In 1861, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was founded through the efforts of William Barton Rogers formerly chair of natural philosophy at the University of Virginia. Rogers served as president of MIT from 1862-1870, and a second term from 1879-1881.

Today, MIT is one of the leading research intitutions in the U.S., and sixty-one current or former members of the MIT community have won the Nobel Prize, including twelve in chemistry and eight in medicine/physiology.