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 the Griffin Graduate School bestows, and awardees include some of Harvard’s most accomplished alumni. The 2025 recipients, who will be celebrated at a livestreamed ceremony at 12:15 PM on May 28, are:
Lorraine Daston, A.B. ’73, Ph.D ’79, History of Science
Lorraine Daston helped establish the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin as a leading international hub for research, fostering as director interdisciplinary collaboration across philosophy, sociology, and art history. She is widely for her scholarship and for her ability to reframe core epistemological questions about how knowledge is produced and understood. Her work has opened new directions for inquiry and set a high standard for intellectual leadership in the field.
Jim Yong Kim, M.D. ’91, Ph.D ’93, Anthropology
As a student at Harvard, Yong Kim co-founded Partners In Health with Paul Farmer, M.D. ’88, Ph.D. ’90, launching a model for delivering healthcare in some of the world’s poorest regions. He later held leadership roles at the World Health Organization, Dartmouth College, and the World Bank, consistently advocating for more equitable access to health services and economic opportunity. His work has helped shift global expectations around what is possible in public health and development.
Russell Lande, Ph.D ’76, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Russell Lande has made foundational contributions to conservation biology and population genetics. His mathematical models have clarified how species evolve, how populations respond to environmental pressures, and how extinction risk should be understood. Lande’s research integrates biology and quantitative analysis, offering tools that have informed both evolutionary theory and practical conservation efforts. His work continues to shape how scientists study biodiversity and ecological change.
Mary Beth Norton, Ph.D ’69, History
Mary Beth Norton helped redefine the study of early American history by bringing new attention to the experiences of women in the colonial and revolutionary periods. Her scholarship contributed to the emergence of colonial women’s history as a distinct and influential field. Norton was also a pioneer in academia, becoming the first woman to join the history faculty at Cornell University and later serving as president of the American Historical Association. Her book Founding Mothers and Fathers (1997) was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and her career has had lasting influence on how American history is researched and taught.
The Centennial Medal was first awarded in June 1989 on the 100th anniversary of the Graduate School of Harvard University. Each year, Harvard University through Harvard Griffin GSAS recognizes outstanding alumni whose contributions to knowledge, to their disciplines, to their colleagues, and to society have made a fundamental and lasting impact.
