Letter regarding the departure of the VP for communications

The following email was sent Jan. 17 to MIT faculty and staff by Vice President Kirk Kolenbrander.

Dear MIT faculty and staff,

I write to let you know that, after a decade and a half of service to the MIT community, Vice President for Communications Nate Nickerson will leave in a few weeks to become Vice President for Communications at Yale University, where he will serve on the president’s cabinet.

After five years as deputy editor of Technology Review, Nate joined the MIT News Office in 2009 as editorial director and led a major office reorganization. In 2010, he was named director of communications, and he became associate vice president for communications in 2012. He has served in his current role since 2015.

Among his accomplishments as vice president, he launched the Office of Communications and created MIT News, one of the most-read university web sites in the world. He built a remarkable team that shares the MIT story with the world every day through first-class reporting, media relations, web design, social media and video. From The Engine to the Quest for Intelligence, Nate also led impressive communications efforts to support major public launches, and helped set an inspiring standard for communications across the Institute. He has been a wonderful colleague and friend. We wish him well in his new position.

Nate’s last day at MIT will be February 15. With his departure, the Office of Communications, including the News Office, will continue to report up to me. As we shape a long-term plan for managing communications going forward, please feel free to share your insights and suggestions with me here.

Sincerely,

Kirk Kolenbrander

de MIT News http://bit.ly/2sVtjbW