MIT Associate Professor Jacob Andreas of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Associate Professor Brett McGuire of the Department of Chemistry have been named the 2026 recipients of the Harold E. Edgerton Faculty Achievement Award. Established in 1982, this annual honor recognizes faculty members for exceptional distinction in teaching, research, and service, serving as a tribute to Professor Emeritus Harold E. Edgerton's legacy of supporting younger scholars. Professor Andreas, who joined MIT in 2019 and is affiliated with the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, is celebrated for his work at the intersection of artificial intelligence and linguistics. His research focuses on the computational foundations of language learning and developing systems that learn from human guidance. Andreas has addressed persistent challenges in natural language processing, specifically the gap in compositional generalization between human and machine capabilities. By integrating concepts from computer vision and physics, he has created models capable of one-shot word learning and acquiring grammatical rules in low-resource settings. Beyond his research, he is recognized for modernizing MIT's curriculum, including a new two-course sequence in natural language processing that is central to the AI+D major. His awards include the Sloan Research Fellowship, Samsung's AI Researcher of the Year, and multiple teaching honors. Professor McGuire, promoted to associate professor in 2025, conducts research at the intersection of physical chemistry, molecular spectroscopy, and observational astrophysics. His lab combines laboratory spectroscopy with radio astronomy to analyze faint data, leading to the discovery of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the cold interstellar medium. This breakthrough has opened new avenues for understanding astrochemistry and how carbon-based building blocks of life evolve alongside stars and planets. McGuire received his PhD from Caltech and has been honored with a 2026 Sloan Fellowship and the Beckman Young Investigator Award. In addition to his scientific contributions, both professors are lauded for their outstanding teaching and service. McGuire volunteered to teach 5.111, a large General Institute Requirement course, where he is praised for transforming lectures into engaging "science shows." His ability to explain complex physical chemistry concepts with clarity and humor has generated high student enthusiasm and improved understanding. Similarly, Andreas is noted for integrating social and ethical dimensions into his machine learning courses, helping students navigate the societal impact of AI. Department heads expressed pride in the selections, noting that Andreas represents the best of EECS in bridging theory with real-world impact, while McGuire is considered a top scientist of his generation for his discovery of fused carbon ring compounds in space. The Edgerton Award also acknowledges their extensive service, with McGuire contributing significantly to graduate admission protocols and seminar administration. Both winners expressed gratitude for the support of their colleagues and students. McGuire stated that the award is a testament to the incredible environment at MIT that fosters growth in research, teaching, and service, and he looks forward to continuing his discoveries within the community. This year's selection highlights the continued strength of MIT's faculty in advancing both foundational AI research and the exploration of chemical origins in the universe.