September/October 2007

Three Medals for MIT

By MIT News Staff

Three from MIT earned the nation's highest technology and science honors in July.

President Emeritus Charles M. Vest received the National Medal of Technology for revitalizing the partnership of academia, government, and industry, thereby "advancing America's technological workforce and capacity for innovation."

Institute Professor Robert S. Langer was awarded the National Medal of Science. Known for developing new ways to administer drugs to cancer patients, Langer holds more than 550 patents. At MIT, he runs the world's largest biomedical-engineering lab.

Daniel Kleppner, Lester Wolfe ­Professor of Physics emeritus and a principal investigator in MIT's Research Laboratory of Electronics, received the National Medal of Science. He made fundamental contributions to atomic physics and quantum optics, helped pioneer the study of ultracold gases, and codeveloped the hydrogen maser.