A New MIT Alum

A New MIT Alum On Friday morning, I was reading the New York Times review of the film Fantastic Four (it got a thumbs down), and one plot point caught my eye: When Jessica Alba first appears on screen, introduced as Sue Storm, an M.I.T.-trained scientist who specializes in genetic research Of course, its nothing new for a film or other work of fiction to establish credibility for a character by giving them an MIT degree. Here are some examples of characters who are former MIT students: James Clayton (non-linear optics, top of the class), Colin Farrells secret agent in the film The Recruit Dilbert (electrical engineering), from the eponymous comic strip Benjamin Franklin Gates (mechanical engineering), Nicholas Cages treasure hunter in National Treasure Ellie Arroway (full scholarship, Magna Cum Laude), the SETI researcher in Carl Sagans novel Contact (played by Jodie Foster in the film) Taz Rat Finch (top of his class), DJ Qualls computer hacker in the film The Core Toby Lee Shavers, Michael Roofs weapons/gadget guy from the film XXX Rockhound (two doctorates) and Ronald Quincy, respectively Steve Buscemis oil-drilling wierdo and Jason Isaacs US Presidents advisor in the film Armageddon Mike Cannon (engineering), James Lesures head valet TV show Las Vegas David Levinson (8 years as a student at MIT), Jeff Goldblums technician who, along with Will Smiths character, saves the world in the film Independence Day Gordon Freeman (theoretical physics), the science researcher/protagonist in the video game series Half-Life Sean Maguire (math) and Gerald Lambeau (math), the professors played by Robin Williams and Stellan Skarsgard in the film Good Will Hunting Capt. Harold Barnes (aeronautical engineering), Ted Fielding (three PhDs, first at age 19), and Harry Adams (first PhD, age 18), the characters played by Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Coyote and Liev Schreiber in the film adaptation of Michael Crichtons Sphere Tobias Funke (psycholinguistics), David Cross character in the television show Arrested Development Trent Conway, the son/student in the the play Six Degrees of Separation (Anthony Michael Halls character in the film) Sam Beckett (graduated in only 2 years), the physicist/leaper in the television show Quantum Leap Ben Chapelski (multiple doctorates), Dian Bachars character in the film Orgazmo Cyrus (dropout), Selma Blairs character in the film Down to You Tom Collins (expelled), from the musical Rent Please add to this list! What am I missing?