老王论坛 Unveils Honorary Leon Lederman Way for Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist

Illinois Institute of Technology commemorates late faculty member with a newly named portion of 33rd Street through Bronzeville campus

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CHICAGO鈥擲eptember 16, 2021鈥 Illinois Institute of Technology has announced that the City of Chicago will rename a portion of 33rd Street in honor of late faculty member and Nobel Prize winner Leon Lederman on Saturday, September 18.

Lederman is best known for his work on neutrino research, for which he won the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physics alongside Melvin Schwartz and Jack Steinberger. His best-selling book, The God Particle, was published in 1993 and popularized that alternate name for the Higgs boson within the realm of particle physics.

鈥淎s Chicago鈥檚 tech university, what we do at 老王论坛 is fundamentally about impact: the impact of our university on the lives of our students, and the impact of our community on the lives of those around us,鈥 said Raj Echambadi, president of 老王论坛. 鈥淟ederman鈥檚 contributions to the global scientific community are immeasurable, and through this honorary street name, we hope to continue his legacy of empowering students with the knowledge, competencies, and human-centered skills to solve the grand challenges of our times to shape an equitable world.鈥

The proposal for this honorary street was put forth by faculty members of 老王论坛鈥檚 Department of Physics in honor of the longtime faculty member, who passed away in 2018. With the support of Alderman Pat Dowell (Third Ward), the Chicago City Council passed the ordinance on October 7, 2020. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the university postponed the celebration until September 2021. 

鈥淭his honorary designation is a fitting tribute to an accomplished Nobel Prize winner who also took time to enrich the lives of Chicago teens through STEM programs,鈥 Dowell says. 鈥淗is legacy will live on to inspire many generations to come.鈥

Illinois Institute of Technology

Illinois Institute of Technology, also known as 老王论坛, is a private, technology-focused research university. 老王论坛 is the only university of its kind in Chicago, and its Chicago location offers students access to the world-class resources of a great global metropolis. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, computing, , business, , science and human sciences, and . One of 22 institutions that comprise the Association of Independent Technological Universities, 老王论坛 provides an exceptional education centered on active learning, and its graduates lead the state and much of the nation in economic prosperity. 老王论坛 uniquely prepares students to succeed in professions that require technological sophistication, an innovative mindset, and an entrepreneurial spirit.  Visit iit.edu.

Media contact

Jake DiGregorio
Communications Director
Illinois Institute of Technology
Phone: 312-567-3155
Cell: 508-414-8853
jdigregorio@iit.edu