Academy Honors 17 for Major Contributions to Science
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 96, pp. 1173–1174, February 1999 From the Academy Academy Honors 17 for Major Contributions to Science The National Academy of Sciences has selected 17 in electricity, magnetism, or radiant energy, broadly individuals to receive awards honoring their outstanding interpreted—goes to John Clarke, Luis W. Alvarez contributions to science. The awards will be presented Memorial Chair for Experimental Physics and professor on April 26 at a ceremony in Washington, DC, during the of physics, University of California, Berkeley. Clarke Academy’s 136th annual meeting. Awards and recipients was chosen “for his major contributions to the develop- are as follows: ment of superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDS) and their use for scientific measurements, Arctowski Medal—a prize of $20,000, plus $60,000 to an especially involving electricity, magnetism, and electro- institution of the recipient’s choice, awarded every three magnetic waves.” The prize was established through the years to further research in solar physics and solar- Cyrus B. Comstock Fund and has been presented since terrestrial relationships—goes to Arthur J. Hund- 1913. hausen, senior scientist emeritus, High Altitude Obser- vatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, The Arthur L. Day Prize and Lectureship—a prize of Boulder. Hundhausen was chosen “for his exceptional $20,000 awarded approximately every three years to a research in solar and solar-wind physics, particularly in scientist making new contributions to the physics of the the area of coronal and solar-wind disturbances.” The Earth and whose four to six lectures would prove a solid, medal was established in honor of Henryk Arctowski timely, and useful addition to the knowledge and liter- and has been awarded since 1969. ature in the field—goes to Sean C. Solomon, director, terrestrial magnetism department, Carnegie Institution NAS Award in Chemical Sciences —a medal and prize of of Washington. Solomon was chosen “for his analysis of $20,000 awarded annually for innovative research in the seismological data constraining the tectonics of the chemical sciences that, in the broadest sense, contributes Earth’s lithosphere, and for his development of global to a better understanding of the natural sciences and to tectonic models of the moon and terrestrial planets.” the benefit of humanity—goes to John D. Roberts, The prize was established by the bequest of Arthur L. Institute Professor of Chemistry, Emeritus, and lecturer, Day and has been presented since 1972. Gates and Crellin Laboratories of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. Roberts was chosen Gibbs Brothers Medal—a prize of $5,000 awarded every “for defining modern physical organic chemistry—the two years for outstanding contributions in the field of integration of physical chemistry and organic synthesis naval architecture and marine engineering—goes to applied to the study of the relations between the struc- Justin E. Kerwin, professor of naval architecture, Mas- ture and reactivity of organic molecules.” The prize, sachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Kerwin supported currently by the Merck Foundation, has been awarded since 1979. was chosen “for his outstanding contributions in the field of naval architecture, including the development of NAS Award for Chemistry in Service to Society—a prize computational methods used worldwide in propeller of $20,000 awarded every two years for contributions to design.” The medal was established by the bequest of chemistry, either in fundamental science or its applica- William Francis Gibbs and Frederic H. Gibbs and has tion, that clearly satisfy a societal need—goes to C. been presented since 1965. Grant Willson, IBM Almaden Research Laboratory (retired), and professor and Rashid Engineering Re- NAS Award for the Industrial Application of Science—a gents Chair, department of chemistry and chemical prize of $25,000 awarded approximately every three engineering, the University of Texas, Austin. Willson years for original scientific work of intrinsic scientific was chosen “for his fundamental contributions to the importance and with significant, beneficial application chemistry of materials that produce micropatterns in in industry—goes to Ralph F. Hirschmann, Makineni semiconductors and for its widespread application in the Chair of Bioorganic Chemistry, department of chemis- microelectronics industry for the benefit of society.” The try, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Hirsch- award, established by E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. mann was chosen “for his ingenuity in creative chemical and given this year for contributions made while in design and synthesis directed to the commercial produc- industry, has been presented since 1991. tion of numerous essential pharmaceuticals, such as anti-inflammatory steroids and anti-hypertensive com- Comstock Prize in Physics—a prize of $20,000 awarded pounds.” The award was established by the IBM Corp. approximately every five years to a resident of North in honor of Ralph E. Gomory and has been presented America for recent innovative discovery or investigation since 1990. 