On 27th September, 2011, President Obama named seven eminent researchers as recipients of the National Medal of Science created in 1959 and five inventors as recipients of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation created in 1980. These highest honors are bestowed by the United States government on scientists, engineers, and inventors. The award recognizes those who have made lasting contributions to America's competitiveness and quality of life and helped strengthen the Nation's technological workforce. Nominees are selected by a distinguished independent committee representing the private and public sectors. Out of this year's 12 recipients, three are of Indian origin. Details are as under:
National Medal of Science
1. Dr. Srinivasa S.R. Varadhan from New York University has received the award for his work in probability theory, especially his work on large deviations from expected random behavior, which has revolutionized this field of study during the second half of the twentieth century and become a cornerstone of both pure and applied probability. The mathematical insights he developed have been applied in diverse fields including quantum field theory, population dynamics, finance, econometrics, and traffic engineering.
National Medal of Technology and Innovation
2. Dr. Rakesh Agarwal from Purdue University, an alumnus of IIT¬Kanpur, was awarded for an extraordinary record of innovations in improving energy efficiency and reducing the cost of gas liquefaction and separation. These innovations have had significant, positive impacts on electronic device manufacturing, liquefied gas production, and the supply of industrial gases for diverse industries.
3. Dr. B. Jayant Baliga from North Carolina State University, an alumnus of IIT Chennai, won in the same category for development and commercialization of the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor and other power semiconductor devices that are extensively used in transportation, lighting, medicine, defense, and renewable energy generation systems.
