In a press release from the White House, Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson was announced as one of the recipients of the National Medal of Science on December 22.
The award, which is administered by the National Science Foundation on behalf of the White House, was established by law in 1959, and is awarded to outstanding individuals for those “deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to knowledge in the physical, biological, mathematical, or engineering sciences.”
In an email from Associate Vice President Allison Newman, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Arthur Gajarsa ’62 weighed in on President Jackson’s nomination, “All of us at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are very proud that President Jackson has been chosen for the nation’s pre eminent award for research and leadership in science.”
Gajarsa went on to detail President Jackson’s accomplishments, including her contributions to condensed matter theory, her advocacy for science and technology, and her contributions to the Institute in her capacity as president.
A full press release from the Division of Strategic Communications and External Relations can be found at http://poly.news/s/me858/.