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Three undergraduate math community members received the 2025 Peter Baddoo Community Building Award, for individuals who have made significant contributions to building and strengthening our MIT Math community.

At the senior math majors dinner on April 28, Matija Delic, Pitchayut (Mark) Saengrungkongka, and George Shaker were recognized for their enthusiasm and outreach.

Mark was awarded for his involvement in organizations such as HMMT and for helping out the community by typing up lecture notes, coordinating psets collaboration, reaching out to prospective math majors, and setting up Discord servers for advanced graduate courses.

Matija was recognized for organizing collaborative problem-solving sessions, mentoring fellow students, and initiating events.

George was acknowledged as “the GOAT” for his ability to introduce many to the “beauty of math” and to department resources. He also often leaves math problems on random boards across campus that draw interest from students, faculty, and even visitors.

This award is named in honor of the late Department instructor Peter Baddoo, who received the Community Building Award in 2022 for organizing tea and coffee hours for the postdoc community.

Congratulations, George, Mark, and Matija!

MIT’s Xi Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa will induct 34 mathematics majors, among a total of 101 chosen from the Class of 2025. The induction ceremony is May 28.

Founded in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s oldest academic honor society. Membership is awarded to students in recognition of excellent academic records and commitment to the objectives of a liberal education.

Full list of Mathematics Inductees

Congratulations to our newest members of Phi Beta Kappa!

The 2025 Jon A. Bucsela Prize in Mathematics has been awarded to senior math major Sanjana Das for distinguished scholastic achievement, professional promise, and enthusiasm for mathematics.

Congratulations, Sanjana!

Leighton Family Professor of Mathematics Scott Sheffield is among the 120 new members and 30 international members elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Members are elected in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Membership is one of the highest honors that a scientist can achieve. He joins 19 other department members who have been elected to the NAS.

Congratulations, Scott!

Instructor Lior Alon is one of nine postdocs and research scientists to receive the School of Science’s 2025 Infinite Expansion Award, which highlights extraordinary members of the MIT community.

Lior was nominated by John Urschel, who wrote, “I find that Lior revels in learning about different areas of mathematics, in particular, how his expertise can help others, and vice versa.”

Lior was previously a postdoctoral researcher hosted by David Jerison, as part of the Simons collaboration on localization of waves. His research lies within mathematical physics, and intersects with various mathematical disciplines, including Fourier Analysis, Spectral Geometry, Graph Theory, Morse Theory, Real Algebraic Geometry, Dynamics, and Number Theory.

Congratulations, Lior!