[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 15 (Friday, January 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3566-3567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01123]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket No. PTO-C-2014-0074]


National Medal of Technology and Innovation Call for 2015 
Nominations

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office.

ACTION: Notice and request for nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (United States Patent and Trademark 
Office) is accepting nominations for the National Medal of Technology 
and Innovation (NMTI). Since establishment by Congress in the 
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980, the President of 
the United States has awarded the annual National Medal of Technology 
and Innovation (initially known as the National Medal of Technology) to 
our nation's leading innovators. If you know of a candidate who has 
made an outstanding contribution to the country's economic, 
environmental, or social well-being through the promotion of 
technology, technological innovation, or the development of 
technological manpower, you may obtain a nomination form from: http://www.uspto.gov/about/nmti/index.jsp.

ADDRESSES: The NMTI nomination form for the year 2015 may be obtained 
by visiting the USPTO Web site at http://www.uspto.gov/about/nmti/index.jsp. Nomination applications should be submitted to John 
Palafoutas, Program Manager, National Medal of Technology and 
Innovation Program, by electronic mail to [email protected] or by postal 
mail to: John Palafoutas, NMTI Program Manager, United States Patent 
and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450.

DATES: The deadline for submission of a nomination is June 1, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Palafoutas, Program Manager, 
National Medal of Technology and Innovation Program, United States 
Patent and Trademark Office, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; 
by telephone: (571) 272-9821 or by electronic mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    As provided by Congress in the Stevenson-Wydler Technology 
Innovation Act of 1980, the National Medal of Technology was first 
awarded in 1985. On August 9, 2007, the President signed the America 
COMPETES (Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in 
Technology, Education, and Science) Act of 2007. The Act amended 
Section 16 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980, 
changing the name of the Medal to the ``National Medal of Technology 
and Innovation.'' The NMTI is the highest honor awarded by the 
President of the United States to America's leading innovators in the

[[Page 3567]]

field of technology and is given annually to individuals, teams, or 
companies/non-profits who have made outstanding contributions to the 
promotion of technology or technological innovation, or to the 
development of technological manpower, for the improvement of the 
economic, environmental, or social well-being of the United States. The 
primary purpose of the NMTI is to recognize American innovators whose 
vision, creativity, and brilliance in moving ideas to market or in 
developing the nation's technological manpower has had a profound and 
significant impact on our economy and way of life. The NMTI highlights 
the national importance of fostering technological innovation based 
upon solid science, resulting in commercially successful products and 
services.

Eligibility and Nomination Criteria

    Nomination Guidelines containing information on eligibility and 
nomination criteria are available at http://www.uspto.gov/about/nmti/guidelines.jsp.

    Dated: December 18, 2014.
Michelle K. Lee,
Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy 
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2015-01123 Filed 1-22-15; 8:45 am]
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