Graduate School

Horace Mann Medal

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Horace Mann Medal

The Horace Mann Medal is given annually to a Brown Graduate School alumnus or alumna who has made significant contributions in his or her field, inside or outside of academia.

Any graduate of a Brown advanced-degree program is eligible for the Horace Mann Medal. The medal is awarded at Commencement exercises in May. 

Nominations

A nomination should, at a minimum, include a strong supporting rationale for the nomination, expressed in a letter of nomination. Up to two additional supporting letters may also accompany the nomination. Only one nomination package per nominee will be accepted. All nominations should be made through Brown UFunds.

Deadline

December 8, 2025.

Selection Process

The final selection process takes place in late fall, in conjunction with the University's selection of honorary-degree recipients. (Nominations received after the deadline will be considered in the next round of review.) Selection news is announced in May.

Note: Nominators/departments will be expected to assist the Graduate School in hosting the Medalist; guidelines will be provided if selected.

History

This award was created in 2003 and replaced the Distinguished Graduate School Alumni Award.  

2025-2026 Medal Recipient

A professional headshot of Horacio Espinosa, a man with dark hair, wearing a dark suit, white dress shirt, and a blue patterned tie, smiling against a light blue background.
Dr. Espinosa will be presenting at a forum, A Journey Across Scales: From Structural Engineering to Living Systems, on Saturday, May 23 at 12:30 pm in Macmillan Hall 115.

Horacio Espinosa '89 Sc.M., '90 Sc.M., '92 Ph.D.

Engineering the Future: How Horacio Espinosa is Revolutionizing Medicine and Material Science

Horacio Espinosa '89 Sc.M., '90 Sc.M., '92 Ph.D. has spent his career finding answers that are reshaping how we understand materials, medicine, and the microscopic world. A three-time Brown graduate and world-leading researcher, Espinosa is the 2026 recipient of the Horace Mann Medal, the Brown Graduate School's highest honor for alumni who have made significant contributions in their field.

“He was then and is today known for his collaborative spirit, pursuit of knowledge, innovation, and motivation for understanding the world's unsolved questions,” shares Rod Clifton, the Rush C. Hawkins University Professor Emeritus of Engineering.

At Northwestern University, Espinosa holds appointments as the Walter P. Murphy Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Director of both the Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Program and the Institute for Cellular Engineering Technologies. He was nominated for the Horace Mann Medal by Tejal Desai, Sorensen Family Dean of Engineering, and Clifton.

Building the Future One Atom at a Time

Leading Northwestern’s Micro and Nanomechanics lab, his team studies the mechanical behavior of natural and synthetic nanomaterials across scales, from nanoscale to macroscale, as well as developing micro/nano devices for materials research and personalized medicine.

By pairing traditional lab experiments with machine learning, Espinosa's team is accelerating the design of "smart" materials that can be precisely tailored for specific applications.

“His work in the design of micro- and nano-systems has truly advanced both fundamental and applied science, offering exciting applications ranging from batteries for sustainable energy and flexible electronics to the next generation of protective equipment,” says Desai.