Twenty-three MIT faculty receive “Committed to Caring” recognition for 2023-2025

Within the corridors of MIT, a unique sense of empathy intertwines with the essence of education. As students adapt to a post-pandemic reality, numerous professors have assumed pivotal roles in assisting them through the challenges of hybrid learning and an evolving post-graduation landscape.

The Committed to Caring (C2C) initiative at MIT, spearheaded by students, honors faculty members who have excelled as mentors for graduate students. The 2023-25 C2C award recognizes twenty-three MIT professors, the largest group of honorees to date, joining the esteemed ranks of 75 prior recipients.

Over the past two years, the actions of these MIT faculty members have underscored their deep dedication to the well-being, progress, and triumph of their students. These educators exceed their duties, showcasing unwavering support for mentorship, inclusivity, and a comprehensive approach to student growth, fostering an environment where academic achievements coexist with personal development.

The distinguished faculty members honored with the 2023-25 Committed to Caring award are as follows:

• Hamsa Balakrishnan, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Cynthia Breazeal, Media Lab
• Roberto Fernandez, MIT Sloan School of Management
• Nuh Gedik, Department of Physics
• Mariya Grinberg, Department of Political Science
• Ming Guo, Department of Mechanical Engineering
• Myriam Heiman, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
• Rohit Karnik, Department of Mechanical Engineering
• Erik Lin-Greenberg, Department of Political Science
• Michael McDonald, Department of Physics
• Emery Neal Brown, Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology
• Wanda Orlikowski, MIT Sloan School of Management
• Kenneth Oye, Department of Political Science
• Kristala Prather, Department of Chemical Engineering
• Zachary Seth Hartwig, Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering
• Tracy Slatyer, Department of Physics
• Iain Stewart, Department of Physics
• Andrew Vanderburg, Department of Physics
• Rodrigo Verdi, MIT Sloan School of Management
• Xiao Wang, Department of Chemistry
• Ariel White, Department of Political Science
• Nathan Wilmers, MIT Sloan School of Management
• Maria Yang, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Since its inception in 2014 by the Office of Graduate Education, the C2C program has engaged students in the selection process for honorees. Graduate students from all disciplines can nominate professors by submitting letters detailing their exceptional mentorship practices. A committee comprising students and staff then identifies individuals who have significantly contributed to MIT’s academic community through mentorship.

This year’s selection committee comprised: Maria Carreira (Biology), Rima Das (Mechanical Engineering), Ahmet Gulek (Economics), Bishal Thapa (Biological Engineering), Katie Rotman (Architecture), Dóra Takács (Linguistics), Dan Korsun (Nuclear Science and Engineering), Leslie Langston (Student Mental Health and Counseling), Patricia Nesti (MIT-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), Beth Marois (Office of Graduate Education [OGE]), Sara Lazo (OGE), and Chair Suraiya Baluch (OGE).