SIPB Active Project List

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Getting involved in one of our projects is one of the most common ways to join SIPB. If you would like to get involved, please email the primary contact for each project.

SIPB has the resources and the expert advice to make your project to improve computing at MIT (better, the world) happen! Come by our office at W20-557 and say hello.

Please email the SIPB Vice Chair at sipb-vice-chair@mit.edu if you would like to get more information about projects or need help figuring out what to do (they don't bite, and would love to help!).

All projects | Active projects | Inactive projects

ARK Subproject-C
Status: active
Description: ARK Subproject-C is an intelligent calendar with a chat interface designed to dynamically reorganize activities based on environmental cues, like missed deadlines and new commitments. It learns your work habits to optimize time allocation, ensuring timely goal completion.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "Ark" on SIPB Mattermost
Role(s):
Frontend Developer
Description: Help develop user interface for project
Prereqs: Knowledge of React, JavaScript, Next.js or a willingness to learn
Backend Developer
Description: Help develop database--calendar connection along with other needed infrastructure such as LLM parsing of input
Prereqs: Knowledge of databases (eg. SQL), Python, algorithms or a willingness to learn
Contact(s):
  • nmorgan [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • yeabkal [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • jity [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by nmorgan at 2024-05-04 17:37:25
Cluedumps and IAP Classes
Status: active
Description: SIPB organizes dozens of IAP classes each year on technical topics both serious and fun. During the fall term SIPB also offers a series of Cluedump talks, with a different topic each week. Add yourself to cluedump-announce@mit.edu if you're interested. We're also looking for MIT students to help keep them running smoothly.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "Cluedumps" on SIPB Mattermost
  • "iap-planning" on SIPB Mattermost
Role(s):
Operations
Description: Solicits cluedump topics, reserves rooms, advertises, orders food.
Prereqs: None
Contact(s):
  • innaavo [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • colclark [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by colclark at 2024-01-05 21:24:28
Courseroad
Status: active
Description: Maintaining and adding features to the courseroad.mit.edu website, a degree planning tool for MIT courses. Our backend is shared with Fireroad (fireroad.mit.edu) and our frontend is written in VueJS.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • mattermost (courseroad-dev channel)
Role(s):
Maintainer
Description: Maintaining the frontend and backend of Courseroad/Fireroad to fix bugs, add features, and update the course catalog each year.
Prereqs: None
Contact(s):
  • courseroad-dev [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • dtemkin [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • psvenk [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by rgabriel at 2024-11-23 16:58:15
delta
Status: active
Description: vhosting is hosting multiple servers from the same machine. delta is a best-effort vhost server for ad hoc open source services. the project was started by almonds who figured it would be more convenient than Web Scripts, XVM, or lemonpepper, for quickly spinning up as-needed services, without allocating another IP address. delta's servers are guided by a principle of statelessness; databases for delta services ought to be from dedicated database servers, like Scripts MySQL.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • delta (on Zephyr
  • Mattermost
  • or Matrix)
Role(s):
Tray table
Description: delta isn't currently set up for non-keyholder maintainers, and there are certain practices to follow when setting up a new delta service. talk with almonds if you'd like delta to host a new service.
Prereqs: is keyholder; talk with almonds
Contact(s):
  • almonds [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
Last revised by almonds at 2024-09-09 20:33:02
doorpi
Status: active
Description: Doorpi senses when the SIPB Office door is closed & open and displays this information in at https://sipb-door.mit.edu.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "Office" on SIPB Mattermost
Role(s):
Frontend/Backend Programmer
Description: Dev
Prereqs: Experience with or willingness to learn Python, Flask, gpiozero, SQL, and systemd services at a basic level
Contact(s):
  • alwinfy [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • almonds [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by amigdal at 2024-11-18 10:46:12
DormSoup
Status: active
Description: DormSoup is a web service that takes in student emails from dormspam, extract the event's time, date, title, and location, and automatically add it to a website that all MIT students can peruse through!
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "dormspam" channel on Mattermost
Role(s):
Contributor
Description: Help maintain the service!
Prereqs: Any Python or React experience, or a willingness to learn.
Contact(s):
  • dormsoup [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • aabreu [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • andiliu [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • almonds [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by rgabriel at 2024-11-23 22:21:02
Hydrant
Status: active
Description: Hydrant is a class planner for MIT students.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • Mattermost
Role(s):
Infra
Description: Manage scrape scripts and deploys.
Prereqs: shell, Python 3
Frontend
Description: Implement frontend features.
Prereqs: Typescript, React
Design / Management
Description: Help design (visually) what new features look like and where they should go, and manage the project and get things done.
Prereqs: none
Contact(s):
  • sipb-hydrant [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • psvenk [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • dtemkin [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by rgabriel at 2024-11-23 16:59:29
join-dormspam
Status: active
Description: A one-click wizard for first-year students (and others) to join their dormspam-receiving mailing list by using WebAthena and directly subscribing to the corresponding Moira or Mailman list.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • join-dormspam [at] mit [dot] edu
