ESP Biography



MALTE AHRENS, MIT junior interested in pretty much everything




Major: Physics + Economics

College/Employer: MIT

Year of Graduation: 2019

Picture of Malte Ahrens

Brief Biographical Sketch:

I'm interested in ai, science, learning, teaching, philosophy, economics, making stuff, et cetera. I work with the World Bank looking at how we can solve big problems.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

X12619: Mind/Body Awareness in Splash 2018 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2018)
From meditation to dancing, dreams and yoga, this class will help you gain control and understanding over how your body works and the way it relates to your mind.


X8996: The art of impromptu speaking in Splash 2014 (Nov. 22 - 23, 2014)
Knowing how to write a speech ahead of time is one thing, but what if you are given only 5 minutes to prepare. Or even, no time at all? In this interactive class, you'll have the opportunity to learn, try, and speak!


H9014: Why they "hate us"? A brief history of the Middle East in Splash 2014 (Nov. 22 - 23, 2014)
A brief dive into the history, religion and people of the Middle East; why the maps are as they are today, why wars are still being fought to this day, and what our involvement is. Grab onto your seats, this is one wild and fascinating ride through history!


X9024: Change the world in Splash 2014 (Nov. 22 - 23, 2014)
All around us are great challenges facing humanity - poverty, energy, food, water, agriculture, jobs, and climate change to name a few. There are fifty million refugees in the world; a billion people don't have access to water; two billion don't have access to electricity; and four billion don't have access to the internet. Congratulations! You have are the new Dear Leader / President / Dictator, Revolutionary Chairman / Monarch / etc. You will get a budget, form a team, and the rest is up to you. What will you do?


H8293: The art of impromptu speaking in Spark 2014 (Mar. 15 - 16, 2014)
Knowing how to write a speech ahead of time is one thing, but what if you are given only 5 minutes to prepare. Or even, no time at all? In this interactive class, you'll have the opportunity to learn, try, and speak!


S8301: The physics, chemistry and biology of food in Spark 2014 (Mar. 15 - 16, 2014)
Food is delicious. Science is provocative. Join us as we learn about the speed of light, thermodynamics, and genetic evolution by experimenting, thinking, and, yes, eating our way through science!


S8304: A journey into the weird and wonderful world of Quantum Mechanics in Spark 2014 (Mar. 15 - 16, 2014)
The quantum world can be weird. Being in two places at "once"? Not knowing where exactly something is, or where it is going? And more! Join us as we explore that world and try to see it through experiments, experiments you can repeat in your own homes!


H8329: Why they "hate us"? A brief history of the Middle East in Spark 2014 (Mar. 15 - 16, 2014)
A brief dive into the history, religion and people of the Middle East; why the maps are as they are today, why wars are still being fought to this day, and what our involvement is. Grab onto your seats, this is one wild and fascinating ride through history!


S8195: Experimenting our way from science in HSSP Spring 2014 (Mar. 01, 2014)
We will delve into the weird and wonderful world of quantum mechanics, light, fusion, fission, atomic weapons, thermodynamics, rocket science, the origins of life, and genetics through a myriad of practical (and often edible) experiments. We will talk, learn and ponder about all these things and more, not getting stuck in the math (though nor will we shy away from it), but focusing on understanding what actually is happening and why. Join as we seek to understand science from the tremendously tiny to the boisterously big.


H8196: Let's talk about terrorism in HSSP Spring 2014 (Mar. 01, 2014)
Through interactive discussions and debates we'll ponder about everything from drones, privacy, torture, war, surveillance, law, good v. evil and morality. What is terrorism? How should we deal with it? Discuss. Discover. Decide.


Z8012: Privacy in the age of the internet and terrorism in Splash! 2013 (Nov. 23 - 24, 2013)
How do we balance security and freedom? Do we need to give some privacy in order to gain security? How much would you be willing to give up? And what about in the name of convenience? What will privacy look like in fifty years where the average household will own hundreds of internet connected devices, appliances and products? Online advertising last year in the US alone made more money than the poorest 39 countries did, put together. When you use something for free, are you getting the product for free, or are you the product being sold? And is that necessarily a bad thing?


Z8032: Practical morality and foreign policy in Splash! 2013 (Nov. 23 - 24, 2013)
Most major western countries have been at war for close to half of the last century. Are wars a necessary evil? If people are dying in other countries at the hands of their Governments, do we have a responsibility to protect them? Can you make a moral case for war? We bury and cremate our dead, on the other hand a tribe in Papua New Guinea eats them instead. Can you make a case for the case for a similar dichotomy but with human rights? Are morals universal? Can you ever justify torture? Are there moral absolutes - things you would never do? What about working with a government that does torture? Together, we will learn, discuss and debate these (and many more!) issues.


Z8044: Why they "hate us"? A brief history of the Middle East in Splash! 2013 (Nov. 23 - 24, 2013)
A brief dive into the history, religion and people of the Middle East; why the maps are as they are today, why wars are still being fought to this day, and what our involvement is. Grab onto your seats, this is one wild and fascinating ride through history!


S8065: Physics and chemistry experiment (edible) smorgasbord in Splash! 2013 (Nov. 23 - 24, 2013)
Do you like playing with your food? Do you like playing with science? Well, this is for you! We'll be conducting a buffet of different experiments including measuring the speed of light using chocolate, learning about saturated fats and melting temperatures using you-guessed-it chocolate, and a heap of other delicious science experiments!