September 16, 2025
Media Contact:
Jason Papagan
Manager of Communications
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society
jpapagan@sigmaxi.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – Sigma Xi is pleased to announce that Princeton University’s Simon A. Levin and Harvard University’s Jennifer A. Lewis have been named as 2025 Gold Key Award recipients. As the Society's highest honor, the Gold Key Award is presented to a Sigma Xi member who has made extraordinary contributions to their profession and fostered critical innovations to enhance the health of the research enterprise. This year’s recipients possess a career-long dedication to cultivating integrity in research and promoting the public understanding of science for the purpose of improving the human condition.
Simon Levin is being honored with the Gold Key Award for transforming the fields of ecology and population biology through precise, testable theoretical predictions that help solve real world problems.
"Sigma Xi is the premier honorary society for university students," said Levin. "I am humbled and grateful to be honored with its top award."
Levin is the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University. He is especially noted for his contributions to the development of the foundations of spatial ecology and his work on pattern and scale. More recently, his research has focused on the interface between ecology and economics, especially problems of public goods, common pool resources, and the global commons. His book, Fragile Dominion, along with his subsequent research, weaves these themes together, invoking ecological and evolutionary theory to inform principles for management practice.
Jennifer Lewis is being honored with the Gold Key Award for her extraordinary contributions to materials science, bioengineering, and additive manufacturing, which have not only advanced scientific knowledge but also transformed industrial practices, influenced policy, and broadened access to scientific research and education across communities.
"I am deeply honored to receive the Gold Key Award from Sigma Xi," said Lewis. "It reflects the contributions of many talented students, postdoctoral researchers, and collaborators across multiple institutions."
Lewis is the Hansjörg Wyss Professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University’s John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and a Core Faculty Member at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. She has made pioneering contributions to the programmable assembly of soft functional, structural, and biological materials. Lewis, along with her research team, has recently developed a multi-material 3D bioprinting method that enables the creation of thick vascularized tissues and 3D organs-on-chip. Her work on microscale 3D printing was highlighted as one of the “10 Breakthrough Technologies” by the MIT Technology Review.
“We are pleased to honor Dr. Levin and Dr. Lewis with Sigma Xi’s highest award, celebrating their groundbreaking contributions that have reshaped science and its impact on society,” said Sigma Xi Executive Director and CEO Jamie Vernon. “Their visionary work exemplifies the spirit of discovery and the transformative power of scientific research.”
The symbolism of the Gold Key Award pays homage to the early days of Sigma Xi (late 1800s to early 1900s), when induction into the Society was often accompanied by the presentation of a small gold key. The key was routinely attached as a charm to a bracelet or chain that held a pocket watch, which was the style of the day, and represented pride in the science or engineering accomplishments of the holder. Previous recipients of the award include Cato Laurencin, Shirley M. Tilghman, Bruce Alberts, Shirley M. Malcom, Walter E. Massey, Gordon E. Moore, and Norman R. Augustine.
Award ceremonies for Dr. Levin and Dr. Lewis will take place at special events this fall, hosted by Sigma Xi chapters affiliated with their respective institutions. The recipients will also be recognized at Sigma Xi’s annual conference, the 2025 International Forum on Research Excellence (IFoRE), taking place virtually October 30–November 1.