President Bush will honor U.S. science and technology leaders

President Bush will bestow the 2002 National Medals of Science and National Medals of Technology at a ceremony in the White House starting at 3:00 p.m.

Media representatives who are not currently White House-credentialed should call the contacts listed below for access to the White House ceremony or for interview arrangements prior to, or after, the ceremony.

The science and technology laureates will be in Washington for two days, attending meetings and an invitation-only awards banquet on the evening of Nov. 7.

Satellite feed available on coordinates:
KU BAND: SBS-6/K02 3:00-4:00 p.m. EST
C BAND: AMC-3/C19 3:00-4:00 p.m. (Band tests will be available at 2:30 p.m.)

Webcast available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov

Still digital images available at approximately 5:00 p.m., EST at: http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/awards/nms/medal.htm

NSF media contact (Medal of Science): Bill Noxon, 703-292-7750, [email protected]
NSF program contact: Susan Fannoney, 703-292-8096, [email protected]
Department of Commerce media contact (Medal of Technology): Cheryl Mendonsa, 202-482-8321, [email protected]

For more detailed vital information on the 2002 National Medals of Science recipients, see: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/03/fsmos02_vitalinfo.htm

For more information on National Medals of Science, see: http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/awards/nms/medal.htm
Fact sheet: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/media/fsmedalofsci.htm

For more detailed vital information on the 2002 National Medals of Technology recipients, see: http://www.technology.gov/Prel/pr031022.htm

For information on National Medals of Technology, see: http://www.ta.doc.gov/medal

For information on the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation, see: http://www.asee.org/nstmf

Laureates of the 2002 National Medal of Science

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES -
James E. Darnell, Rockefeller University - Leader in original research on how cells retrieve information from DNA.
Evelyn M. Witkin, Rutgers University - Largely responsible for creating the field of DNA mutagenesis and DNA repair.

CHEMISTRY -
John I. Brauman, Stanford University � Demonstrated and explained the role solvents play in chemical stability and reactivity.

ENGINEERING -
Leo L. Beranek (ret.), BBN Technologies (subsidiary of Verizon), Cambridge, Mass. � A leading scientist in acoustics for military technologies and in the field of music.

MATHEMATICS -
James G. Glimm, Stony Brook University � Noted for contributions to shock wave theory and applied mathematics.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES -
W. Jason Morgan, Princeton University � Explained the concepts of plate tectonics and mantle plumes, the essential underpinnings of modern seismology.
Richard L. Garwin, Council on Foreign Relations - Laid the foundation for superconducting electronic circuitry and patented early magnetic resonance techniques leading to MRI technologies.
Edward Witten, Institute for Advanced Study � Considered a world leader in string theory, the attempt by physicists to describe in a unified way all known forces of nature.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering, with an annual budget of nearly $5.3 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 30,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 10,000 new funding awards.

Useful NSF Web Sites:
NSF Home Page: http://www.nsf.gov
News Highlights: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa
Newsroom: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/media/start.htm
Science Statistics: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/stats.htm
Awards Searches: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a6/A6Start.htm