H.S.H. Prince Albert of Monaco became the second head of state to visit MIT in a four day period. A guest of Ray Stata, the prince visited the labs of both Daniela Rus and Russ Tedrake while on campus, just days after a visit by US President Barack Obama.
The prince’s interest in environmental and energy issues made the demonstrations of new aquatic, mobile, and aerial robotic technologies both pertinent and informative. The prince also toured the contemporary art space where CSAIL (Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory) works are exhibited.
The Prince’s first-time visit to the MIT campus also included touring labs and centers that conduct research in clean technology and the environment. He met with MIT President Susan Hockfield and Prof. Tod Machover, head of the Media Lab’s Hyperinstruments/Opera of the Future group.
The visit was organized in conjunction with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which was established in 2006 by Prince Albert to continue the Principality of Monaco’s legacy of environmental stewardship and its commitment to conserve and preserve the world’s natural environment and resources. The Foundation supports sustainable and ethical projects especially in the Mediterranean Basin, the Polar regions and the world’s least developed countries. Its focus is on three main challenges: climate change and developing renewable energies; combating the loss of biodiversity; and water management and fighting desertification. In just three years, the Foundation has extended its international outreach by opening chapters in Europe (France, Switzerland, the UK, Italy and Germany), in Canada and, in 2008, the United States of America. Since its inception, 127 projects have benefited from Foundation grants totaling more than $23 million. For more information, please visit www.pa2f.org.
