The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences’ Centennial Medal, first awarded in 1989 on the occasion of the school’s hundredth anniversary, honors alumni who have made contributions to society that emerged from their graduate studies. It is the highest honor GSAS bestows, and awardees include some of Harvard’s most accomplished alumni. The 2017 recipients, announced at a ceremony on May 24, are: Russell A. Mittermeier, Ph.D. ’77, a primatologist, herpetologist, and conservation advocate; Sarah P. Morris, Ph.D. ’81, a classicist and archaeologist; Thomas F. Pettigrew, Ph.D. ’56, an expert on racism and intergroup relations; and Richard Sennett, Ph.D. ’69, a sociologist who writes about cities, labor, and culture. For more about the medalists, see harvardmag.com/centennial-17.
Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Centennial Medalists of 2017
Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Centennial Medalists of 2017
Honorands whose contributions to society emerged from graduate study
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences honorees (from left) Russell A. Mittermeier, Sarah P. Morris, Thomas F. Pettigrew, and Richard Sennett
Photograph by Tony Rinaldo/Courtesy of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
You might also like
Harvard Commencement 2025
Harvard passes a test of its values, yet challenges loom.
Alumni Cheer on Harvard
At Alumni Day, ringing endorsements of Harvard’s fight
Paula Johnson at Harvard Medical School Convocation
Amid distrust of science, Paula Johnson tells medical and dental graduates to be “citizen-physicians.”
Most popular
Explore More From Current Issue
How Stories Help Us Cope with Climate Change
The growing genre of climate fiction offers a way to process reality—and our anxieties.
What Bonobos Teach Us About Female Power and Cooperation
A Harvard scientist expands our understanding of our closest living relatives.
The True Cost of Grade Inflation at Harvard
How an abundance of A’s created “the most stressed-out world of all.”