image: Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) (left) accepts 2009 Public Service Award from ACS President Thomas H. Lane, Ph.D. view more
Credit: Peter Cutts Photography
WASHINGTON, May 6, 2009 – Congressmen Mike Honda (D-CA) and Phil Gingrey (R-GA), and Norman R. Augustine, retired Chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corp., are recipients of the American Chemical Society's 2009 Public Service Award for their vision and leadership in science and engineering policy.
In presenting the awards at a Capitol Hill ceremony, ACS President Thomas H. Lane, Ph.D., said:
"Our nation is facing an unprecedented series of complex challenges that require innovative discoveries and highly-skilled workers. Sustainable solutions will not come without an unwavering commitment to science education, research and technology development. Our awardees have been tireless champions of that commitment, and in making clear the connection between a strong scientific foundation and future economic vitality.
"We thank you for your leadership, your vision, and for promoting science and technology as the means to a higher standard of living and a sustainable planet for us all."
The three leaders were recognized for the following:
- Rep. Honda, a former science teacher, principal and education researcher, is a champion for science education in the House, most recently by introducing the Enhancing STEM Act to coordinate activities at the federal and state levels. As a leader on other science and technology issues, he has been influential in shaping the Democratic innovation agenda and has been an active supporter of nanotechnology through research and public-private partnerships. A five-term representative of California's 15th District, Rep. Honda serves on three subcommittees of the House Appropriations Committee and is an active member of the House Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education caucus.
- Rep. Gingrey, a medical doctor with a bachelor's degree in chemistry, is a four-term representative of Georgia's 11th District. He is a champion of federal research agencies and science education. He has been an active supporter of green chemistry legislation. He is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and has served on the Armed Services Committee, the Education and Workforce Committee and the House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation. He is also a member of the House STEM Education and Nanotechnology Caucuses, and serves as the co-chairman of the GOP Doctors Caucus.
- Norman R. Augustine, a former chief executive of Lockheed Martin Corp., and a Princeton University professor, is widely known for chairing the National Academies committee that produced the report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future. He has held prominent positions in government, industry, academia and the nonprofit sector. He has been chairman of the National Academy of Engineering, the Defense Science Board, and the American Red Cross and was a 16-year member of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. His honors include the National Medal of Technology and the National Science Board's Vannevar Bush Award. He is a five-time recipient of the Defense Department's Distinguished Service Medal.
The awards were presented in a May 5 ceremony on Capitol Hill, held in conjunction with the Council on Undergraduate Research's annual "Posters on the Hill" event. The posters represent a sampling of the latest, cutting-edge research from undergraduates in science, mathematics and the humanities.
The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 154,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.