Lux et Veritas Faculty Prize

This prize recognizes a Yale faculty member who actively fosters intellectual diversity for students in and out of the classroom.

The Prize

The Lux et Veritas Faculty Prize, first awarded in 2022, recognizes a Yale faculty member who actively fosters intellectual diversity for students in and out of the classroom. Potential faculty recipients of the prize are nominated by students, alumni, and other Yale faculty. The winners are then selected by a panel of judges. The winners receive $10,000 and an award from the Buckley Institute to recognize the good work they do to support open debate and discussion in the classroom, regardless of political leaning.

Current Winner

After receiving over 115 nominations from Yale students, faculty, and alumni, the Buckley Institute was thrilled to announce that Robert R. Slaughter Professor of Law Justin Driver is the Lux et Veritas Faculty Prize winner for 2026.

Read the Full Press Release
Yale Law Professor Justin Driver is the 2026 Lux et Veritas Faculty Prize Winner

Past Winners

“In my four years at Yale, I never felt as free to speak my mind (both generally and when it came to thorny issues) as I did in Professor Collins’s class.”

— Yale Student

“Professor Collins has fostered the most open intellectual environment I have experienced in an academic setting at Yale. From the first class, Professor Collins encourages students not to self-censor and to engage honestly with the course material.”

— Yale Student

“[Professor Chua] doesn’t just support ideological diversity in some abstract sense in the classroom, but goes out of her way to help the students who hold those views feel less alienated.”

— Yale Student

“[Professor Chua] makes sure that ideological minorities feel comfortable and gives a lot of support behind the scenes.”

— Yale Student

“The discussions in [Dr. Levy-Eichel’s] courses were vibrant and open yet challenging in a manner that promoted growth. I believe that Dr. Levy-Eichel improved his students’ clarity of thought and communication skills through these discussions… His courses serve as models for the promise of seminars at Yale.”

— Yale Student