MIT Engineering Faculty Recognized with Major Research and Innovation Awards

MIT School of Engineering faculty received a range of esteemed awards and honors in fall 2025, marking significant achievements in artificial intelligence, robotics, open education, and scientific research. These recognitions reflect the global impact of MIT faculty across diverse fields, including AI, machine learning, advanced engineering, and digital health.

Hal Abelson, the Class of 1922 Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, was honored with the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence by Open Education Global. Abelson’s work has been central to the open education movement, Creative Commons, and promoting accessible knowledge worldwide.

Faez Ahmed, Henry L. Doherty Career Development Professor in Ocean Utilization, received an Amazon Research Award for “AutoDA‑Sim: A Multi‑Agent Framework for Safe, Aesthetic, and Aerodynamic Vehicle Design.” The project leverages multi-agent frameworks, relevant to AI systems that facilitate collaboration among autonomous agents for complex design and safety analysis.

Pulkit Agrawal, Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Yufeng (Kevin) Chen, also Associate Professor in the same department, were both recipients of the 2025 IROS Toshio Fukuda Young Professional Award. Agrawal was recognized for advances in robot learning—an AI field focused on how machines acquire and refine skills—particularly policy learning, agile locomotion, and dexterous manipulation. Chen was honored for contributions to insect-scale multimodal robots and soft-actuated aerial systems, highlighting innovation in robotics and intelligent systems.

Ahmad Bahai, Professor of the Practice in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, was elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in recognition of his contributions to semiconductor devices used in high-grade personal sensors, which have applications for monitoring health biomarkers.

Angela Koehler, Charles W. and Jennifer C. Johnson Professor in Biological Engineering, received the 2025 Sato Memorial International Award from the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan for her role in advancing pharmaceutical sciences and strengthening US–Japan scientific collaboration.

Dina Katabi, the Thuan (1990) and Nicole Pham Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, was elected to the National Academy of Medicine for her pioneering work in remote health monitoring using AI-powered digital health technology. Her research has led to new digital biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease progression and detection through noninvasive, wireless systems, illustrating the transformative impact of AI in healthcare.

Darcy McRose, Thomas D. and Virginia W. Cabot Career Development Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering, was named a 2025 Packard Fellow for Science and Engineering, supporting promising early-career scientists seeking to advance innovative research.

Muriel Médard, NEC Professor of Software Science and Engineering, received the 2026 IEEE Richard W. Hamming Medal for her seminal contributions to coding, reliable communications, and network theory. Médard’s innovations in network coding enhance data reliability for applications ranging from video streaming to satellite communications.

Tess Smidt, Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, was selected as a 2025 AI2050 Fellow by Schmidt Sciences for research on hierarchical representations of complex physical systems with Euclidean Neural Networks, a class of AI models that aim to better capture the symmetry and geometry of scientific data.

The awards demonstrate MIT’s continuing leadership in advancing knowledge, developing influential AI and robotics technologies, and pioneering new approaches to education and health.

Reference: news.mit.edu