MIT Faculty Members Nancy Kanwisher, Robert Langer, and Sara Seager Receive 2024 Kavli Prizes

Three esteemed faculty members from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have been recognized for their groundbreaking contributions to the fields of neuroscience, nanoscience, and astrophysics. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, along with the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and the Kavli Foundation, have awarded the prestigious 2024 Kavli Prizes to Nancy Kanwisher, Robert Langer, and Sara Seager.

The Kavli Prizes, presented every two years, celebrate scientists who have made significant breakthroughs in astrophysics, nanoscience, and neuroscience. Each laureate in their respective field will share a prize of $1 million.

Nancy Kanwisher, the Walter A Rosenblith Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research investigator at MIT, has received the 2024 Kavli Prize in Neuroscience. She shares this honor with Doris Tsao from the University of California at Berkeley and Winrich Freiwald from the Rockefeller University. Together, they have uncovered a specialized system within the human brain that is responsible for recognizing faces. Their research has laid the groundwork for further exploration into how visual information processing is integrated with other cognitive functions.

In the field of nanoscience, MIT's Robert Langer, the David H. Koch Institute Professor, has been awarded the 2024 Kavli Prize. He shares this distinction with Paul Alivisatos from the University of Chicago and Chad Mirkin from Northwestern University. The trio has revolutionized nanomedicine by demonstrating how engineering at the nano scale can advance biomedical research and applications. Langer's pioneering work in developing nanoengineered materials, which facilitate the controlled release of drug molecules, has had a transformative impact on treating aggressive brain cancer, prostate cancer, and schizophrenia. Additionally, his contributions to the development of mRNA vaccines have been instrumental in the delivery of these groundbreaking treatments.

Sara Seager, the Class of 1941 Professor of Planetary Sciences at MIT, has been honored with the 2024 Kavli Prize in Astrophysics alongside David Charbonneau from Harvard University. Their pioneering work involves the discovery and characterization of exoplanets and the analysis of their atmospheres. Seager and Charbonneau's innovative methods for detecting atomic species and measuring thermal infrared emission have greatly advanced our understanding of exoplanetary atmospheres, paving the way for future exploration and the search for life beyond Earth.

With the addition of Kanwisher, Langer, and Seager, MIT now boasts eight faculty members who have been awarded the esteemed Kavli Prize. Previous winners from MIT include Rainer Weiss and Jane Luu in astrophysics, Alan Guth in astrophysics, Mildred Dresselhaus in nanoscience, and Ann Graybiel in neuroscience, making MIT a powerhouse of scientific excellence.

The Kavli Prizes not only acknowledge the outstanding achievements of these exceptional researchers but also highlight the critical role of MIT in advancing knowledge and pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration.