MIT Media Lab Europe: An Obituary

David R writes "Media Lab Europe, offspring of the famous MIT Media Lab, is closing its doors forever, as announced today. The corporate funding strategy hasn't worked out. Strangled by the stopped river of Irish government funding, the lab ceases its operations. Having worked there for quite some time, I can give you the gory details and a lot of background on MLE's closure. It has sure been the fanciest, geekiest and most open work, research and play environment I've seen. The moral? I think it is questionable whether basic or visionary, interdisciplinary (and often badly evaluated) research will be funded by private corporations. But secondly, European companies need a culture of sponsorship, which has existed in America for a long time."

Comments

Ruined my day

[AtariAmarok]

"Strangled by the stopped river of Irish government funding"

Thanks for putting the image of that damn Riverdance in my brain.

I think I know why it closed

[krog]

Perhaps being right next to the Guinness brewery explains why not much work was done there.

Re:I think I know why it closed

[Anonymous Coward]

Scientist 1: "I think I'm close to a major breakthrough that will revolutionize..."

Scientist 2: "Wanna go grab a couple pints?"

Scientist 1: "Brilliant!"

Scientist 2: "Brilliant!"

I think the problem

[stratjakt]

Was the "Irish Need Not Apply" sign they hung on the front door.

Re:WHAT?!?!

[blaberski]

Be careful, the slashdot hordes will come down upon you for insulting the utopia that is Europe over the evil devil that is America.

Re:Media Lab, RIP already

[krog]

Judging by your post, I have no choice but to assume that you think a laser printer which can toast designs into bread using PostScript is a 'toy'.

I've got a $45,000 grilled cheese bearing the face of the Blessed Virgin that says you're wrong.

Huh

[Skim123]

You mean no companies want to pay for this valuable research? I am shocked. Shocked!