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The National Medal of Science honors researchers.
President Barack Obama has named 12 researchers and 11 inventors as recipients of the federal government's highest honors in their fields: the National Medal of Science, and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
The newly named recipients will receive their awards at a White House ceremony next year.
"I am proud to honor these inspiring American innovators," Obama said Friday in a White House statement. "They represent the ingenuity and imagination that has long made this nation great — and they remind us of the enormous impact a few good ideas can have when these creative qualities are unleashed in an entrepreneurial environment."
The National Medal of Science was established in 1959 and is administered for the White House by the National Science Foundation. The National Medal of Technology and Innovation was created in 1980, under the auspices of the Commerce Department's Patent and Trademark Office. Committees select nominees for each of the medals — the science medal for contributions to research, and the technology medal for contributions to American competitiveness and quality of life.
National Medal of Science recipients include:
- Allen Bard, chemist focusing on artificial photosynthesis, University of Texas at Austin
- Sallie Chisholm, biologist focusing on marine organisms, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Sidney Drell, physicist and arms control expert, Stanford University
- Sandra Faber, astronomer focusing on evolution of galaxies and cosmic structure, University of California at Santa Cruz
- Sylvester James Gates, physicist focusing on supersymmetry and string theory, University of Maryland
- Solomon Golomb, mathematician and the inventor of polyominoes, University of Southern California
- John Goodenough, physicist credited for development of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, University of Texas at Austin
- M. Frederick Hawthorne, chemist focusing on boron hydrides, University of Missouri
- Leroy Hood, biologist focusing on DNA medicine, Institute for Systems Biology
- Barry Mazur, mathematician focusing on geometry and number theory, Harvard University
- Lucy Shapiro, biologist focusing on developmental biology, Stanford University School of Medicine
- Anne Treisman, psychologist focusing on visual attention, perception and memory, Princeton University
NIST
The National Medal of Technology and Innovation goes to inventors and engineers.
National Medal of Technology and Innovation:
- Frances Arnold, engineer focusing on directed evolution, California Institute of Technology
- George Carruthers, inventor, physicist and space scientist, U.S. Naval Research Lab
- Robert Langer, engineer focusing on biotechnology and medical technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Norman McCombs, engineer focusing on oxygen therapy, AirSep Corp.
- Gholam Peyman, retina surgeon credited with invention of Lasik eye surgery procedure, Arizona Retinal Specialists
- Art Rosenfeld, physicist focusing on energy efficiency technologies, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Jan Vilcek, microbiologist focusing on the immune system, NYU Langone Medical Center
- IBM: Samuel Blum, Rangaswamy Srinivasan and James Wynne, co-inventors of the ultraviolet excimer laser
- Raytheon BBN Technologies, R&D company focusing on military as well as civilian applications, represented by CEO Edward Campbell
The White House says the affiliations are the awardees' most recently identified employers. Some of the awardees are now retired.
More about science at the White House:
- Four more years of tight science funding
- Maddow Blog: Those who celebrate science
- PhotoBlog: Harmless missile fire in White House
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
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Simply awesome! Congratulations to these amazing people, who truly are our country's legacy.
These people and their innovations will increase our standard of living.
Scientists! What have they ever done! God did it all. (sarcasm, for those of you who couldn't tell)
Researchers and scientists are accomplishing amazing work for the future of mankind. These bright individuals have dedicated their lives to "forge ahead". It is imperative that we reward their efforts through financial compensation, awards and recognition. Somehow society values entertainment and sports stars/celebrities. Elevating the status of the "rocket scientists".......chemists, physicists and biologists is essential to moving forward in this complex world.
Thank you for your attention.
Great news, everyone!
Also, I don't see a medal for synthetic pop music stars, rappers, and washed-up gun-toting athletes.
No. That's why there are so many pointless music awards shows. A few artists didn't like the fact that they didn't win in one awards show, so they try to create their own show. When they stil ldon't win, repeat the process. Its why we are stuck with the Grammy's, AMA's, CMA's, MTV Awards, and so on.
As for athletes, they just move to ESPN and become analysts. You know, if you can't cut it...analyze.
Until this country starts realizing we need more science and engineering, and less religion and legal figures, this country will be screwed.
True, but unfortunately articles regarding such things as pop stars, rappers, etc. generally get many hundreds of comments... The best and the brightest the US or World have to offer get maybe a dozen.
I can't agree more. I think this country was deliberately set on a course for self-screwing back in the 1950's with the demonization of intelligence and achievement - NERDS!
Also, how about evil geniuses in film? Even today. Kids learn that geniuses are evil!
It's not cool to be smart. Say the kids holding iPhones, using the internet, and driving new cars.
All thanks to the nerds.
Cue the Luddites from the right to accuse this award of taking us away from their magical sky fairy in 3...2...1....
God hates iPads!
Great, now maybe Obama will have some time to spend on the fiscal cliff issue. Almost forgot he needs to take a Hawaiian vacation at our expense next. Oh-well maybe after that he can find a few minutes to work on the fiscal cliff.
