MIT Professor Markus Buehler Awarded 2025 Washington Award for Groundbreaking Work in Biomaterials
MIT Professor Markus J. Buehler has been named the recipient of the 2025 Washington Award, one of the nation’s oldest and most esteemed engineering honors. The award recognizes engineers whose professional attainments have significantly advanced the welfare of humankind through engineering innovation.
The Washington Award, inaugurated in 1919, has a prestigious history of honoring influential figures, including Herbert Hoover, Orville Wright, Henry Ford, Neil Armstrong, John Bardeen, and MIT affiliates Vannevar Bush, Robert Langer, and Margaret Hamilton. Buehler was selected for his groundbreaking accomplishments in computational modeling and mechanics of biological materials, as well as his contributions to engineering education and leadership in academia.
Buehler has authored over 500 peer-reviewed publications and is known for pioneering the atomic-level understanding of biomaterials such as silk, elastin, and collagen. His innovative use of computational modeling has enabled the characterization, design, and creation of sustainable materials with features spanning from the nano- to the macro- scale. His development of a theory that bridges molecular interactions with macroscale properties was the first to explain how hydrogen bonds, molecular confinement, and hierarchical architectures govern the mechanics of biological materials.
His research also includes the development of physics-aware artificial intelligence methods that integrate computational mechanics, bioinformatics, and generative AI to explore universal design principles of biological and bioinspired materials. This work has significantly advanced the understanding of hierarchical structures in nature, revealing how complex biomaterials achieve remarkable strength, flexibility, and resilience through molecular interactions across scales.
Buehler’s exploration of deep learning models to predict and generate new protein structures, self-assembling peptides, and sustainable biomimetic materials stands out as remarkable achievement. Also, his work on materiomusic—converting molecular structures into musical compositions—has provided new insights into the hidden patterns within biological systems. The insights has enabled researchers to explore new dimension of AI and material science.
Currently, Buehler serves as the Jerry McAfee (1940) Professor in Engineering within the departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and Mechanical Engineering at MIT. He previously served as the department head of CEE from 2013 to 2020 and has held various leadership roles, including president of the Society of Engineering Science.
Beyond his research, Buehler is a dedicated educator who has played a vital role in mentoring future engineers. He has led K-12 STEM summer camps to inspire the next generation and has been an instructor for MIT Professional Education summer courses.
Buehler’s numerous accolades include the Feynman Prize, the Drucker Medal, the Leonardo da Vinci Award, the J.R. Rice Medal, and election to the National Academy of Engineering. His ongoing work continues to push the boundaries of computational science, materials engineering, and biomimetic design. The Washington Award was presented during National Engineers Week in February, in a ceremony attended by members of prominent engineering societies and nearly 100 pre-college students recognized for their achievements in regional STEM competitions.
