Announcing the 2026 Franklin Institute Award Laureates

HONORING TRANSFORMATIVE ADVANCES IN SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND BUSINESS LEADERSHIP IN PHILADELPHIA, APRIL 30, 2026

Author, Philanthropist, Investor, and Historian David M. Rubenstein to receive the Bower Award for Business Leadership for blending visionary entrepreneurship with a profound commitment to the public good

Inventor David R. Liu, Ph.D., to receive the Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science for his groundbreaking work in gene editing to correct disease-causing "misspellings" in DNA

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Franklin Institute is proud to announce the 2026 recipients of The Franklin Institute Awards, one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious honors in science, engineering, and business leadership. Among those recognized is author, philanthropist, investor, and historian David M. Rubenstein for his success as co-founder of The Carlyle Group and his passionate dedication to patriotic philanthropy, the arts, health, education, and civic engagement.

Rubenstein is a 2025 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has made transformative gifts for landmark restorations, including the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, the Smithsonian, National Archives, and the Library of Congress, and has provided the U.S. government with long-term loans of his rare copies of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Emancipation Proclamation.

Biochemist David R. Liu, Ph.D., is celebrated for his groundbreaking work in developing a new class of precise gene-editing technologies that is advancing treatments for disease-causing mutations, with promising early results in patients with conditions such as leukemia and sickle-cell disease. 

"Liu's innovative techniques hold extraordinary potential for transforming the lives of millions of people, not only through new treatments for genetic disease but also through the acceleration of foundational research in biomedicine and agriculture," said Dr. Jayatri Das, Chief Bioscientist, The Franklin Institute.  

Rubenstein will receive the Bower Award for Business Leadership, and Liu will receive the Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science, which includes a $250,000 cash prize. They will join six fellow laureates in a ceremony to be held at The Franklin Institute on April 30, 2026.

"The 2026 laureates embody the same remarkable spirit of curiosity, ingenuity, and discovery that defined our nation's founding," said Larry Dubinski, President and CEO of The Franklin Institute. "In a milestone year in which we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of America, we are proud to honor this extraordinary group of individuals whose transformative contributions continue to greatly advance our nation and our world."

The 2026 Franklin Institute Award Laureates
The work of the 2026 laureates spans an extraordinary range of scientific discoveries, from the smallest units of life to the vast expanse of the universe. They have pioneered new fields of inquiry and transformed entire disciplines, preserving vital pieces of our past and charting bold paths to the future.

BOWER AWARD FOR BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
David M. Rubenstein  | The Carlyle Group
For embodying the legacy of Benjamin Franklin by blending visionary entrepreneurship with a profound commitment to the public good. Through his remarkable success as co-founder of The Carlyle Group and his passionate dedication to patriotic philanthropy, the arts, health, education, and civic engagement, he exemplifies the values that define the American spirit. 

BOWER AWARD AND PRIZE FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SCIENCE
David R. Liu, Ph.D.  | Broad Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Harvard University
For pioneering an exciting new class of precise and effective gene-editing technologies that enable a broad range of applications in science, industry, and medicine, including the direct correction of many disease-causing mutations. 

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN NEXTGEN AWARD
Josh Alman, Ph.D.  | Columbia University
For contributions to theoretical computer science through the design and analysis of algorithms for fundamental operations that are routinely performed in all fields of science and engineering. 

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN MEDAL IN CHEMISTRY
Geoffrey W. Coates, Ph.D.  | Cornell University
For transformative work at the interface of chemical catalyst design and polymer science, leading to novel ways of making biodegradable and recyclable plastics. 

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN MEDAL IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
Pedro J.J. Alvarez, Ph.D.  | Rice University
For pioneering discoveries in environmental microbiology that established the field of environmental nanotechnology and revolutionized pollution remediation, with a major influence on industry standards and governmental policy. 

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN MEDAL IN COMPUTER AND COGNITIVE SCIENCE
Dedre Gentner, Ph.D.  | Northwestern University
For elucidating the unique power of human thought, including its roots in the acquisition and use of language, metaphors, maps, and analogies, and for charting new ways to support and enhance these skills. 

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN MEDAL IN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 
Karen C. Seto, Ph.D.  | Yale University
For pioneering work integrating satellite imagery, modeling methods, and social sciences to analyze the consequences of urbanization, land use, and global environmental change. 

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN MEDAL IN PHYSICS 
Wendy Laurel Freedman, FRS  | University of Chicago
For scientific investigations that established precision measurements of the expansion rate of the universe, and for leading efforts to make the next generation of these measurements even more precise.

The Franklin Institute Awards continue a two-century legacy of recognizing transformative contributions that drive progress and inspire future thinkers. Since its inception, the program has honored the world's most influential scientists, engineers, and inventors who have made significant advancements in science and technology. The roster of more than 2,000 laureates includes luminaries such as Nikola Tesla, Marie and Pierre Curie, Orville Wright, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Jane Goodall, Stephen Hawking, and, more recently, mRNA vaccine pioneers Kizzmekia Corbett, Drew Weissman, and Katalin Karikó. 

"The legacy of The Franklin Institute Awards recognizes some of the most epic milestones in human innovation, from the development of the typewriter to the dawn of quantum computing, from the diesel engine to the Mars Rover, and from X-rays to genome editing," said Dr. Darryl Williams, Senior Vice President of Science, Education, and HR at The Franklin Institute. "The program has become a symbol of excellence in innovation, inspiring future generations to push the boundaries of possibility."

Awards Week in Philadelphia begins April 27, 2026, culminating in a gala ceremony hosted by Franklin Institute Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts on April 30, 2026, in the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial at The Franklin Institute. Bank of America returns in 2026 as the Presenting Sponsor of the Awards Ceremony and Dinner for the 24th consecutive year. Awards Week sponsor is KPMG.

For more information about The Franklin Institute Awards Program and the 2026 laureates, please visit https://fi.edu/en/awards.

About The Franklin Institute
Located in the heart of Philadelphia, The Franklin Institute is a leading science museum dedicated to inspiring a passion for science and technology through interactive exhibits and impactful educational programs. As one of the earliest centers for science education and development in the country, The Franklin Institute continues to honor excellence in scientific achievement through its annual Franklin Institute Awards Program, now in its remarkable 202nd year.

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SOURCE The Franklin Institute