Researchers from three companies and a team from Intel are being awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the White House announced.
Harry W Coover of Eastman Chemical in Kingsport, Tennessee; Helen M Free of Elkhart, Indiana-based Miles Laboratories, now part of Bayer; and Steven J Sasson of Eastman Kodak, in Rochester, New York, are being singled out for the honour. They are joined by a team of researchers from Santa Clara, California-based Intel — Federico Faggin, Marcian E Hoff Jr, and Stanley Mazor.
“The extraordinary accomplishments of these scientists, engineers, and inventors are a testament to American industry and ingenuity,” President Barack Obama said in a statement. “Their achievements have redrawn the frontiers of human knowledge while enhancing American prosperity, and it is my tremendous pleasure to honour them for their important contributions.”
The technology and innovation medal is the highest US award given to scientists, engineers and inventors, recognising contributions “to America’s competitiveness and quality of life” that help strengthen the US technological workforce, the White House said in a statement.
In addition, 10 university researchers are in line to receive the National Medal of Science, created by Congress in 1959 to recognize outstanding contributions to science and engineering.
An awards ceremony is planned at the White House later this year, the statement said. The awards are administered by the US Patent and Trademark Office.