Academy of Arts & Sciences inductee Marc Freeman '93 to return to Eastern

Oct. 12: Neuroscience leader to discuss his Eastern beginnings

by Michael Rouleau

Willimantic, CT (10/08/2026) — Following his induction into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences this weekend, neuroscientist and Eastern Connecticut State University alumnus Marc R. Freeman '93 will return to his alma mater on Oct. 12 for a special talk: "A Life in Science that Started at Eastern."

The 3 p.m. talk is open to the public and will take place in Eastern's Student Center Theatre, followed by a reception at 4 p.m. in the Student Center Cafe.

• Event: "A Life in Science that Started at Eastern"
• Who: Dr. Marc Freeman '93
• When: Monday, Oct. 12, at 3 p.m.
• Where: Student Center Theatre, Eastern Connecticut State University

Director of the Vollum Institute at Oregon Health & Science University, Freeman is among the 252 newest members of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, which is holding its 2026 induction event Oct. 9-11 in Cambridge, MA. The academy recognizes distinguished leaders in academia, the arts, industry, journalism, philanthropy, public policy, research, and science.

"It is an enormous honor to be elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, whose mission is to broadly cultivate the arts and sciences to advance our understanding of the world, each other, and enrich lives," said Freeman. "I look forward to having the opportunity to work with members of the Academy to support science and the arts, and to try to help solve some of the hard problems we face in the world today."

Freeman earned his B.S. in biology from Eastern in 1993 before receiving his Ph.D. at Yale University and completing his postdoctoral research at the University of Oregon. As professor and director of the Vollum Institute, his research focuses on axons, neuron-glia signaling, and glial cell function in the brain, and how they relate to disease development.

During his Oct. 12 talk, Freeman will reflect on his journey from Eastern student to scientist and research leader, sharing insights from his career, his work in neuroscience, and the experiences that helped shape his path.

"Marc Freeman is one of Eastern's most accomplished alumni and truly deserving of election to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences," said Eastern President Karim Ismaili. "Since leaving Eastern, he has excelled in graduate school at Yale University, and in his professional appointments at such institutions as the University of Massachusetts Medical School and now the Vollum Institute. Not only has he made major contributions to the international field of neurobiology, but he also inspires and supports current student researchers at Eastern through the Student Research Endowed Scholarship Fund, which was launched in 2014 by Dr. Freeman and his wife, Amy Sheehan '93."

In addition to Freeman, the Academy's 2026 class includes actress Jodie Foster, author Barbara Kingsolver, actress Rita Moreno, immunologist Alan Korman, anthropologist John Jackson, industrial designer Deana McDonagh, and mathematician Natasa Pavlovic. International honorary members from 14 countries were also elected, including pediatrician, politician, and public health educator Agnes Binagwaho of Rwanda, theoretical physicist Ashoke Sen of India, and poet Raul Zurita of Chile.

Marc Freeman bio

A protege of the late biology Professor Michael Adams, Freeman excelled at Eastern and earned distinction as one of only 12 Connecticut students to receive a Henry Barnard Scholarship in 1993. After graduating from Eastern, Freeman earned his Ph.D. in biology at Yale University in 1999. From 1999-2004, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Oregon. In 2004, he joined the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he led a team of neurobiology researchers. In 2009, he received a prestigious Early Career Scientist Award from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, one of only 50 scientists across the country to receive the honor. In 2016, he was appointed director of the Vollum Institute. Eastern also recognized Freeman in 2013 with its annual Distinguished Alumni Award.

About the Academy

Chartered in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences was established to recognize leaders in their fields and work with them to address the greatest challenges facing the young nation.

The new class joins Academy members elected before them, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin (elected 1781), Alexander Hamilton (1791), Ralph Waldo Emerson (1864), Maria Mitchell (1848), Charles Darwin (1874), Albert Einstein (1924), Robert Frost (1931), Margaret Mead (1948), Milton Friedman (1959), Martin Luther King, Jr. (1966), Jacques Derrida (1985), Madeleine K. Albright (2001), Antonin Scalia (2003), Jennifer Doudna (2003), Esther Duflo (2009), John Legend (2017), Anna Deavere Smith (2019), Salman Rushdie (2022), Xuedong Huang (2023), and Jose Andres (2025).

Media Attachments