MIT Selects Associate Professors Jacob Andreas and Brett McGuire for Prestigious Harold E. Edgerton Faculty Achievement Award
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has announced its selections for the highly esteemed Harold E. Edgerton Faculty Achievement Award, honoring two of its rising stars: Associate Professor Jacob Andreas from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and Associate Professor Brett McGuire from the Department of Chemistry. This annual award, established in 1982, serves as a lasting tribute to Institute Professor Emeritus Harold E. Edgerton’s profound and ongoing commitment to supporting younger faculty members. It recognizes exceptional distinction across teaching, research, and service, acknowledging those who embody the highest standards of academic excellence and contribution to the MIT community and beyond.
A Dual Recognition for Groundbreaking Contributions
The selection of Professors Andreas and McGuire highlights the breadth of innovative research and dedicated pedagogy flourishing at MIT. Their achievements span disparate yet equally impactful fields, demonstrating the institute’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary excellence. The Edgerton Award celebrates faculty who not only push the boundaries of their respective disciplines but also demonstrate a profound commitment to education and community engagement.
Matthew D. Shoulders, the Class of 1942 Professor of Chemistry and Department Head, expressed immense pride in Brett McGuire’s recognition. "The Department of Chemistry is extremely delighted to see Brett recognized for science that has changed how we think about carbon in space," Shoulders stated. He elaborated on McGuire’s pioneering work, which integrates laboratory spectroscopy, radio astronomy, and sophisticated signal analysis to decipher faint astronomical data. McGuire’s groundbreaking discovery of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the cold interstellar medium has irrevocably altered the landscape of astrochemistry, opening a new avenue for understanding the chemical evolution of the universe. "His discovery… has opened a powerful new window on astrochemistry," Shoulders emphasized, adding that McGuire is also instrumental in developing the novel tools that enable such significant discoveries.
Similarly, Asu Ozdaglar, EECS department head, lauded Jacob Andreas as a prime example of the department’s finest. "Jacob Andreas represents the very best of MIT EECS," Ozdaglar remarked. She characterized Andreas as an innovative researcher whose work bridges computational and linguistically informed approaches to lay the groundwork for advanced language learning in artificial intelligence. His dedication to translating these cutting-edge ideas into core curricula for natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning has significantly enriched the educational experience for MIT students. Ozdaglar further noted that Andreas’s ability to connect foundational theory with tangible real-world impact, while simultaneously addressing the crucial social and ethical dimensions of computing, makes him exceptionally deserving of the Edgerton Award.
Jacob Andreas: Revolutionizing Natural Language Processing and AI Ethics
Jacob Andreas joined the MIT faculty in July 2019, quickly establishing himself as a leading figure in natural language processing (NLP) and artificial intelligence (AI). Affiliated with the prestigious Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), his research centers on understanding the computational underpinnings of language acquisition and developing intelligent systems capable of learning through human guidance. His impressive accolades include Samsung’s AI Researcher of the Year award, MIT’s Kolokotrones and Junior Bose teaching awards, a 2024 Sloan Research Fellow award, and multiple paper awards at leading conferences such as the International Conference on Machine Learning and the Association for Computational Linguistics.
Andreas’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science from Columbia University, followed by a Master of Philosophy from Cambridge University, where he was a Churchill scholar. He earned his Ph.D. in natural language processing from the University of California, Berkeley. His doctoral and subsequent research have tackled some of the most persistent challenges in NLP, specifically the significant capability gap that exists between human language comprehension and current computational models.
Antonio Torralba, Delta Electronics Professor and faculty head of Artificial Intelligence and Decision-Making in EECS, provided critical insight into the significance of Andreas’s research. "The defining feature of human language use is our capacity for compositional generalization," Torralba explained. He highlighted that while many NLP challenges are addressed by scaling up neural models, achieving true compositional generalization remains a formidable hurdle. Without this ability, deep learning models will struggle to achieve the robustness required for complex, real-world NLP applications. Torralba elaborated that Andreas’s work in compositional modeling establishes novel connections between NLP and fields such as computer vision and physics. By leveraging principles related to symmetries and algebraic structures, his team has developed NLP models that exhibit remarkable human-like language acquisition behaviors, including one-shot word learning, learning through mutual exclusivity constraints, and the acquisition of grammatical rules in highly data-scarce environments. This innovative approach promises to unlock new levels of linguistic understanding for AI systems.
Within the EECS department, Andreas has been instrumental in revamping the curriculum, developing multiple advanced courses in natural language processing. He has also pioneered new pedagogical approaches, integrating exercises designed to engage students with the critical social and ethical considerations inherent in the deployment of machine learning technologies. Leslie Pack Kaelbling, Panasonic Professor in EECS and an award nominator, underscored the transformative impact of Andreas’s contributions to the department’s educational offerings. "Jacob has taken a leading role in completely modernizing and extending our course offerings in natural language processing," Kaelbling stated. She pointed to his leadership in developing a contemporary two-course sequence that now forms a cornerstone of the new AI+D (Artificial Intelligence and Decision-Making) major, consistently attracting hundreds of students each semester. Kaelbling praised Andreas’s broad and deep command of the field, noting how his courses seamlessly blend classical linguistic understanding with the latest learning-based methodologies. His efforts have, according to Kaelbling, significantly elevated MIT EECS’s global standing as a premier institution for the study of natural language at all levels.