Un-common Man
Never waste an opportunity to launch yet another unwarranted criticism against the President. You don't like him. You didn't vote for him. Alright. We get it. Now please go away.
Your comments are childish and petty and completely off-topic. You really don't have to comments every time President Obama's name is mentioned in an article. It adds nothing to the discussion.
don, nothing unwarranted about discussing the presidents schedule or are you just embarrassed about what your man is doing?
No
Common Man-3493893
Maybe Obama is starting to follow BUSHes examples.. I mean Bush took over 1000 days of vacation and spent 171 MILLIOn a year. Maybe Bush should have spent more time stopping the two wars he started and preventing the murder of 54 americans in 12 embassy attacks. Oh and don't forget the 5.5 TRILLION he added to the deficit that was passed along to Obama.
Oh wait... Obama is to be held to a higher standard.
Right. If the President were going to Texas to "cut brush" there would be no problem. The thing is that, in spite of what half of all conservatives believe, President Obama was born in Hawaii.
Maybe you folks haven't heard Bush is no longer president, Barrack Hussein Obama is.
If you have no problem with Obama and Michelle spending millions of taxpayer dollars on a Hawaiian vacation while the people who are paying for it are struggling. Say it loud, say it proud we are here to serve you. Obamanation will last a thousand years.
I fail to see what the President's vacation schedule has to do with this story, but trolls have to eat too.
Regarding the article; I would like to congratulate the winners and thank all those who contributed to our nation's science and technology environment though they were not mentioned. I wish that more airplay was given to this part of our society; e.g. something on par with the Super-Bowl that was hosted on national television where their achievements were recognized and more in-depth coverage was given to the science. These things are far more important and maybe if we treated them as such, things could be better for all of us.
Maybe you righties haven't heard, but holding President Obama to a higher standard than other presidents is called 'HYPOCRISY"
Say it loud, and say it proud.. President Obama is a good president. When compared to his predecessor, he is an OUTSTANDING President.
Commonman,
You DO realize that Hawaii IS one of our 50 states, right? It's NOT a foreign country. Or did you forget to actually study history and geography in high school? And, as someone has already pointed out, the POTUS was born in Hawaii and has family there.
So, are you really that stupid, or were you born that way?
Common Man
Anyone ..... ANYONE ..... who still considers it reasonable to break out the HUSSEIN reference anytime they choose to be insulting and childish is not worthy of an adult conversation.
You can't be President of one issue at a time. I say the same to those who'd like to see Neil deGrasse Tyson in the office. Yes, maybe he'd be great for science, but what about everything else?
If you aren't ready to deal with multiple matters at once (and properly delegate authority, you are the Chief Executive, after all), you have no business being President.
If you don't understand that no matter what the dominant issue may be, a President has to deal with some other things too, you have no business complaining that he doesn't eat, sleep and breath the Fiscal Cliff, 24/7.
And where is Dr. Todd Rider? The MIT researcher that developed a broad-spectrum anti-viral that has defeated every virus it has been challenged with, including H1N1 and rhinovirus (common cold). It has potential to work against HIV... www . process . org/discept/2011/11/17/draco-death-to-the-virus/
And what about Dr. Carl June at U of Penn? His Chimeric Antigen Receptor treatment brought to chemorefractory patients with 99% malignant bone marrow density and drove them into complete remission... and they remain cancer free more than a year and counting. blog . readingthinkingandwriting . com/?m=201104
Maybe they can vie for the Nobel.
They deserve it for sure!
rewards definately earned ,But were given to corporate driven goal,s scientists not to those who did most or all of the original basic research for free to help knowledge, and life not for profit goals i/e dr salk,dr.ensley,So sadly the end of the u.s. as world science leader and,you wonder why we have a brain drain, and our best,and brightest now go overseas, sad sad,But the reason we are a dying culture on a dying planet sad sad but,still any recognition is better than none. thanks
rewards definatly earned ,but given to corporate driven goals not to scientists who did the original research in the fields. Which is why we have our britest ,and best now going over seas instead of working here. This has led to science being driven by politics or religion . niether of which can be in science. Science has to be about helping some form of life i/e dr.salk ,dr. ensley most of thier work wasnt even patented so all could benefit current policy is why science is being used to finish our culture,and give us a dying planet .Still some recognition is better than none might help some scientist be recognised as good instead of being made the butt of jokes by those of the species decended from those of lower intelect so killing all forms of life for profit sisk. sick. thanks
Its always great to see people rewarded for their contributions. Congrats.
-Common Man
You do realize Boehner and the Republicans closed up shop and went back to their states yesterday. Yet, you are mad at Obama going to his home state AFTER congress left. I will not throw you food under your bridge anymore!
A government award that isn't based on political pay back...I'd like to see more of it.
It's a bit disappointing to me there's no climatologists or geoscientists (with the possible exception of Sallie Chisholm, who's opposed iron fertilization of oceans as a means to fight AGW/HICC) on the list. It might not be accurate to infer from this anything in re the stance of the Obama administration on climate change policy, but including someone from the climate field (Kenneth Trenberth? Hansen? Mann? Mark Serreze?) would IMO send a positive signal that Obama does take the issue seriously.