing, explores the impact of digital culture on political participation.
- Valentin Figueroa, also an assistant professor in political science, focuses on historical state building and scientific innovation.
- Bailey Flanigan is a political science assistant professor with a shared appointment in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing.
- Rachel Fraser holds an associate professorship in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT.
- Paris Smaragdis, a professor in Music and Theater Arts, also has a shared appointment in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing.
- Pascal Le Boeuf is a music and theater arts assistant professor and a Grammy Award-winning composer.
- Bar Luzon, another assistant professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy, specializes in philosophy of language and mind.
- Mark Rau, an assistant professor in Music and Theater Arts, explores computer music, digital signal processing, and machine learning.
- Rebekah Larsen is an assistant professor in the Comparative Media Studies/Writing program at MIT.
- Angela Saini, a science journalist and author, joins the Comparative Media Studies/Writing program as an assistant professor.
- Viola Schmitt is an associate professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT with a focus on semantics.
- Ben Lindquist holds a shared appointment as an assistant professor in the History Section at MIT and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing.
