Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences 2018 Centennial Medalists

Contributions to society from graduate research

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences honorands (from left) Choon Fong Shih, Harold Luft, Beth Adelson, and Guido Goldman

Photograph courtesy of the 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 2018 recipients, announced at a ceremony on May 23, are: Beth Adelson, A.M. ’81, Ph.D. ’83, a cognitive scientist; Guido Goldman, ’59, Ph.D. ’70, founding director of Harvard’s Center for European Studies; Harold Luft ’68, Ph.D. ’73, an expert in healthcare economics and policy; and Choon Fong Shih, S.M. ’70, Ph.D. ’73, an applied mathematician who specializes in fracture mechanics. For more about the honorands, see harvardmag.com/centennial-18.

You might also like

This TikTok Artist Combines Monsters and Mental Heath

Ava Jinying Salzman’s artwork helps people process difficult feelings.

Introductions: Dan Cnossen

A conversation with the former Navy SEAL and gold-medal-winning Paralympic skier

A Congenial Voice in Japanese-American Relations

Takashi Komatsu spent his life building bridges. 

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.

Sam Liss to Head Harvard’s Office for Technology Development

Technology licensing and corporate partnerships are an important source of revenue for the University.

Explore More From Current Issue

Two bare-knuckle boxers fight in a ring, surrounded by onlookers in 19th-century attire.

England’s First Sports Megastar

A collection of illustrations capture a boxer’s triumphant moment. 

Black and white photo of a large mushroom cloud rising above the horizon.

Open Book: A New Nuclear Age

Harvard historian Serhii Plokhy’s latest book looks at the rising danger of a new arms race.

A jubilant graduate shouts into a megaphone, surrounded by a cheering crowd.

For Campus Speech, Civility is a Cultural Practice

A former Harvard College dean reviews Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber’s book Terms of Respect.