MIT Dean Paula Hammond: "Embrace Endless Hope

When Dean of Engineering Paula Hammond took the stage at MIT's Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, she had a simple but powerful message: embrace endless hope, no matter what.

Hammond, who earned both her undergraduate and PhD degrees from MIT, spoke to hundreds gathered at the February 11 event. Her keynote centered on King's timeless words: "We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."

"We each have a role to play in contributing to our future, and we each must embrace endless hope and continuously renew our faith in ourselves to accomplish that dream," Hammond told the audience. She reminded everyone that caring for community, teaching others, and providing support during difficult moments all contribute to building a better tomorrow.

The timing felt especially meaningful. MIT President Sally Kornbluth opened the event by acknowledging that we're living "in a time when feeling fractured, isolated, and pitted against each other feels exhaustingly routine." That's exactly why coming together matters more than ever.

Hammond knows something about perseverance. The chemical engineer has broken barriers throughout her career, developing revolutionary polymers and nanoscale materials for drug delivery and cancer research. In 2024, she received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, and she's been elected to all three national academies, a rare distinction.

Just last December, she was named dean of MIT's School of Engineering and became an Institute Professor, MIT's highest faculty honor. But her message wasn't about individual achievement. It was about collective hope.

"Principles founded in fear, ignorance, or injustice ultimately fail because they do not meet the needs of a growing and prosperous nation and world," Hammond said. She emphasized that the steps we take today, even amid disappointment and disruption, lay the path toward better times ahead.

Why This Inspires

Hammond's journey from MIT student to Institute Professor shows what's possible when we refuse to lose hope. Her words arrived at a moment when many needed to hear them most.

The event featured student speakers, the recently reconstituted MIT Gospel Choir, and leaders from across campus, all gathering to honor King's legacy through action and community.

President Kornbluth summed up why Hammond was the perfect choice for this moment: "I've never met anyone who better represents MIT's highest values and aspirations than Paula Hammond."

Hammond's closing message rings clear: keep looking forward, support one another, and never stop hoping.