The James R. Killian, Jr. Faculty Achievement Award was established in the spring of 1971 as a permanent tribute to Dr. James R. Killian, Jr., former MIT president (1948–1959) and chairman of the Corporation (1959–1971).

The purpose of the award is to recognize extraordinary professional achievement by MIT faculty members and to communicate their accomplishments to members of the Institute community. The recipient of the Killian Award holds the title of Killian Award Lecturer for the following academic year and presents, during that time, one or more lectures to the MIT community on his or her own professional activities.

_{Photo courtesy of MIT Museum}