Professors Emery Brown and Hamsa Balakrishnan operate in significantly distinct domains, yet they share a profound dedication to guiding students. While both have made substantial contributions to their specific fields — statistical neuroscience for Brown, and large-scale transportation systems for Balakrishnan — their pupils might assert that their most significant impact lies in the mentorship, compassion, and personal assistance they offer.
Emery Brown: Comprehensive mentorship
Brown is the Edward Hood Professor of Medical Engineering and Computational Neuroscience at MIT and serves as a practicing anesthesiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. His experimental work has significantly advanced the understanding of how anesthetics function in the brain to induce states of general anesthesia.
One of the foremost challenges in academic settings is determining a clear path forward. Brown dedicates time to personally connect with students, assisting them in identifying meaningful trajectories they may not have previously contemplated. In addition to mentoring his graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, Brown also welcomes clinicians and faculty from across the globe. Their involvement in the lab opens up various career opportunities and networks for students beyond MIT’s academic sphere.
Moreover, Brown continues to offer support to his former students long after their tenure in his lab, providing advice on both personal and career development even after they transition to different positions. “Knowing that I have Emery available as a reliable resource … is such a source of confidence and support as I advance in my own career,” one nominator commented.
When faced with a significant career decision recently, Brown consulted his students regarding how his choice might influence them. He engaged with them individually to grasp the personal ramifications each might face. Brown was resolute in ensuring that his professional progress would not put his students at risk, devoting extensive thought and effort into achieving a favorable outcome for them.
Brown is profoundly devoted to the health and well-being of his students; many nominators provided examples of his unwavering support during tough personal situations. When one student reached out to Brown, feeling overwhelmed by research, recent personal loss, and career ambiguity, Brown created a secure environment for open discussions.
“He listened, supported me, and urged me to contemplate my ambitions for the next five years, assuring me that I should chase them no matter the challenges,” the nominator recounted. “After our conversation, I felt more centered and regained momentum in my research project.”
In conclusion, the student expressed that Brown’s advice was “straightforward, yet enlightening, and precisely what I required to hear at that time.”
Hamsa Balakrishnan: Unwavering advocacy
Balakrishnan holds the title of William E. Leonhard Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT. She leads the Dynamics, Infrastructure Networks, and Mobility (DINaMo) Research Group. Her current research focuses on the design, analysis, and implementation of control and optimization algorithms for large-scale cyber-physical systems, particularly in air transportation.
Her nominators praised Balakrishnan for her dedication to supporting and championing all of her students. Specifically, she connects her students with academic mentors within the community, fostering their sense of belonging in the field.
Balakrishnan’s attentiveness to personal expression and her proactive strategy to ensure everyone feels welcomed have made a lasting impression on her students. “Hamsa’s endeavors have inspired me to present my whole self at work,” one student wrote; “I will be eternally grateful for her mentorship and kindness as an advisor.”
One student recounted their transition from a challenging advising experience to collaborating with Balakrishnan, highlighting how her mentorship was instrumental in the nominator’s successful return to research: “Hamsa’s guidance has been essential in bolstering my confidence as a researcher, as she [often] provides valuable advice and positive reinforcement.”
Balakrishnan routinely gives her students the freedom to independently explore and cultivate their research interests. When students expressed a desire to investigate new domains like space research — which was far from her expertise in air traffic management and unmanned aerial vehicles — Balakrishnan welcomed the challenge and took it upon herself to learn about these subjects to offer better guidance.
One student noted how Balakrishnan consistently motivated the lab to pursue topics that excited them. This encouragement led the student to formulate a unique research topic and publish a first-author paper within months of joining the lab.
Balakrishnan is deeply committed to fostering a balanced work-life ethos for her students. She ensures that mentees do not feel pressured to overextend themselves by encouraging them to take breaks. Even if students lack substantial updates, Balakrishnan advocates for weekly meetings to maintain an open channel of communication. She assists them in establishing achievable objectives, particularly regarding tasks like reading and writing papers, and never forces them to work late hours to meet publication or conference deadlines.