A New Brass Rat on the Silver Screen

When it comes to MIT in the movies, the Institute's most memorable character might be Tony Stark (or whoever is underneath the Iron Mark armor). Stark won Slice of MIT's fictional alumni tournament and notably wears an MIT Brass Rat in the Iron Man films. But earlier this month, the Brass Rat was spotted in another summer blockbuster—Ghostbusters.

Kristen Wiig plays Erin Gilbert, a ghost-busting paranormal investigator and physicist at Columbia University who is also an MIT alumna. Gilbert was spotted wearing a Brass Rat in at least one scene in the movie, and in a case of life imitating art, Wiig was spotted in MIT gear during the filming of the movie.

Image via @AmyChu

Much like Tony Stark, Erin Gilbert's fictional time at MIT is clouded in mystery. So Slice will leave it you, our MIT alumni community, to begin to piece together her background.

• When did she graduate, and from what Course?
• Did she receive her undergraduate or graduate degree at MIT?
• Where did she live in on campus?
• And will we see any ghosts at MIT in the Ghostbusters sequel?

Wiig's role as Gilbert is a small part of MIT's role in the film. Read more about MIT post-doc James Maxwell and how his research was used in the film. And learn more about how MIT gave "Ghostbusters" its "geek cred" in an MIT News story from earlier this month.

And bonus points to any MITers who can spot a Brass Rat in any non-Iron Man films. A sleuthing Redditor found actor and actual MIT alumnus Erland van Lidth '77 wearing his class ring as an extra in the 1980 film Stir Crazy. We know there's more out there!