image of two headshots, left Peter Dourmashkin, right Leah Kahn
Photo of Dourmaskin courtesy of Kimberly Wu. Photo of Kahn courtesy of Leah Kahn.
Left: Dr. Peter Dourmaskin, Senior Lecturer; Right: Leah Kahn, Physics Course Manager
Photo of Dourmaskin courtesy of Kimberly Wu. Photo of Kahn courtesy of Leah Kahn.

Peter Dourmashkin and Leah Kahn Receive 2025 School of Science Infinite Mile Awards

Sandi Miller // Department of Physics // April 17, 2025
Categories: Awards/Honors, Academic Staff, Admin Staff

Senior lecturer Peter Dourmashkin ’75, ’78, PhD ’84 and academic programs course manager Leah Kahn are among eight recipients of the School of Science’s Infinite Mile Award. Recipients are nominated by their peers for going above and beyond in their roles to make MIT a better place.

As a principal investigator on Technology Enabled Active Learning (TEAL), Peter helped to redesign first-year physics education using interactive engagement teaching methods. After 40 years at MIT, Peter recently announced his retirement. 

Peter was nominated by Matt Cubstead, Deepto Chakrabarty, and Lindley Winslow, who wrote, “We could write this nomination just for what Peter has done this year, but really, it’s a nomination for what he has done every year since he’s been at MIT – which is, to state simply: be an amazing force of teaching and learning for the MIT undergraduates taking Physics 8.01 and 8.02.”

Leah provides administrative support for the department’s teaching staff and to the undergraduate program within the Academic Programs Office. She was nominated by Matt, Shannon Larkin, and Scott Hughes, who wrote, “She’s the kind of person who makes MIT what it is, by doing the little things behind the scenes on a daily basis.”