Centennial Medalists

Group photo of Du Yun, Daniel Goleman, Mina Jahan Bissell, Sanford Greenberg, Catherine Gattegno Cesarsky, and John Dower

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences honorands (from left) Du Yun, Daniel Goleman, Mina Jahan Bissell, Sanford Greenberg, Catherine Gattegno Cesarsky, and John Dower

Photograph by Tony Rinaldo

The Griffin 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 2023 recipients, celebrated on May 24, are: Mina Jahan Bissell ’63, Ph.D. ’69, a pioneer in breast cancer research; Catherine Gattegno Cesarsky, Ph.D. ’72, one of the world’s leading astronomers; John Dower, A.M. ’61, Ph.D. ’72, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian of Japan; Du Yun, Ph.D. ’06, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, musician, and visual artist; Daniel Goleman, Ph.D. ’74, psychologist, writer, and author of Emotional Intelligence (see more at harvardmag.com/goleman-98); and Sanford Greenberg, Ph.D. ’65, L ’68, an inventor, business leader, and philanthropist. The 2023 Centennial Medal award ceremony is available for viewing on the school’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/@harvardgsas/videos). See longer biographies of the medalists at harvardmag.com/cen-medal-23.

Click here for the July-August 2023 issue table of contents

You might also like

The Professor Who Quantified Democracy

Erica Chenoweth’s data shows how—and when—authoritarians fall.

Harvard Medical School Renames Diversity Office, Revamps Recruitment Program

The latest in a broader rollback of DEI at the University

Harvard Cancelled Affinity Celebrations. Students Held Them Anyway.

In hotels, parks, and churches, graduates decried the end of DEI programs.

Most popular

House Committee Subpoenas Harvard Over Tuition Costs

The University must turn over all requested materials related to tuition and financial aid by mid-July. 

Harvard Plans Contingencies for International Students

The Kennedy School and School of Public Health are developing online options.

The New Gender Gaps

What to do as men and boys fall behind

Explore More From Current Issue

Filmmaker John Armstrong’s Adventure Documentaries

Filmmaker John Armstrong’s “outdoor adventures” find the human spirit.

Harvard Commencement 2025

Harvard passes a test of its values, yet challenges loom.

Garber, Trump, and the Fight for Harvard’s Future

Introducing a guide to the issues, players, and stakes.