Alan Lightman is a distinguished physicist and acclaimed novelist, bridging the scientific and humanistic realms through his extensive research, literary works, and educational leadership at institutions like MIT. After becoming the first professor at MIT to receive a joint appointment in both the sciences and the humanities in 1989, Alan Lightman built a career bridging scientific and literary realms. He earned his AB degree in physics from Princeton University in 1970 and a PhD in theoretical physics from the California Institute of Technology in 1974. His early academic career included postdoctoral positions in astrophysics at Cornell University (1974-1976), Harvard University (1976-1979), and as a research scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (1979-1989).

Beyond academic and literary pursuits, Lightman established the Harpswell Foundation in 2003, a non-profit empowering women leaders in Cambodia and other developing countries through housing, education, and leadership training. His humanitarian efforts were recognized with a Gold Medal for service to Cambodia in 2008. Lightman has received numerous accolades for his diverse contributions, including the Gyorgy Kepes Prize in the Arts from MIT’s Council for the Arts (1998) and the Sydney Award for ‘The Accidental Universe’ (2011). In 2017, he was the inaugural winner of the Humanism in Literature Award from the Harvard Humanist Hub.

Most recently, in August 2023, Alan Lightman was appointed a member of the United Nations’ Scientific Advisory Board, further cementing his global impact.