Researchers with ties to MIT Sea Grant receive National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

MIT Professors Sallie (Penny) Chisholm and Robert Langer are among the 23 recipients awarded the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation for 2013. These are the nation’s highest honors for scientists, engineers and inventors, and MIT Sea Grant is proud to list the two MIT recipients as former MIT Sea Grant awardees. Chisholm was awarded the MIT Sea Grant-administered Henry L. and Grace Doherty Professorship in Ocean Engineering for her work entitled, Study of Variability among Individuals in Populations of Micro-algae and its Role in Algal Dominance and Succession. The pioneering work of Chisholm and her colleagues has helped revolutionize the study of small oceanic phytoplankton and the role they play in oxygen production. Langer and his colleagues have received MIT Sea Grant funding over the past two decades for their work on projects that interface with molecular biology and engineering. Two noteworthy projects focus on innovative approaches to manipulate reproduction in fish cultures. Others of Langer’s MIT Sea Grant-funded projects include collaborative efforts using tissue engineered fish skin for use on aquatic robots to improve propulsion. In addition, Langer is among the worldwide recipients of the of the 2013 Wolf Prize through the Israel-based Wolf Foundation for his contributions in chemistry. To read more about the extraordinary careers and accomplishments of Chisholm and Langer, please see the following articles from MIT News: Chisholm, Langer awarded nation’s highest honors for scientists and inventors Two MIT professors win prestigious Wolf Prize To view some MIT Sea Grant-sponsored publications by Langer and colleagues, please click on the links below: Tissue Engineering of Fish Skin: Behavior of Fish Cells on Poly(ethylene glycolterephthalate)/poly (butylene terephthalate) Copolymers in Relation to the Composition of the Polymer Substrate as an Initial Step in Constructing a Robotic/living Tissue Hybrid Development of a Novel Technology for the Manipulation of Fish Reproductive Cycles; Controlled Release of Gonadotropin Releasing Hormones