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Start browsing potential research interests within the department. If you do not already have a research project in mind for your time at MIT, you should start thinking about what areas interest you before you arrive. There is an online directory of NSE affiliated PIs looking for students (which will be populated by August 15, 2016) at https://mv-ezproxy-com.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/NSERAs/. The link also has information on where to find for Department and affiliated research pages and resources. Note that the page linked above requires MIT certificates, so be sure to install those first. More on that subject under the page "Find an Advisor"