Role(s):
Developer/maintainer
Description: Keep the website maintained, add features, fix bugs, etc
Prereqs: Svelte or overall web technologies
Contact(s):
  • rgabriel [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • dtemkin [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by rgabriel at 2024-11-23 22:28:59
Mastodon
Status: active
Description: https://mastodon.mit.edu is an instance of the Mastodon federated social networking platform, a part of a Twitter-like communications network of independently-run servers. Anyone on any individual server can communicate with the global ecosystem of federated servers, creating a decentralized social network where no one person or corporation has control of everyone’s data.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • email
Role(s):
System Administrator
Description: Keep mastodon.mit.edu up to date, perform system maintenance as needed, respond to infrequent moderator reports.
Prereqs: Comfortable using the command line Comfortable maintaining and troubleshooting an Ubuntu web server Comfortable using git Willing to learn enough SQL to make (very rarely needed) small modifications to a database Familiar with Ruby on Rails or willing to learn a little bit about it Thoughtful perspective on online community moderation and the limitations of free speech
Contact(s):
  • mastodon [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • xy [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • toomas [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • asuhl [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • dukhovni [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by toomas at 2024-07-18 07:37:27
MIT Matrix
Status: active
Description: SIPB Matrix (codename Uplink) is SIPB's effort to bring the Matrix (matrix.org) network to MIT, providing not just another hosted homeserver, but a practical way to communicate that works with the school's existing social dynamics and ecosystem (class group chats, Moira lists, etc), aiming to reduce the usage of proprietary alternatives such as Facebook Messenger, and exclusionary and proprietary alternatives such as iMessage.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • https://matrix.mit.edu/#/room/#z/sipb/matrix:matrix.mit.edu
  • -c sipb -i matrix
Role(s):
Product manager and communications
Description: Even if the project is installed and works well, it wouldn't have much value if no one on campus uses the app. It is important to spread awareness of it on campus, so people know they can use it. This can be via dormspam, making posters, in-person in lobby 10, etc. Communication should go both ways: Uplink should improve to reflect the needs of the MIT community, rather than just trying to get everyone at MIT to use Uplink. A secondary role could be to spread awareness of open source texting alternatives such as Signal.
Prereqs: Enthusiasm about replacing the use of Facebook Messenger on campus. Knowledge about the technical details is helpful but not necessary and you could pick up and learn the technical stuff if you're in the project.
Frontend-ish developer
Description: https://github.com/sipb/class_group_chats * Work on the class group chat picker. * Contribute patches upstream to Element, or add features to our fork.
Prereqs: Knowledge about declarative web development such as Svelte or React.
Backend-ish developer
Description: https://github.com/sipb/uplink/ Develop scripts or other standalone code to interface with MIT's system. For example: * Getting the list of members in a mailing list and keep them synced with the Matrix server. * Interfacing with the course catalog for the class group chat integration. * Improve the Zephyr bridge: the ultimate goal is to make Matrix fully compatible with Zephyr so there would be no need to use something like Zulip.
Prereqs: Knowledge about coding in Python (or Go / JavaScript or another language with a Matrix SDK) and willingness to learn more about the Matrix network.
Infrastructure maintainer
Description: Keep the server and its software up to date. Install and configure new bridges such as for Instagram, Facebook, Slack, etc.
Prereqs: Linux terminal commands, reading documentation and editing config files.
Contact(s):
  • matrix [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • rgabriel [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by rgabriel at 2024-08-27 16:55:16
Petrock
Status: active
Description: Petrock is a new service that allows your sites to log users in with their MIT account via Touchstone. Petrock is intended to replace IS&T's now defunct OpenID Connect Pilot and can be an accessible alternative to setting up a Shibboleth server or using CSAIL's Shimmer. For more details, contact us by email or at SIPB's weekly meetings.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "Petrock" channel on the Mattermost
Role(s):
Dev
Description: Developer/maintainer
Prereqs: Interest
Contact(s):
  • petrock [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • rgabriel [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • almonds [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by almonds at 2024-09-08 12:51:51
SIPB Documentation Project
Status: active
Description: The SIPB Documentation Project is a project to document in written form the collective knowledge that SIPB members take for granted or use in maintaining services and projects that is not otherwise written down anywhere.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "docs" on SIPB Mattermost
Role(s):
Documenter
Description: Writes documentation for various SIPB projects, ensure current documentation wiki is up-to-date
Prereqs: none
Contact(s):
  • sipb-documentation [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • turino14 [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • rgabriel [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • cjq [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by rgabriel at 2024-11-23 22:40:20
SIPB Hardware Operations
Status: active
Description: The HWOPS team maintains the physical server rooms for SIPB: maintaining and upgrading our physical infrastructure, coordinating with IS&T and Facilities, and communicating with other SIPB projects that have or need physical computing resources. We are responsible for the operation of the machine room in W20-575A, as well as for some operations of SIPB's servers in W91. We provide physical server space, server hardware, and server support services to other SIPB projects.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "Machine Rooms" on SIPB Mattermost
