Blake Wilson Awarded 2026 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering

Wilson shares this prize for his contributions to the development of the cochlear implant

The following is a summary of an announcement that originally appeared on the School of Medicine website.

Duke University’s Blake Wilson has been awarded the 2026 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (QEPrize) for his contributions to the development of the cochlear implant.

“I am overjoyed to receive the 2026 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering alongside my fellow laureates,” said Wilson, director of the Duke Hearing Center and an adjunct professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine.

“The QEPrize represents the highest recognition in engineering, celebrating achievements that span the full breadth of the field. I am delighted to be among the 2026 Laureates, all of whom I admire greatly.”

Wilson is among nine engineers named 2026 Laureates for their work developing various technologies that interact directly with the brain and nervous system to restore bodily functions.

Wilson has a long history with Duke, completing his undergraduate engineering degree at the university in 1974 and a PhD in 2015. Wilson co-founded the Duke Cochlear Implant Program in 1984, holds appointments with the Duke Pratt School of Engineering, and is an affiliate of the Duke Global Health Institute and the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences.

“Congratulations to Blake Wilson on this honor, which recognizes not only his extraordinary engineering achievements but also his passionate commitment to research that advances human health and improves lives,” said Provost Alec D. Gallimore. “Duke is immensely proud to be Dr. Wilson’s alma mater and academic home for over 40 years.”

“Dr. Wilson’s ingenuity is matched by a personal dedication to reducing the burden of hearing disability worldwide,” said Dr. Howard Francis, chair of the Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences.

Wilson, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, has received many other high honors including the 2013 Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, the 2015 Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ Prize, and the 2024 IEEE Medal for Innovations in Healthcare Technology.

Wilson continues his work by leading the Lancet Commission on Hearing Loss, a multidisciplinary group of experts focused on reducing the global burden of hearing loss and ensuring access to effective hearing care.

For the full announcement, visit the School of Medicine website.