The Franklin Institute is pleased to present a series of informative and engaging in-person and hybrid events highlighting our 2025 laureates. All times listed are Eastern Time (ET).
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
8:30 AM–12:00 PM HYBRID EVENT
NANOMATERIALS AND LIGHT ADDRESSING GRAND CHALLENGES
Laureate Symposium honoring Naomi Halas, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry
Featuring:
Naomi Halas, Ph.D., Laureate
Rice University
Rizia Bardhan, Ph.D.
Iowa State University
Stephan Link, Ph.D.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Peter J. A. Nordlander, Ph.D.
Rice University
Location:
University of Pennsylvania
Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology
3200 Walnut Street, Room 121
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Price: Free
Sponsored by The Franklin Institute and the University of Pennsylvania Department of Chemistry, VIEST: The Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology, and LRSM: The Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter, an NSF-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center
8:30 AM–12:30 PM HYBRID EVENT
SMALL TECH, BIG IMPACT: THE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF MEMS SENSORS & ACTUATORS
Laureate Symposium honoring Kurt Petersen, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Electrical Engineering
Featuring:
Kurt Petersen, Ph.D., Laureate
Silicon Valley Band of Angels
Alissa Fitzgerald, Ph.D.
A.M. Fitzgerald & Associates LLC
Cherie Kagan, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
Thomas Kenny, Ph.D.
Stanford University
Marc Miskin, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
Troy Olsson, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
Kenneth Wise, Ph.D.
University of Michigan
Location:
University of Pennsylvania
Glandt Forum
Singh Center for Nanotechnology
3205 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Price: Free
Sponsored by The Franklin Institute, the University of Pennsylvania Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Penn Engineering, and IEEE Philadelphia Section
9:00 AM–12:00 PM HYBRID EVENT
SYMPOSIUM ON STRUCTURAL INSTABILITIES
Laureate Symposium honoring John Hutchinson, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Mechanical Engineering
Featuring:
John Hutchinson, Ph.D., Laureate
Harvard University
John Bassani, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
David Cereceda, Ph.D.
Villanova University
Yonggang Huang, Ph.D.
Northwestern University
Stelios Kyriakides, Ph.D.
University of Texas at Austin
C. Nataraj, Ph.D.
Villanova University
Howard Stone, Ph.D.
Princeton University
Pawel Woelke, Ph.D., P.E.
Thornton Tomasetti
Location:
Villanova University
The Inn at Villanova
601 County Line Road
Radnor, PA 19087
Price: Free
Sponsored by The Franklin Institute and Villanova University College of Engineering
2:00–3:30 PM IN-PERSON EVENT
OPTICAL TWEEZERS: LIGHT AND LIFE, STUDIED ONE MOLECULE AT A TIME
Laureate Address by Steven Block, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science
Featuring:
Steven Block, Ph.D., Laureate
Stanford University
Location:
University of Pennsylvania
BRB Gaulton Auditorium
Biomedical Research Building
421 Curie Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Price: Free
Sponsored by The Franklin Institute and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Department of Physiology and Pennsylvania Muscle Institute
Thursday, May 1, 2025
8:30 AM–1:00 PM IN-PERSON EVENT
DENSITY FUNCTIONAL THEORY
Laureate Symposium honoring John Perdew, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics
Featuring:
John Perdew, Ph.D., Laureate
Tulane University
Kieron Burke, Ph.D.
University of California, Irvine
Roberto Car, Ph.D.
2021 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry
Princeton University
Adrienn Ruzsinszky, Ph.D.
Tulane University
Gustavo Scuseria, Ph.D.
Rice University
Weitao Yang, Ph.D.
Duke University
Location:
Temple University
Science Education and Research Center, Room 116
1925 N 12th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
Price: Free
Sponsored by The Franklin Institute and Temple University
10:50 AM–12:00 PM HYBRID EVENT
EQUITABLE MEDICAL IMAGING
Laureate Address by Muyinatu Bell, 2025 Benjamin Franklin NextGen Award
Featuring:
Muyinatu Bell, Ph.D., Laureate
Johns Hopkins University
Location:
Temple University
Shusterman Hall
1834 Liacouras Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19122
Price: Free
Sponsored by The Franklin Institute and Temple University College of Engineering
1:00–3:00 PM IN-PERSON EVENT
ENERGY-EFFICIENT AI
Laureate Symposium honoring William Dally, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer and Cognitive Science
Featuring:
William Dally, Ph.D., Laureate
NVIDIA and Stanford University
Benjamin Lee, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
Margaret Martonosi
Princeton University
Yakun Sophia Shao
University of California, Berkeley
Location:
University of Pennsylvania
Stavis Family Auditorium
Amy Gutmann Hall
3317 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Price: Free
Sponsored by The Franklin Institute and Penn Engineering
2025 FRANKLIN INSTITUTE AWARDS CEREMONY AND DINNER
Presented by
Friday, May 2, 2025
10:00 AM–3:00 PM IN-PERSON EVENT
BUILDING RESILIENCE IN NATURAL AND URBAN ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS
Laureate Symposium honoring Katharine Suding, 2025 Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
Featuring:
Katharine Suding, Ph.D., Laureate
University of Colorado
Catherine Reuter
New Kensington Community Development Corporation
Ash Richards (they/them)
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Farm Philly
Adam Hill
Philadelphia Horticultural Society
Location:
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
3260 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Price: Free
Sponsored by The Franklin Institute and the University of Pennsylvania Penn Plant Adaptability and Resilience Center (PlantARC) and Department of Biology