Brett McGuire: Unraveling the Chemistry of the Cosmos
Brett McGuire joined the MIT faculty in 2020 and was promoted to associate professor in 2025. His research operates at the dynamic intersection of physical chemistry, molecular spectroscopy, and observational astrophysics. His primary scientific pursuit is to understand the evolution of the chemical building blocks of life and their role in shaping the formation of stars and planets. Prior to his tenure at MIT, McGuire was a distinguished Jansky Fellow and later a Hubble Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. He holds a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Caltech. His impressive list of honors includes a 2026 Sloan Fellowship, the Beckman Young Investigator Award, the Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy, and the MIT Award for Teaching with Digital Technology.
The faculty who nominated McGuire for the Edgerton Award were particularly impressed by his exceptional public outreach initiatives, his immediate and enthusiastic willingness to teach 5.111 (Principles of Chemical Science) – a foundational General Institute Requirement course typically enrolling between 150 and 500 students – and his extensive service contributions to both the MIT and broader astrochemical communities.
Sylvia Ceyer, the John C. Sheehan Professor of Chemistry, articulated the profound impact of McGuire’s research in her nomination statement. "Brett is at the very top of astrochemical scientists in his age group due to his discovery of fused carbon ring compounds in the cold region of the ISM [interstellar medium], an observation that provides a route for carbon incorporation in planets," Ceyer wrote. She also highlighted the rarity of such extensive involvement in service-oriented activities among junior scientists. "His extensive involvement in service-oriented activities within the astrochemical/physical community is highly unusual for a junior scientist, and is testament to the value that the astronomical community places in his wisdom and judgement," she noted. Ceyer further praised his organizational acumen, stating that his contributions to graduate admission protocols and seminar administration at MIT have been "the envy of the department." Crucially, she concluded, "And most importantly, Brett is a superb teacher, who cares deeply about students’ understanding and success, not only in his course, but in their future endeavors."
Mei Hong, the David A. Leighty Professor of Chemistry, echoed these sentiments, specifically addressing McGuire’s impact on undergraduate education. "As an assistant professor, Brett volunteered to teach 5.111, a large GIR course with 150–500 students, and has received some of the best teaching evaluations among all faculty who have led the subject," Hong stated. She described his natural talent for making abstract physical chemistry concepts engaging and accessible. Hong elaborated that McGuire’s meticulously prepared slides, created from scratch rather than adapted from previous instructors, are consistently clear. "The combination of lucid explanation and humor has generated great enthusiasm and interest in chemistry among students," she observed.
Student evaluations of McGuire’s courses consistently praise his humor, the clarity of his explanations, and his remarkable ability to transform lectures into captivating "science shows." One student’s testimonial captured this sentiment effectively: "I haven’t felt this sort of desire for the depth of understanding in a subject beyond just a straight grade [in some time]," the student remarked. "Brett definitely stimulated that love of learning for me." Jennifer Weisman, assistant director of academic programs in chemistry, further characterized McGuire as an "outstanding faculty member who is dedicated to fostering student learning and success." She added that he is "thoughtful, caring, and goes above and beyond to help his colleagues, students, and staff."
Reflecting on his award, McGuire expressed his gratitude: "I’m thrilled to be selected for the Edgerton Award this year. The award is nominally for teaching, research, and service; MIT and the chemistry department in particular have been an incredible place to learn and grow in all these areas." He conveyed deep appreciation for the "mentorship, enthusiasm, and support" he has received from his colleagues, students, and the wider MIT community. McGuire concluded with an optimistic outlook, stating, "I look forward to many more years of exciting discovery together with this one-of-a-kind community."
The Edgerton Award: A Legacy of Support and Excellence
The Harold E. Edgerton Faculty Achievement Award has a distinguished history of recognizing faculty who exemplify innovation, dedication, and impact. Established in 1982, it honors the legacy of Harold E. Edgerton, an MIT Institute Professor Emeritus renowned for his pioneering work in strobe photography and his deep commitment to mentoring and supporting junior faculty members. Edgerton understood the vital role of emerging scholars in driving academic progress and fostering a dynamic intellectual environment. The award, therefore, not only celebrates individual accomplishments but also reinforces MIT’s institutional commitment to nurturing its faculty’s growth and recognizing their multifaceted contributions to research, teaching, and service.
The selection process for the Edgerton Award is rigorous, typically involving nominations from department heads and senior faculty, followed by a thorough review by a faculty committee. The criteria emphasize sustained excellence and significant impact within an individual’s field, as well as their contributions to the broader MIT community and beyond. The award often serves as a significant career milestone, highlighting recipients as future leaders and influential figures in their respective disciplines. The recognition of both Professors Andreas and McGuire underscores the institute’s ability to identify and cultivate talent across diverse academic frontiers, ensuring a vibrant future for research and education at MIT.
