The MIT School of Science has announced the winners of the 2025 Infinite Mile Award. The recipients are nominated by their peers for going above and beyond in their roles to make MIT a better place.

The following are the 2025 School of Science Infinite Mile Award honorees:

  • Tim Brothers, the Wallace Astrophysical Observatory site manager and a technical instructor in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS), was nominated by Richard Teague, who wrote, “Tim is a crucial component of MIT’s astronomy education and outreach program, engaging and instructing numerous students from a variety of departments across MIT, [and] has been a vocal advocate for dark skies initiatives.”
  • Brenda Carbone, administrative assistant in EAPS, was nominated by Arlene Fiore, Benjamin Weiss, and many EAPS community members, who wrote, “Last year was a banner year for Brenda as she took on planning two large and highly visible NASA Science Team meetings, showcasing Brenda’s dedication to those of us fortunate to work with her here in EAPS.”
  • Peter Dourmashkin, senior lecturer in the Department of Physics, was nominated by Matt Cubstead, Deepto Chakrabarty, and Lindley Winslow, who wrote, “We could write this nomination just for what Peter has done this year, but really, it’s a nomination for what he has done every year since he’s been at MIT – which is, to state simply: be an amazing force of teaching and learning for the MIT undergraduates taking Physics 8.01 and 8.02.”
  • Samantha Edelen, special projects/events coordinator in the Department of Biology, was nominated by Rebecca Chamberlain, Amy Keating, and many biology community members who wrote, “Sam’s outstanding organizational skills, combined with her excellent communication abilities, science background, strong design and technical skills, desire to seek innovative ideas and solutions, can-do approach, and boundless energy make her an invaluable asset.”
  • Leah Kahn, course manager in the academic programs area of the Department of Physics, was nominated by Matt Cubstead, Shannon Larkin, and Scott Hughes, who wrote, “She’s the kind of person who makes MIT what it is, by doing the little things behind the scenes on a daily basis.”
  • Martha Pham, administrative assistant in the Department of Biology, was nominated by Michael Laub, Cathy Drennan, and Sergey Ovchinnikov, who wrote, “She is incredibly thorough, efficient, and careful in everything she does. And to top it off, she’s an absolute joy to work with.”
  • Mandana Sassanfar, senior lecturer in biology and Director of Diversity and Science Outreach in the departments of biology, brain and cognitive sciences, the Center for Brains, Minds & Machines, and The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, was nominated by David Orenstein, Paloma Sánchez-Jáuregui, and many other members of the MIT community, who wrote, “She forges deep and lasting, uncommonly supportive, and inspiring relationships with students that have helped to launch numerous successful scientific careers, including faculty members around the globe and two in the Department of Biology. Her outreach has brought scores of brilliant minds into the MIT graduate student community.”
  • Cindy Woolley, administrative assistant in the Department of Biology, was nominated by Gene-Wei Li, Eliezer Calo, and Monty Krieger, who wrote, “She leverages her deep institutional knowledge to find solutions to even the most challenging problems, always stepping up when unexpected needs arise. Furthermore, she approaches her work with integrity, compassion, and an exceptionally high standard of excellence.”