MIT junior dies; third undergraduate death this school year

By Martine Powers, Globe Staff

A junior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was found dead in his dorm room Monday, the university said in a statement.

Brian G. Anderson, 21, was discovered by campus police in his room in the Next House dormitory at 500 Memorial Drive around noon Monday. A cause of death has not yet been determined, but Chancellor Eric Grimson said officials do not believe it was suicide, which claimed the lives of two other undergraduates earlier this school year.

“Questions will naturally arise about the circumstances of this death … I encourage everyone to refrain from speculation,” Grimson said in a statement. “At this early stage, there is no strong indication that Brian’s death was the result of suicide.”

Jessica Venezia Pastore, spokeswoman for Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone’s office, said State Police investigators determined the death was not suspicious, and are not exploring the incident any further.

Anderson, who grew up in Minnesota, was a management major who joined the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and participated on the university’s wrestling team.

“Any one of these events stuns us; to have three in a year is incomprehensible,” Grimson said in a statement.

“We all feel a deep sense of loss when a promising young life ends,” he continued. “This sense of loss can affect us in different ways, and I personally hope that each of you takes a bit of time away from your academic routine to reflect on your connections to our community and on your sense of personal well-being.”

The university urged members of the MIT community affected by Anderson’s death to take advantage of the school’s mental health and counseling service, which can be reached at (617) 253-2916.

Additionally, students can turn to their housemasters and graduate resident tutors for support, along with resident advisers in the fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups, according to Barbara Baker, the senior associate dean for students.

Martine Powers can be reached at mpowers@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @martinepowers.