Harvard Centennial Medalists

Four alumni recognized for work

Photograph of Centennial Medalists Martin Duberman, Myra Marx Ferree, Joan Argetsinger, and Arthur K. Wheelock, Jr.

From left: Martin Duberman, Myra Marx Ferree, Joan Argetsinger, and Arthur K. Wheelock, Jr.  |  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 2024 recipients, celebrated on May 22, are: Martin Duberman, Ph.D. ’57, an historian, biographer, playwright and gay rights activist; Myra Marx Ferree, Ph.D. ’76, a sociologist and leading feminist scholar; Joan Argetsinger Steitz, Ph.D. ’68, a molecular biologist known for her fundamental work on RNA; and Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., Ph.D. ’73, an art historian who specializes in Dutch and Flemish paintings. The award ceremony can be seen on the school’s YouTube channel. Read biographies of the recipients at harvardmag.com/centennial-medalists-24.

You might also like

Conan O’Brien headlines a star-studded cast

Don’t Be A ‘Solo Superhero,’ Jonny Kim Tells Harvard Alumni

The astronaut, doctor, and Navy SEAL delivered keynote remarks on Alumni Day.

Harvard Honors Its Oldest Alumni

At 97 and 101, Linda Cabot Black ’51 and William “Bill” Dubey ’46 led the way on Alumni Day.

Most popular

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

The federal government has launched unprecedented actions against the University. Here’s a guide.

The 1884 Cannibalism-at-Sea Case That Still Has Harvard Talking

The Queen v. Dudley and Stephens changed the course of legal history. Here’s why it’s been fodder for countless classroom debates.

Harvard art historian Jennifer Roberts teaches the value of immersive attention

Teaching students the value of deceleration and immersive attention

Explore More From Current Issue

Three hands hold smartphones displaying social media profiles with likes and hearts.

Tell us about how social media impacts your daily life.

Colorful cartoon animals, including dogs, cows, rabbits, and a fence, on a pink background.

Inseparable cows, big dogs fostering a tiny kitten, and a show beagle’s second act

Portrait of a man in a denim shirt beside a blue book cover for "Gretal and the Great War" featuring an illustration of a leg holding an army helmet..

The Gretel and the Great War author on how the Lampoon derailed his science career—and set him on a literary path.