Oliver Smoot is coming back to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this week — but this time, he won’t be used to measure the length of the Harvard Bridge.

Instead, Smoot, the MIT alum whose name is synonymous with the units of measurement that mark the span, commonly referred to as the Mass. Ave. Bridge, will serve as the grand marshal of a rambunctious parade celebrating the school’s historic move from Boston to Cambridge 100 years ago.

“Crossing the Charles,” which is part of the school’s “Moving Day at MIT” extravaganza, will kick off at 2 p.m. Saturday, on the Boston side of the river. The Smoot-led procession will show off 50 boats, floats, and vehicles designed and built by students, faculty, staff, and graduates as they travel to MIT’s Cambridge headquarters.