The Society for Biological Engineering (SBE) has announced that its chair, Professor Gregory Stephanopoulos of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has received the 2013 John Fritz Medal. The award, presented by the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES), recognizes Stephanopoulos’ defining contributions to the field of metabolic engineering and the bio-based economy. Many consider the Fritz Medal, established in 1902, to be the highest award in the engineering profession. It is presented for “outstanding scientific or industrial achievements.”