Commerce Secretary Evans Congratulates
2002 National Medal of Technology Laureates

Environmental, Microelectronics and
Semiconductor Innovators Honored

Secretary of Commerce Don Evans today congratulated the recipients of the 2002 National Medal of Technology, the nation's highest honor for technological innovation.

"I join the President in honoring this year's National Medal of Technology laureates," said Secretary Evans. "Their revolutionary innovations and discoveries in microelectronics and materials science, clean air technologies and industrial leadership to improve our environment have given American producers a leading competitive edge on a global level and set a high standard for excellence. As teachers, role models and managers of change, they have transformed personal achievement into inspiration for future generations of innovators.”

The 2002 National Medal of Technology laureates announced by President Bush are:

-- Calvin H. Carter, Cree, Inc., Durham, N.C. – a pioneer in the development of silicon carbide semiconductor materials, “For exceptional contributions to the development of silicon carbide wafers, leading to new industries in wide bandgap semiconductors and enabling still other new industries in efficient blue, green and white light, full color displays, high power solid-state microwave amplifiers, more efficient/compact power supplies, higher efficiency power distribution/transmission systems, and gemstone.”

-- Haren S. Gandhi, Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Mich. – a research pioneer in automotive technology to improve environmental standards, “For research, development, and commercialization of automotive exhaust catalyst technology, shaping the industry from its very beginning and continually pushing to improve the quality of the air we breathe. Dr. Gandhi has also led the automotive industry in ensuring the judicious use of precious metals, including conservation measures such as recycling of spent converters and technological advances in precious metal utilization.”

-- Carver A. Mead, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. – a microelectronics pioneer, teacher and entrepreneur, “For pioneering contributions to the microelectronics field, that include spearheading the development of tools and techniques for modern integrated-circuit design, laying the foundation for fabless semiconductor companies, catalyzing the electronic-design automation field, training generations of engineers that have made the United States the world leader in microelectronics technology, and founding more than 20 companies including Actel Corporation, Silicon Compilers, Synaptics, and Sonic Innovations.”

--Team of

-- Nick Holonyak, Jr., Microelectronics Lab, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Ill.;
-- M. George Craford, LumiLeds Lighting, San Jose, Calif.; and
-- Russell Dean Dupuis, Georgia Institute of Technology at Atlanta, Georgia – inventors and innovators in the LED technology field spanning forty years, “For contributions to the development and commercialization of light-emitting diode (LED) technology, with applications to digital displays, consumer electronics, automotive lighting, traffic signals and general illumination,” the world’s most efficient light source being mass produced today.

--Team of

-- John J. Mooney, Engelhard Corporation, (retired), Wyckoff, N.J., and -- Carl D. Keith, Engelhard Corporation (retired), Marco Island, Fla. -- principal inventors of the three-way catalytic converter, “For the invention, application to automobiles, and commercialization of the three-way catalytic converter. Through their persistent efforts this technology is the key emission- control component in all new light-duty vehicles in the United States and substantially all throughout the world.”

--Du Pont, Wilmington, Delaware – a leading science and technology company, “For policy and technology leadership in the phase out and replacement of chloroflurocarbons (CFCs)” in the environment during the past three decades.