[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 49 (Friday, April 26, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E646-E647]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   2002 FRANKLIN INSTITUTE LAUREATES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT A. BORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 25, 2002

  Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 2002 
Franklin Institute Laureates, who will be honored in a gold-medal 
ceremony tonight at the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial in 
Philadelphia, for their groundbreaking achievements in science and 
technology.
  The Franklin Institute began its Awards Program in 1824, to honor 
groundbreaking innovators in the fields of science and technology. In 
the early days, prizes went to those scientist and engineers whose 
products most enhanced the quality of life for our nation's citizens.
   Today, the Institute bestows a series of endowed medals. The 
Franklin Medals, to an international group of brilliant scientists, 
engineers, and business leaders, whose achievements, innovations, and 
discoveries have truly changed the very way we live our lives and the 
way we think about our world. Additionally, the Institute awards the 
Bower Award for Business Leadership, as well as the Bower Award for 
Science Achievement, which carries with it one of the largest cash 
prizes in the world.
  A list of previous Franklin Institute award winners read like a 
cannon of science and technology achievement for the past 200 years: 
Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Orville Wright, Pierre and Marie Curie, 
Stephen Hawking, David Packard, and Jacques Costeau, just to name a 
few.
  Tonight, at the 177th annual Franklin Institute Awards Ceremony, 
eight outstanding scientists will join these venerable ranks, being

[[Page E647]]

honored for their globe-impacting achievements in fields ranging from 
computational chemistry to plant genetics:
  The 2002 Benjamin Franklin Medallist in Life Sciences, Mary-Dell 
Chilton from Syngenta Biotechnology. Dr. Chilton's key discoveries led 
to the first major vector system allowing plant genetic engineering, 
which has enabled the production of larger, more nutritious, and more 
naturally pest-resistant crops.
  The 2002 Benjamin Franklin Medallist in Engineering, Shuji Nakamura, 
from University of California at Santa Barbara. Dr. Nakamura's 
fundamental contributions to the technology of Gallium Nitride and his 
development of violet/blue Laser Diodes have exponentially improved 
current LED technology, and hold the potential of revolutionizing the 
lighting industry.
  The 2002 Benjamin Franklin Medallist in Earth Science, Alexandra 
Navrotsky, from the University of California at Davis. Dr. Navrotsky's 
accomplishments in crystal chemistry have established, convincingly, 
the identity of materials at hundreds of kilometers of depth in the 
Earth that otherwise are inaccessible to direct observation, providing 
a window to the Earth's past.
  The 2002 Benjamin Franklin Medallist in Chemistry, Norman L. 
Allinger, from University of Georgia at Athens. Dr. Allinger's 
pioneering work in computational chemistry, has found widespread 
application in the fundamental understanding of molecular structure, 
and is a paramount tool for practicing chemists all over the world.
  The 2002 Benjamin Franklin Medallist in Physics, Sumio Iijima, from 
NEC Corporation and Meijo University, Japan. Dr. Iijima's discovery and 
elucidation of the atomic structure of carbon nanotubes has had an 
enormous impact on the rapidly growing condensed matter and materials 
science field, and holds the promise to revolutionize a wide spectrum 
of industries, including electronics.
  The 2002 Benjamin Franklin Medallist in Computer and Cognitive 
Sciences, Lucy Suchman, from Lancaster University, England. Dr. Suchman 
has made many fundamental contributions to the ways in which 
interactive computer systems are designed, applicable to domains such 
as space exploration, medical monitoring of elders living on their own 
and large-scale document retrieval.
  The 2002 Bower Award and Prize for Business Leadership Winner, Gordon 
Moore, from Intel Corporation. Dr. Moore has played a pioneering role 
in the semiconductor industry, and his technical and business 
leadership have resulted in the enhanced microprocessor speed, 
miniaturization, and reduced cost which have transformed the modern 
world. He has also distinguished himself through his generous 
commitment to community service.
  The 2002 Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science Winner, 
John W. Cahn, from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. 
Dr. Cahn has made profound contributions to the understanding of the 
thermodynamics and kinetics of phase transformations inspiring 
generations of scientists and engineers to develop new materials, like 
stronger, more reliable steel, based on his groundbreaking theories.
  Mr. Speaker, The City of Philadelphia, and the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania are thrilled to honor and welcome these amazing scientists 
and to host this fantastic celebration of their work. Moreover, 
Philadelphia and Pennsylvania are proud of our favorite museum, The 
Franklin Institute, for carrying forward a legacy of recognizing genius 
in its purest form, and in bringing this national and international 
recognition to the region.
  Finally, in the great tradition of Benjamin Franklin himself, these 
talented thinkers remind us that our greatest lessons from the past, 
and our greatest hopes for the future, lie in science and technology.

                          ____________________