1173 Downloaded by guest on September 29, 2021 1174 From the Academy Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96 (1999) NAS Award for Initiatives in Research—a prize of review of factors determining the savings of individuals $15,000 awarded annually in a different field (biomed- over their lifetimes and the private accumulation of wealth ical science in 1999) to recognize innovative young for retirement.” The award was established by Annual scientists and to encourage research likely to lead toward Reviews Inc. and the Institute for Scientific Information in new capabilities for human benefit—goes to Jennifer A. honor of J. Murray Luck and has been presented since Doudna, assistant investigator, Howard Hughes Medical 1979. Institute, and associate professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven. Doudna Mary Clark Thompson Medal—a prize of $7,500 awarded was chosen “for her pioneering studies, which have enabled every three to five years for important contributions to the determination of complex RNA structures, especially geology and paleontology—goes to Jan Smit, professor of those of ribozymes, through X-ray crystallography.” The sedimentary geology, Free University of Amsterdam, award, presented since 1981, was established by AT&T Bell Netherlands. Smit was chosen “for establishing the se- Laboratories in honor of William O. Baker and is sup- quence of impact-generated events that occurred 65 mil- ported currently by Lucent Technologies. lion years ago, including ejecta fallout, tsunami propaga- tion, geochemical disturbances, and extinction in forami- Richard Lounsbery Award—a medal and a prize of nifera and dinosaurs.” The medal was established by a gift $50,000, awarded annually in recognition of extraordinary of Mary Clark Thompson and has been presented since scientific achievement in biology and medicine, alternating 1921. between young American and French scientists—goes to Elliot M. Meyerowitz, professor of biology, California Troland Research Awards—a sum of $35,000 given annu- Institute of Technology, Pasadena. Meyerowitz was chosen ally to each of two recipients, to be used to support their “for his pioneering contributions to the molecular genetics research within the broad spectrum of experimental psy- of plant architecture, which have practical implications for chology—goes to Nancy G. Kanwisher, associate profes- agriculture.” The award was established by Vera sor, department of brain and cognitive sciences, Massa- Lounsbery in memory of her husband and has been chusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, and to Ha- presented since 1979. rold E. Pashler, professor, department of psychology, University of California, San Diego. Kanwisher was chosen NAS Award in Molecular Biology—a medal and a prize of “for her innovative research on visual attention, awareness, $20,000 awarded annually for a recent notable discovery in and imagery, including the characterization of a face molecular biology by a young scientist—goes to Clifford J. perception module and discovery of a place encoding Tabin, associate professor, department of genetics, Har- module.” Pashler was chosen “for his many experimental vard Medical School, Boston. Tabin was chosen “for his breakthroughs in the study of spatial attention and central contributions in analyzing genes that establish asymmetric executive control and for his insightful theoretical analysis body patterns and control limb development in verte- of human cognitive architecture.” The awards were estab- brates.” The award is supported currently by the Monsanto lished by the bequest of Leonard T. Troland and have been Co. and has been presented since 1962 presented since 1984. Robertson Memorial Lecture—a prize of $7,500 awarded Selman A. Waksman Award in Microbiology—a prize of approximately every three years to a distinguished scientist $5,000 given approximately every two years in recognition of any nationality who is invited to lecture on his or her of excellence in the field of microbiology—goes to R. John work and its international implications (the 1999 field is Collier, Presley Professor of Microbiology and Immunol- environmental science)—goes to Akkihebal R. Ravishan- ogy, department of microbiology and molecular genetics, kara, chief, atmospheric chemical kinetics group, National Harvard Medical School, Boston. Collier was chosen “for Oceanic and Atmospheric