National Academy of Sciences Adds Harvard faculty, alumni

Eleven faculty members and 11 alumni are honored.

New NAS members Andrew W. Murray, Jeff W. Lichtman, and Vamsi K. Mootha

New NAS members Andrew W. Murray, Jeff W. Lichtman, and Vamsi K. Mootha | Photographs from left: Kris Snibbe/Harvard Public Affairs and Communications (2), and courtesy of Vamsi K. Mootha

Recognizing their “distinguished and continuing achievements in original research,” the National Academy of Sciences on April 29 announced the election of 84 new members, 11 of them from Harvard’s faculties of arts and sciences and of medicine.

Joining the academy from Harvard Medical School are:

  • Bruce P. Bean ’73, Winthrop professor of neurobiology;
  • Emery N. Brown ’78, M.D. ’87, Ph.D. ’88, Zapol professor of anaesthesia, who is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital;
  • Timothy J. Mitchison, Sabbagh professor of systems biology;
  • Vamsi K. Mootha, M.D. ’98, professor of systems biology and of medicine, who is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital; and
  • Martin R. Pollak, professor of medicine, who is affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

The new members from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences are:

Visit Harvard Magazine’s archives to find articles about economist Katz’s research with his frequent collaborator, Lee professor of economics Claudia Goldin, on career choice and quality of life issues; biologist Lichtman’s work involving optical microscopy and neural synapses; and short profiles of biologist Mitchison and Murray.

Eleven alumni were also newly elected to the academy. They are:

  • Peter Bearman, Ph.D. ’85, Cole professor of the social sciences at Columbia;
  • Dale L. Boger, Ph.D. ’80, Cramer professor of chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute;
  • Eric A. D’Asaro ’76, S.M. ’76, senior principal oceanographer and professor of oceanography at University of Washington, Seattle;
  • Gregory C. Fu, Ph.D. ’91, Altair professor of chemistry, California Institute of Technology;
  • Samuel H. Gellman ’81, Hirschmann professor of chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison;
  • Timothy L. Grove, Ph.D. ’76, professor, department of earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology;
  • Benjamin D. Hall, Ph.D. ’59, emeritus professor of biology and genome sciences, University of Washington, Seattle;
  • Michael N. Hall, Ph.D. ’81, professor, Biozentrum, University of Basel;
  • John Preskill, Ph.D. ’80, Feynman professor of theoretical physics, California Institute of Technology;
  • Joseph Silk, Ph.D. ’68, HomeWood professor, Johns Hopkins University, and professor, Institut d’Astrophysique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris; and
  • Montgomery W. Slatkin, Gompertz professor of integrative biology, University of California, Berkeley.

You might also like

The division is launching a new fundraising effort to support 50 additional students.

President Alan M. Garber used traditional Memorial Church address to consider the unique qualities of human intelligence and learning.

Due to rain, the University held dual Convocation ceremonies for the Class of 2030 in Sanders Theatre.

Most popular

Harvard’s Class of 2029 Reflects Shifts in Racial Makeup After Affirmative Action Ends

International students continue to enroll amid political uncertainty; mandatory SATs lead to a drop in applications.

The University has pushed the adoption of AI into teaching and operations, but faculty resistance is growing louder.

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

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

Explore More From Current Issue

A vase of yellow flowers on a table next to an orange and a glass.

Harvard Art Museums restores a rare glimpse of an American master.

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.

Three young women posed side by side against red background.

The 2026-2027 Ledecky and Summer Undergraduate Fellows