2024 Franklin Institute Awards: Celebrating MIT Innovators in Science and Engineering

The Franklin Institute has unveiled its 2024 cohort of award winners as part of its bicentennial celebrations. Since its establishment, the Franklin Institute Awards Program has recognized the most impactful scientists, engineers, and inventors who have made significant strides in science and technology. This program stands as one of the oldest and most prestigious science award initiatives globally.

Distinguished 2024 Honorees

Among the distinguished 2024 honorees are Paula T. Hammond, Institute Professor and Vice Provost for Faculty; Gabriela S. Schlau-Cohen, Associate Professor; Robert Metcalfe; Mary Boyce; and Lisa Su. A formal recognition ceremony for all 2024 Franklin Institute Award Laureates is scheduled for April 18 at the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.

Paula Hammond’s Groundbreaking Chemistry

Paula Hammond will receive the 2024 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry, celebrated for her groundbreaking techniques in developing novel materials at the molecular level. Her innovative methods enhance applications ranging from drug delivery systems to energy storage solutions. By utilizing layer-by-layer assembly to create thin polymer films, her work paves the way for tailored polymers with specific architectures, suitable for diverse fields such as regenerative medicine and battery technology. Hammond has also been honored with MIT’s 2023-24 Killian Award and holds the distinction of being elected to all three U.S. National Academies: Engineering, Science, and Medicine.

Innovations in Plant Protection and Sustainable Energy

Gabriela Schlau-Cohen received the Benjamin Franklin NextGen Award for her groundbreaking research on the chemical processes that protect plants from sun damage, which opens new pathways for improving crop yields. By integrating chemistry, optics, biology, and microscopy, she explores dynamic behaviors in membrane proteins relevant to sustainable energy. After completing her postdoctoral research at Stanford University, she joined the Department of Chemistry faculty in 2015, following her bachelor’s degree in chemical physics from Brown University and a PhD in chemistry from UC Berkeley.

Pioneering Contributions in Engineering and Leadership

Robert Metcalfe was honored with the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Electrical Engineering for his pioneering contributions to Ethernet design and commercialization, which revolutionized networking and file sharing among computers. A graduate of MIT’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department, Metcalfe is also a life member emeritus of the MIT Corporation.

Mary Boyce earned the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Mechanical Engineering for her transformative insights into the physical behavior of polymers, leading to significant advancements in rubber and other soft materials. A respected member of the MIT faculty and former head of its Department of Mechanical Engineering, she currently serves as a professor of mechanical engineering and provost emerita at Columbia University.

Lisa Su was awarded the Bower Award for Business Leadership due to her transformational leadership at AMD, a prominent player in high-performance computing and one of the fastest-growing semiconductor companies worldwide. A graduate of MIT’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department, she now holds the roles of president, CEO, and chair at AMD.

“The Franklin Institute Awards Program stands as one of the oldest and most prestigious science award initiatives globally.”