Biden Announces 25 Honorees for the National Medals of Science and Technology Awards
Joe Biden recently announced the most recent recipients of the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, which are the United States' highest honors for notable achievements and leadership in the fields of science and technology.
The National Medal of Science was established in 1959 and is administered by the National Science Foundation on behalf of the White House. It recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to science and engineering.
The National Medal of Technology and Innovation was established in 1980 and is managed under the White House by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Patent and Trademark Office. It honors individuals and organizations for their enduring contributions to America's competitiveness and the enhancement of people's lives, as well as for strengthening the nation's technological workforce.
Four of the honorees are professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The University of Minnesota, Stanford University, Harvard University, and Vanderbilt University each had two medal recipients.
In a statement from the White House, Biden said, "These award-winners embody the potential of America by pushing the boundaries of what is achievable. These trailblazers have utilized the power of science and technology to address complex challenges and provide inventive solutions for Americans and communities worldwide."
He praised their accomplishments in areas such as climate crisis resolution, medical treatments, vaccine development, communication improvement, and an enhanced understanding of the universe and our role within it. "Their achievements improve American leadership in science, technology, and innovation, and their work motivates the subsequent generation of American leaders," said the press release.
The 14 recipients of the National Medal of Science are as follows:
- Richard B. Alley, Evans Pugh University Professor of Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University, who researches the great ice sheets to anticipate future climate changes and sea level changes.
- Larry Martin Bartels, University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Law and the May Werthan Shayne Chair of Public Policy and Social Science at Vanderbilt University, whose research focuses on public opinion, public policy, election science, and political economy.
- Bonnie L. Bassler, Squibb Professor of Molecular Biology and chair of the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University, acknowledged for her research on the molecular mechanisms that bacteria use for intercellular communication.
- Angela Marie Belcher, the James Mason Crafts Professor of Biological Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering at MIT and a member of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, was recognized for designing materials for applications in solar cells, batteries, and medical imaging.
- Helen M. Blau, Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation Professor and Director of the Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology at Stanford University, honored for her research on muscle diseases, regeneration, and aging, including the use of stem cells for tissue repair.
- Emery Neal Brown, the Edward Hood Taplin Professor of Medical Engineering and Computational Neuroscience at MIT, was recognized for his work revealing how anesthesia affects the brain.
- John O. Dabiri, Centennial Chair Professor at the California Institute of Technology, honored for his research in fluid mechanics, flow physics, and applications in biology, energy, and the environment.
- Ingrid Daubechies, the James B. Duke Distinguished Professor Emerita of Mathematics at Duke University, was honored for her groundbreaking work in signal processing.
- Cynthia Dwork, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science at Harvard University, recognized for research that has revolutionized how data privacy is managed in the era of big data and AI.
- R. Lawrence Edwards, Regents and Distinguished McKnight University Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Minnesota, recognized for refining radiocarbon dating techniques to study climate history and ocean chemistry.
- Wendy L. Freedman, the John and Marion Sullivan University Professor in Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago, honored for her observational cosmology research and pioneering uses of the Hubble Space Telescope.
- Keivan G. Stassun, Stevenson Professor of Physics & Astronomy at Vanderbilt University, recognized for his work in astrophysics, including the study of star formation and exoplanets.
- G. David Tilman, Regents Professor and the McKnight Presidential Chair in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior at the University of Minnesota, recognized for his research in biological diversity, the structure and benefits of ecosystems, and methods to ensure sustainability despite increases in human consumption and population.
- Teresa Kaye Woodruff, the MSU Research Foundation Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology and Biomedical Engineering at Michigan State University, recognized as an internationally recognized expert in ovarian biology and reproductive science.
The nine individual recipients of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation are:
- Richard Ober, President and CEO of Moderna, Inc., for his work in the development of mRNA-based vaccines.
- Albert Bourla, Chairman and CEO of Pfizer Inc., for his leadership in the development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
- Robert Langer, David H. Koch Institute Professor at MIT, for his innovations in drug delivery and tissue engineering.
- James Bailey, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zebra Medical Vision, for his company's automated medical image analysis technology.
- Dan Huttenlocher, Dean of the Weiss Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Vice Provost and Dean of Computing and Information Science at Cornell University, for his research in AI and computer science.
- Paula Hammond, David S.cnhrusker Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT, acknowledged for her work in materials science for healthcare applications.
- Richard Caruso, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of NuScale Power, recognized for his work on small modular nuclear reactors.
- Robert Langer, David H. Koch Institute Professor at MIT, honored again for his innovations in drug delivery and tissue engineering.
- Renu Khator, Chancellor and President of the University of Houston, honored for her leadership in higher education and her commitment to scientific research and innovation.
- Martin Cooper, renowned for his 50-year journey in advancing personal wireless communications, earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for making the first cellular telephone call. Often referred to as the "father of the cell phone," Cooper spent a significant portion of his career at Motorola.
- Jennifer A. Doudna, a Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry and the Li Ka Shing Chancellor’s Chair in Biomedical and Health Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, is a trailblazer in CRISPR gene editing.
- Eric R. Fossum, now the John H. Krehbiel Sr. Professor for Emerging Technologies at Dartmouth College, has innovation under his belt: he created the CMOS active pixel image sensor, which can be found in cell-phone cameras, webcams, and medical imaging devices.
- Paula T. Hammond, MIT Institute Professor, vice provost for faculty, and Koch Institute member, was recognized for devising techniques to assemble thin films that have diverse applications in drug delivery, wound healing, and more.
- Kristina M. Johnson, who previously served as president of The Ohio State University, was honored for her contributions to research in photonics, nanotechnology, and optoelectronics. Her discoveries have paved the way for sustainable energy solutions and advanced manufacturing technologies.
- Victor B. Lawrence, who spent a substantial part of his career at Bell Laboratories, excelled in innovations across various communication mediums. He now serves as a Research Professor and Director of the Center for Intelligent Networked Systems at Stevens Institute of Technology.
- David R. Walt, a faculty member at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University and the Hansjörg Wyss Professor of Bioinspired Engineering at Harvard Medical School, was celebrated for co-developing the DNA microarray, enabling extensive genetic analysis and enhanced personalized medicine.
- Paul G. Yock, a Stanford University emeritus faculty member and physician, has left a lasting impact in the field of cardiovascular intervention devices by inventing, developing, and testing those like the stent.
- Feng Zhang, now the James and Patricia Poitras Professor of Neuroscience at MIT and a professor of brain and cognitive sciences and biological engineering, was recognized for his R&D in developing molecular tools, including the CRISPR genome-editing system.
Joe Biden commended Richard B. Alley, a National Medal of Science laureate, for his research on climate changes and predicting future sea level changes at Pennsylvania State University.
The National Medal of Technology and Innovation was presented to Robert Langer, a distinguished professor at MIT, for his contributions to drug delivery and tissue engineering, as well as in areas like sustainable energy solutions and advanced manufacturing technologies.
The National Science Foundation, the organization responsible for administering the National Medal of Science, has recognized several universities, including Stanford, Harvard, and MIT, for their significant contributions to science and technology, further highlighting Biden's focus on collaborations between academia and innovation.
