2023 Franklin Medal
The 2023 recipient of the American Philosophical Society’s Benjamin Franklin Medal for Distinguished Achievement in Science is Martine Rothblatt “in recognition of her many transformative, diverse, singular scientific and public service contributions, including but not limited to: creating and patenting a system for providing global portable internet access using low earth orbit satellite and satellite direct radio broadcast system resulting in the successful commercialization of the first global satellite radio network; founding a biotechnology company that seeks to repair donated organs previously considered too damaged for transplant and thereby provide an unlimited supply of transplantable organs, advancing xenotransplantation through genetic engineering and digital modeling creating organs that are directly transplantable into humans, revolutionizing the timely delivery of transplant organs through the development of a battery powered helicopter setting world records for electric flight while culminating in the drone delivery of donor organs for transplant, becoming a leading advocate for transgender rights, and investigating the future of artificial intelligence as a cognitive enabler with her work on digital consciousness and immortality.”
Martine Rothblatt founded United Therapeutics in 1996 and has served as chairman and chief executive officer since the inception of the company. Prior to creating United Therapeutics, Dr. Rothblatt founded and served as chairman and chief executive officer of Sirius Satellite Radio and was principally responsible for several other unique applications of satellite communications technology. She also represented the radio astronomy interests of the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Radio Frequencies before the Federal Communications Commission. On behalf of the International Bar Association, she led efforts to present the United Nations with a draft Human Genome Treaty. She moved to biotechnology from satellite technology and started United Therapeutics to find a cure or better treatment for primary pulmonary hypertension that affects one of her daughters, a disease that was deadly at the time. It sells five FDA-approved drugs to help people with the disease. Now publicly traded, the company is experimenting with pig cloning and genetic modification to create lung transplants the human body doesn’t reject.
Dr. Rothblatt received a combined Law and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her Ph.D. in medical ethics from the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary College, University of London. Her book, Your Life or Mine: How Geoethics Can Resolve the Conflict Between Public and Private Interests in Xenotransplantation, was published in 2004. Dr. Rothblatt is a member of the International Institute of Space Law and the International Academy of Astronautics and the International Bar Association. She was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in 2008.
In 1906 Congress authorized the medal to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Franklin’s birth. President Roosevelt directed that the 1st one go to the Republic of France. 50 copies were given to the American Philosophical Society for its use. The Society has chosen to be to be parsimonious in their distribution. For three decades only one was given and that was to Marie Curie in 1921. Since 1937 they have been awarded more liberally but still quite selectively, for major contributions in the sciences, humanities or public service.
The selection committee members are Ronald M. Fairman, Emeritus Clyde F. Barker - William Maul Measey Professor of Surgery, Chief of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Vice-Chairman for Clinical Affairs, Department of Surgery, and Professor of Surgery in Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; Clyde F. Barker, Former President, American Philosophical Society, Donald Guthrie Professor, Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; Lawrence H. Einhorn, Distinguished Professor, Livestrong Foundation Professor of Oncology, Professor of Medicine, Indiana University; and John N. Loeb, Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Columbia University.