Clinton Honors Whitesides, Wilson

Two Harvard professors and a Cambridge-based biotechnology company were among the 14 national medal of Science and Technology recipients honored by President Clinton in a White House ceremony Tuesday.

George M. Whitesides'60, Mallinckrodt professor of chemistry, and Geyser University Professor William Julius Wilson received the national Medal of Science, an award often called the American equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

The recipients of this annual medal were first announced in December after selection by a 12-person presidential committee.

Whitesides was chosen for his numerous achievements in the fields of chemistry, biology, biochemistry and materials science.

His work has included studies of molecular virology, organic surface chemistry and enzyme-mediated synthesis, as well as the development of technologies for fabricating ultra-small structures.

Wilson was honored for his pioneering work in interdisciplinary social science research and urban sociology, which has addressed such issues as the causes of urban poverty and the "underclass."

The science medal, established by Congress in 1959, is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF). It stands alone as the only such award given by the president.

The award is designed to "honor individuals who have significantly advanced knowledge in the fields of behavioral and social sciences, biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and physics."

NSF Director Rita Colwell called the medal recipients "superstars in their respective fields."

"[They] have made lifetime achievements through stunning discoveries, often in broadening, cross-disciplinary fields," she said, "Their work betters science as a whole and betters our daily lives in ways we often take for granted."

In a speech in the East Room of the White House on Tuesday, Clinton echoed Colwell's praise.

"You have sought answer to questions that few Americans can even begin to understand, or others people ask but can't answer," he said. "Your success in illuminating the haws and whys of our world and raising the quality of human existence have helped make the time in which we live perhaps the most excitation in human history."

Clinton also spoke about the need for a healthy relationship between government, academia and the private sector and reported the recommendations of a National Science and Technology Council inquiry into how best to promote such a relationship.

One of those recommendations, Clinton said, is to emphasize the importance of universities as research institutions and to recognize university students as "the foot soldiers of science."

Biogen, Inc. is a Cambridge-based independent biotechnology company that describes itself as primarily engaged in discovering and developing drugs for human healthcare through genetic engineering.

Biogen was also honored at the ceremony for its contributions to the advancement of science and technology.

NSF presented Biogen, the oldest company of its kind in the U.S., with a national medal of Technology, an honor equally as prestigious as the medal for science, even thought it was established more recently.

The technology medal, first awarded in 1985, recognizes the creation of new or significantly improved products, processes or services. The medal can be presented to individuals or corporations.