Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
National Medal of Technology
The National Medal of Technology is an honor granted by the President of the United States to inventors and innovators that have made significant contributions to the development of new and important technology. The award may be granted to a specific person, to a group of people or to an entire organization or corporation. It is the highest honor the United States can confer for achievements related to technological progress.
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History
The National Medal of Technology was created in 1980 by the United States Congress under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act. It was a bipartisan effort foster technological innovation and the technological competitiveness of the United States in the international arena. The first National Medals of Technology were issued in 1985 by then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan to 14 individuals and one company.. Among the first recipients were technology giants like Steve Jobs and Stephen Wozniak, founders of Apple Computers, and AT&T Bell Laboratories, a veritable powerhouse in technological innovation. The medal has since been awarded annually with the most recent winners, the recipients in 2002 having been announced on October 22, 2003.
Award Process
Each year the Technology Administration under the U.S. Department of Commerce calls for the nomination of new candidates for the National Medal of Science. Candidates are nominated by their peers that have direct, first-hand knowledge of the candidates achievements. Candidates may be individuals, teams of individuals (up to 4), organizations or corporations. Individuals and all members of teams nominated must be U.S. citizens and organizations and corporations must be U.S.-owned (i.e. 50% of their assets or shares must be currently held by U.S. citizens).
All nominations are referred to the National Medal of Technology Evaluation Committee which issues recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. The Secretary of Commerce is then able to advise the President of the United States as to which candidates ought to receive the National Medal of Technology. The new National Medal of Technology laureates are then announced by the U.S. President once the final selections have been made.
Laureates
As of October 22, 2003, when U.S. President George W. Bush announced the 2002 National Medal of Technology laureates, there have been 120 individuals and 12 companies recognized. Summarized here is a list of the most notable laureates and a summary of their accomplishments.
| Year | Name | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Kenneth Thompson and Dennis Ritchie | "For their invention of UNIX operating system and the C programming language..." |
| 1992 | Bill Gates | "For his early vision of universal computing at home and in the office..." |
| 1991 | Grace Murray Hopper | "For her pioneering accomplishments in the development of computer programming languages..." |
| 1990 | John Atanasoff | "For his invention of the electronic digital computer..." |
| 1990 | Gordon Moore | "For his seminal leadership in ... large-scale integrated memory and the microprocessor..." |
| 1988 | Arnold Beckman | "For exceptional creativity in designing analytical instruments ..." |
| 1988 | David Packard | "For extraordinary and unselfish leadership in both industry and government, particularly in widely diversified technological fields..." |
| 1987 | Robert N. Noyce | "For his inventions in the field of semiconductor integrated circuits..." |
| 1985 | Steve Jobs and Stephen Wozniak | "For their development and introduction of the personal computer..." |
A full list of all medal recipients is maintained by the Technology Administration.
See Also
External Links
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