Role(s):
Machine Room Infrastructure Tech
Description: Help maintain the hardware in the SIPB machine room, including anything from racking servers to ordering hardware to reconfiguring cables to doing hardware archeology.
Prereqs: Can lift about 20 pounds and team lift safely, basic familiarity with Linux shell usage
Web Application Developer
Description: Help maintain and upgrade the HWOPS internal and external web application.
Prereqs: Basic web development experience, knowledge of Python or ability to independently learn Python, familiarity with SQL
Contact(s):
  • sipb-hwops [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • turino14 [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by jmvidal at 2024-09-08 15:38:31
SIPB LLMs
Status: active
Description: To provide access and promote understanding of large language models (LLMs) to MIT students, researchers, and instructors. The LLMs we offer are open-source (permissive use) and self-hosted by SIPB. Our intention is to implement the project responsibly, informed with the input of as many stakeholders involved as possible. All project members/roles are encouraged to attend the weekly meetings and contribute to discussion. <3
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "LLMs" on SIPB Mattermost
Role(s):
Hardware
Description: Maintain/modify the underlying hardware; coordinate with organizations to help us scale up.
Prereqs: Interest and time
Software
Description: Maintain/develop the frontend, the GUI that end users see. May also be opportunities for AI in Education research and development.
Prereqs: Knowledge of HTML, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Flask helps — interest and time
Docs
Description: Maintain/develop documentation about the available API endpoints and models offered by the project
Prereqs: Some knowledge of the abilities, limitations, and risks of transformer-based models preferred — interest and time
Contact(s):
  • almonds [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
Last revised by almonds at 2024-09-08 13:00:14
SIPB Project Database
Status: active
Description: SIPB Project Database is focused on supporting the process of creating and developing projects within SIPB. We want to make it easier for people to join in SIPB projects and for project maintainers to more easily train new people and advertise their projects to the community. Currently we're responsible for the development of the SIPB project listing website (which you see here), and are looking at expanding our scope to things like: hosting regular project showcases, creating informational workshops about SIPB services, and launching initiatives for supporting onboarding of new members.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "project-database" on SIPB Mattermost
Role(s):
Web Application Developer
Description: Help maintain and upgrade the SIPB ProjectDB internal and external web application.
Prereqs: Knowledge of Python or ability to independently learn Python, familiarity with SQL
Project Coordinator
Description: Communicate with project leads on project showcases and workshops, work with project maintainers on streamlining the onboarding process of a new member joining the project
Prereqs: Has good communication and organizational skills
Contact(s):
  • sipb-projectdb [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • huydai [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • markchil [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by huydai at 2024-08-05 20:45:10
SIPB Scripts
Status: active
Description: Scripts is SIPB's most used service, which hosts thousands of websites for the MIT community. scripts.mit.edu is a Linux/Apache web hosting platform for the MIT community. Any Athena user or group locker can host dynamic web applications written in PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby, or any other language, or automatically install blog, wiki, and other software via the quick-start autoinstallers.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • -c scripts on Zephyr (usually mirrored on Mattermost and Matrix)
Role(s):
Support
Description: Help users fix problems with their Scripts websites; answer technical, policy, and miscellaneous questions; approve user requests; and become familiar with Scripts' infrastructure.
Prereqs: Basic experience with the Linux command line. Optionally, experience with: web hosting (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP), web applications such as Wordpress, and a subset of Athena (moira, AFS, lockers, etc.).
Maintainer
Description: Maintain the deployed servers and configurations, help revise and upgrade the Scripts codebases, and deal with security issues as they arise.
Prereqs: Basic experience with Linux systems administration, previous use of Scripts as a user, and usually having answered support tickets.
Contact(s):
  • scripts [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • amigdal [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by rgabriel at 2024-08-27 17:08:40
SIPB Website
Status: active
Description: Keeping the SIPB website nice-looking and up-to-date
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
Role(s):
Webmaster
Description: Update the SIPB website (potentially by transitioning it to a newer wiki platform), and making sure information listed on the website is accurate
Prereqs: None
Contact(s):
  • sipb-secretary [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • sipb-webmaster [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • psvenk [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • rgabriel [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • almonds [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by rgabriel at 2024-08-27 16:54:18
XVM
Status: active
Description: XVM offers virtual machines to the MIT community. Start with our three-minute Debian or Ubuntu installer, or install an operating system of your choice. Please e-mail xvm@mit.edu for help using XVM. If you'd like to get involved, please email xvm-team@mit.edu.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • ?
Role(s):
TBD
Description: TBD
Prereqs: TBD
Contact(s):
  • xvm-root [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
Last revised by rgabriel at 2024-11-23 22:34:09
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