My research involves creating an academic social network to foster student collaboration in an academic setting outside of typical classes study groups etc. This tool will be built by leveraging the existing tools (i.e., developing more webpages and services on top of the current MIT Picker website) developed for easing the academic process here at MIT and by taking into account the pitfalls of social networks in general as greatly discussed in the referenced papers below.

Taking 6.170 this semester has been a great aid in my ability to work on this research which focuses on the design and implementation of a social network using web technologies. I hope to learn how to best tailor my idea to best accompany as many MIT students as possible. I am excited by the potential of greatly reducing the stress of MIT students in navigating their academic lives while here.