Former congressional staff members William B. Bonvillian and David J. Goldston will share the 2006 IEEE-USA Distinguished Public Service Award "for outstanding support of science and technology-related legislation and policy in the U.S. Congress."
"Their support for investment in high-tech research & development (R&D) has helped to boost U.S. competitiveness and contributed greatly to our nation's innovation enterprise," IEEE-USA President John Meredith said. "This helps U.S. engineers thrive in an increasingly competitive global environment."
Bonvillian and Goldston are among 16 IEEE-USA award recipients who will be honored during the IEEE-USA Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz., on 2 September.
Bonvillian, former legislative director and chief counsel for Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), has been a stalwart supporter of federal R&D programs since his tenure in the Department of Transportation (1977-80). He is credited for supporting a wide array of initiatives for Lieberman, including work on the Clean Air Act (1990); the Technology Talent Act (2001); the Homeland Security Department Authorization (2002); the National Nanotechnology R&D Act (2003); and the National Innovation Act (2005), among others. He is now the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's director of federal relations and head of MIT's Washington office.
Throughout his more than 20 years serving Congress, Goldston stood alongside Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.) as champion supporters of federal R&D programs. He was named chief of staff of the newly renamed House Committee on Science and Technology when Boehlert became chairman in January of 2001. Goldston oversaw a committee with jurisdiction over civilian federal R&D budgets and programs at a number of federal agencies. Prior to that, he was Boehlert's legislative director and top environmental aide. He is now a scholar in residence with the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton (N.J) University.
IEEE-USA award recipients are recognized for their professionalism and technical achievements, as well as literary contributions to public awareness and understanding of the engineering profession in the United States.
Here's the complete list of 2006 IEEE-USA award recipients:
CITATION OF HONOR
Donald C. Herres
For tireless efforts in professional activities, including career and
workforce workshops
Grayson W. Randall
For leadership that inspired precollege and college engineering students in
the area of robotics
REGIONAL PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
Carl L. Hussey (IEEE Region 3)
For promoting PACE activities in Region 3
James Jefferies (IEEE Region 5)
For promoting the value of electrical engineering to Colorado legislators
and the general public
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Reza Adhami
For leadership in building collaborative relationships between industry and academia
Donald C. Loughry
For inspiring retired engineers to support science education in local schools by leadership and example
Maura Schreier-Fleming
For promoting community awareness of the practice of engineering
AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED LITERARY CONTRIBUTIONS FURTHERING PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROFESSION
WESH-TV Channel 2 News team: Dan Billow, Travis J. Sherwin, Tom Schaad and Claire Metz For accurate reporting in the "Return to Flight" series, which improved community awareness and understanding of the contributions of engineers in the space program
Paula S. Apsell
For long-term efforts in promoting the understanding of science and engineering through NOVA programs
PRECOLLEGE EDUCATION COMMITTEE TEACHER-ENGINEER PARTNERSHIP AWARD
Renato Recio and Joy Huebel
For collaborative, long-term promotion of technological education at River Oaks Elementary School
DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD
William B. Bonvillian & David J. Goldston
For outstanding support of science and technology-related legislation and policy in the U.S. Congress
IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of more than 220,000 engineers, scientists and allied professionals who are U.S. members of the IEEE. IEEE-USA is part of the IEEE, the world's largest technical professional society with 360,000 members in 150 countries. See http://www.ieeeusa.org.
IEEE-USA's distinguished awards are administered under its Awards and Recognition Committee and approved by the IEEE-USA Board of Directors. The nomination deadline for 2007 awards is 31 August, 2007. For additional information, go to http://www.ieeeusa.org/volunteers/committees/awards/, or contact Sandra Kim at sandra.kim@ieee.org.
For more on the 2007 IEEE-USA Annual Meeting, see http://www.ieeeusa.org/calendar/conferences/2007annualmeeting/default.asp.