College President Sian Leah Beilock and Geisel School of Medicine professor Carrie Colla ’01 were elected to the National Academy of Medicine on Oct. 20.
Membership in the National Academy of Medicine “recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health,” according to the NAM website. The NAM is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
Beilock, a cognitive scientist and professor of psychological and brain sciences, is best known for her research on how people perform under pressure. Her work explores the effects of stress and anxiety on learning, test-taking and teamwork. She has authored over a hundred peer-reviewed scientific papers and two books.
In a press release announcing the 100 new electees, the Academy of Medicine cited Beilock for “carving out a novel and creative research program in her investigations of skill learning and performance, fundamentally advancing the understanding of how anxiety and high-pressure situations compromise complex skills such as test taking, public speaking and people working together.”
Beilock wrote to The Dartmouth that she felt “deeply honored and grateful” to have received the honor.
“More than anything, I’m proud to join a community dedicated to turning rigorous science into real-world improvements in health, learning and well-being,” she continued.
Beilock added that she “tr[ies] to bring that perspective” from her research to her leadership as college president.
“My research has taught me that performing well under pressure starts with how we frame success and failure — recognizing that progress rarely follows a straight line and that setbacks can lead to growth,” she wrote. “As president, I try to bring that perspective to my leadership and it’s something I also try to impart on our students.”
Colla studies health economics with a focus on “value-driven health care” — providing “better outcomes that matter to patients” for “every dollar we spend,” Colla wrote in an email statement to The Dartmouth. She earned her undergraduate degree in economics at Dartmouth and later directed the Division of Health Analysis at the Congressional Budget Office from 2021 to 2023.
The Academy of Medicine recognized her for her “pathbreaking and influential research.”The honor is both personally and professionally meaningful, Colla wrote.
“Personally, it’s humbling and deeply meaningful because so many people I admire are members,” she wrote. “Professionally, it affirms the value of public service work and contributions that bridge research, policy and implementation.”
Interim dean of the Geisel School of Medicine and 2023 National Academy of Medicine inductee Steven Leach said the recognition is a “real celebration that our entire community can take joy in.”
“For people to succeed at this level, they not only have to be outstanding researchers and leaders in their own right, but they also have to be part of a larger research community, one in which they train, collaborate and excel,” he continued.
Awards such as these “really underscore the fact that our students at Dartmouth — from undergraduates to Geisel medical students to graduate researchers — have access to some of the very purest and brightest professors, both as teachers and research mentors,” Leach added.
The 2025 inductee class also included Andrea Hayes Dixon ’87 MED ’91, who currently serves as the dean of Howard University’s College of Medicine. She is the first pediatric surgeon in the United States to be a Black woman.
Founded in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, the NAM provides “evidence-based” analysis and advice on issues related to “science, technology and health,” according to its website. Members contribute their expertise through research panels and advisory committees aimed at informing national decision-making.
Beilock said she looks forward to contributing to that mission.
“I’m excited to bring insights from cognitive science to help bridge research and real-world outcomes — especially around learning, mental health and performance,” she said. “The Academy’s focus on applying rigorous science to improve people’s lives aligns deeply with my own work and with Dartmouth’s academic mission.”
