List of institute professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology


Institute professor is the highest title that can be awarded to a List of [Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty|faculty member] at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. It is analogous to the titles of distinguished professor, Professors in [the United States#Distinguished (research/teaching) professor|university professor], or regents professor used at other universities in recognition of a professor's extraordinary research achievements and dedication to the school. At MIT, institute professors are granted a unique level of freedom and flexibility to pursue their research and teaching interests without regular departmental or school responsibilities; they report only to the provost. Usually no more than twelve professors hold this distinction at any one time.
Institute professors are initially nominated by leaders representing either a department or school. The chair of the faculty then consults with the Academic Council and jointly appoints with the president an ad-hoc committee from various departments and non-MIT members to evaluate the qualifications and make a documented recommendation to the president. The final determination is made based upon recommendations from professionals in the nominee's field. The case is then reviewed again by the Academic Council and approved by the executive committee of the MIT Corporation. The position was created by President James R. Killian in 1951, and John C. Slater was the first to hold the title.

List of institute professors

Current


NameDepartmentElectedNotabilityReference
Daron AcemogluEconomics2019Author of Why Nations Fail; John Bates Clark Medal ; Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics
Suzanne BergerPolitical Science2019Fellow of the American [Academy of Arts and Sciences]; chevalier of France's Legion of Honour
Arup ChakrabortyChemical Engineering2021Fellow of all three United States National academies; founding director of MIT’s Institute for [Medical Engineering and Science]
Sallie W. ChisholmCivil and Environmental Engineering2015Discovery and biology of the Prochlorococcus marine cyanobacteria
Ann GraybielBrain and Cognitive Sciences2008Expert on the basal ganglia; National Medal of Science
Paula T. HammondChemical Engineering2021Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and all three United States National academies
Robert S. LangerChemical Engineering & Biological Engineering2005Drug delivery and tissue engineering; youngest person to be elected to all three United States National academies; Millennium Technology Prize, National Medal of Science, Draper Prize, and Lemelson-MIT Prize

Emeritus

Deceased