Alumni | June 8, 2020

2020 GSAS Centennial Medalists

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences’ honorands

From The July-August 2020 Issue

Pictured are Stephen Cook, Albert Fishlow, Helen Vendler, and Margaret Kivelson — Clockwise from top left: Stephen Cook, Albert Fishlow, Helen Vendler, and Margaret Kivelson.
Photographs courtesy of Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

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 2020 recipients, announced on May 27, are: Stephen Cook, Ph.D. ’66, a computational theorist and mathematician; Albert Fishlow, Ph.D. ’63, a development economist and historian; Margaret Kivelson ’50, Ph.D. ’57, RI ’66, a space and planetary physicist; and Helen Vendler, Ph.D. ’60, Porter University Professor emerita, beloved Harvard teacher and poetry critic. For more about the honorands, see harvardmag.com/centennial-20.

Published in the July-August 2020 print issue under the headline “Centennial Medalists,” in the Alumni section.

You might also like

David Battat promotes alumni engagement.

A smiling elderly man in glasses sits comfortably in a striped armchair.

Plus, veteran higher education leader Thomas Ehrlich reflects on university curricula for his 70th reunion

Three actors perform on stage, with one actor interacting closely with another, set against abstract backgrounds.

The play Spare Parts is a contemporary fable about the quest to live forever.

Most popular

A busy classroom filled with students working at computers, colorful decor, and a bright atmosphere.

In 2004, a frenzy spread across Harvard Yard in days. Four billion users later, we are only just catching up.

A woman with long hair stands confidently with crossed arms next to a pickup truck.

All That’s Unseen charts the Harvard graduate’s uneasy journey from Appalachia to Cambridge and back.

A man with glasses, wearing a black suit and white shirt, smiling against a dark background.

On Open to Debate, the Harvard economist defended free market competition—with meaningful government involvement.

Explore More From Current Issue

Decorative wrought iron gate framed by leafy branches, captured in sepia tones.

Former Indiana University president Thomas Ehrlich looks back on curriculum, co-education, and other major trends.

A smiling William C. Kirby in a suit with glasses stands outdoors, surrounded by greenery.

Editor’s Letter

The president of Harvard Magazine’s Board of Directors will step down in September.

A vibrant illustration of a red car parked, surrounded by cheerful people and historic buildings.

Harvard History

Derek Bok donated his car for a good cause.