THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of Science and Technology Policy
For Immediate Release Contact: 202/456-6108
November 13, 2000
PRESIDENT CLINTON TO AWARD THE
NATION'S HIGHEST SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HONORS
President Clinton announced today the recipients of the 2000 National
Medals of Science and National Medals of Technology, the nation's highest
science and technology honors. The medals will be conferred to the
awardees at a ceremony at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.,
on December 1, 2000.
"These exceptional scientists and engineers have transformed our world
and enhanced our daily lives," President Clinton said. "Their imagination
and ingenuity will continue to inspire future generations of American
scientists to remain at the cutting edge of scientific discovery and
technological innovation."
The National Medal of Science, established by Congress in 1959 and
administered by the National Science Foundation, honors individuals for
contributions to the present state of knowledge across a variety of science
frontiers. Including this year's recipients, the Medal of Science has been
awarded to 386 distinguished scientists and engineers. More information
about the National Medal of Science is available on the web at
http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/awards/nms/.
The National Medal of Technology, established by Congress in 1980 and
administered by the Department of Commerce, recognizes technological
innovation and advancement of the nation's global competitiveness, as well
as ground-breaking contributions that commercialize a technology, create
jobs, improve productivity, or stimulate the nation's growth and
development in other ways. To date, 115 individuals and 16 companies have
been honored with this award. More information about the National Medal of
Technology can be found at http://www.ta.doc.gov/Medal/.
The awardees will be honored in Washington during the last week of
November with a series of special events. On December 1, from 10:00 am to
11:30 am, all the laureates will take part in a roundtable discussion for
the media on the future of science and engineering education, at the
Horizon Ballroom of the Ronald Reagan Building. Following the roundtable,
the laureates will be available for individual media interviews.
The medals will be presented that evening at a black tie dinner at the
National Building Museum, hosted by the White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy, the National Medals of Science and Technology
Foundation, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Commerce.
There will be photo opportunities of the laureates receiving their medals.
Live video satellite coverage of the December 1 Presidential awards
ceremony begins at approximately 7:30:
Ku Band Satellite C-Band Satellite
Telstar 4 K-13 Galaxy 3 C-23
Position 89 degrees 95 degrees
Downlink Frequency 12094 MHz (v) 4160 MHz (H)
A live webcast of the ceremony will also be available from the Office
of Science and Technology web page, located at www.ostp.gov and from the
National Science and Technology Medals Foundation, located at
www.asee.org/nstmf/.
2000 National Medal of Science Awardees
Behavioral/Social Sciences
Gary Becker, University of Chicago
Becker pioneered the economic analysis of racial discrimination and led
recent developments in how social forces shape individual economic
behavior.
Biological Sciences
Nancy C. Andreasen, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Andreasen's pivotal contributions included joining behavioral science with
the technologies of neuroscience and neuroimaging in order to understand
processes such as memory and creativity.
Peter H. Raven, Missouri Botanical Garden and Washington University
Raven has become one of the world's leading authorities on plant
systematics and evolution, introduced the concept of coevolution and is a
leader in international efforts to preserve biodiversity.
Carl R. Woese, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Woese's work in proposing the notion that there are three primary
evolutionary domains into which all living things may be classified led to
a quantitative map, or universal tree of life, by which the diversity of
all life can be assessed.
Chemistry
John D. Baldeschwieler, California Institute of Technology
Baldeschwieler's work in molecular assemblies led to practical
pharmaceutical products and instrumentation. He developed Ion Cyclotron
Resonance Spectroscopy, an important tool for chemical and biochemical
analysis that led to a new scientific field providing unique ways to study
molecular structure and reactivity.
Ralph F. Hirschmann, University of Pennsylvania
Hirschmann's work in several fields of chemistry with Merck & Co., Inc.,
led to the development of many life-saving medicines. As the University of
Pennsylvania's first Research Professor in Chemistry, he established a
collaborative research program between the university and industry leading
to continued discoveries of biomedical importance.
Engineering
Yuan-Cheng B. Fung, University of California ? San Diego
Fung's theory of aeroelasticity formed the defining ideas in how
aero-structures interact with aerodynamic flows, an important contribution
to aerospace engineering. Applying analytical methods of mechanics to the
study of biological tissues, he contributed new concepts in the field of
biomechanics in which engineering principles are used to solve important
biomedical problems.
Mathematics
John Griggs Thompson, University of Florida ? Gainesville
Thompson is considered one of the foremost group theorists of all time, and
his name is associated with one of the monumental achievements of the 20th
Century - the classification of all finite simple groups. He was awarded
the Fields Medal in 1970, the highest international honor in mathematics,
regarded by some as the mathematics equivalent to a Nobel Prize.
Karen K. Uhlenbeck, University of Texas ? Austin
Uhlenbeck made pioneering contributions to global analysis and gauge theory
that resulted in advances in mathematical physics and the theory of partial
differential equations. She is considered a founder of geometry based on
analytical methods. She is also a leader in encouraging young women to
study mathematics.
Physical Sciences
Willis E. Lamb, University of Arizona ? Tucson
Lamb won the 1955 Nobel Prize for experimental work on hydrogen that
revealed a new relativistic quantum effect. His work became one of the
foundations of quantum electrodynamics. He also pioneered the field of
laser physics.
Jeremiah P. Ostriker, Princeton University
Ostriker's contributions in astrophysics revolutionized concepts of the
nature of pulsars, the sizes and masses of galaxies, and the nature and
distribution of matter in the universe.
Gilbert F. White, University of Colorado ? Boulder
White achieved national attention for his approaches on using
non-structural means to reduce damage from flooding. His research on the
use of floodplains and their full range of social costs and benefits in
different locales provided the basis for a new research paradigm and new
public policy.
2000 National Medal of Technology Awardees
Individuals
Douglas C. Engelbart, Bootstrap Institute
For creating the foundations of personal computing including continuous,
real-time interaction based on cathode-ray tube displays and the mouse,
hypertext linking, text editing, on-line journals, shared-screen
tele-conferencing, and remote collaborative work.
Dean Kamen, DEKA Research & Development Corporation
For inventions that have advanced medical care worldwide, and for
innovative and imaginative leadership in awakening America to the
excitement of science and technology.
Donald B. Keck, Corning Incorporated
Robert D. Maurer, Corning Incorporated
Peter C. Schultz, Heraeus Amersil, Inc.
For the invention of low-loss optical fiber, which has enabled the
telecommunications revolution, rapidly transforming our society, the way we
work, learn and live - and our expectations for the future. It is the
basis for one of the largest most dynamic industries in the world today.
Corporate
The IBM Corporation, Louis V. Gerstner, CEO, accepting
For 40 years of innovations in the technology of hard disk drives and
information storage products.
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