American Chemical Society honors Senator Udall, Congressman Smith and OSTP Director Holdren for Public Service

WASHINGTON, April 22, 2013 — White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director John P. Holdren, Ph.D., U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and U.S. Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) will receive the American Chemical Society's (ACS’) 2013 Public Service Award for their vision and leadership in public policy that benefits science, engineering and innovation.

Holdren, Smith and Udall will be honored at a Capitol Hill ceremony and public reception on Wednesday, April 24, which will be held in B-338-340 Rayburn House Office Building, 5-7 p.m. To attend, RSVP by Tuesday, April 23, at http://tinyurl.com/acspsa2013 or publicaffairs@acs.org.

“ACS is pleased to recognize three national leaders who have dedicated their talents to public service and advanced science and engineering to secure the future of American innovation,” said ACS President Marinda Li Wu, Ph.D. “We are honoring Sen. Udall, Rep. Smith and Director Holdren for their contributions that span critical policy areas that help science, engineering and innovation to thrive: scientific research; science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education; and a business climate that fosters innovation and U.S. global competitiveness.

“Our nation has grown and benefitted enormously over many decades thanks to our scientists, engineers and innovators,” said Wu. “Their work and their contributions are made possible thanks to the essential policies that support science, research and education that these three leaders have championed. Truly, their work has been in the service of the American public.”

The leaders will be recognized for their public service as follows:

Senator Udall has worked hard to ensure both environmental and national security via energy technology innovation while also championing STEM education. He has pushed to expand renewable energy use by our armed forces. In addition, he has sponsored the following bills: the Critical Minerals and Materials Promotion Act, the Renewable Energy Market Access Program Act, the Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act and the Growth to Excellence Act. Udall was elected to the Senate in 2008, having served Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives, 1999-2008. Over the years, he has greatly supported the ACS Science & the Congress Project, both as co-chair of the Senate Science and Technology Caucus and as an individual member. In 2006, he sponsored his first Science & the Congress briefing as co-chair of the STEM Education Caucus, which he co-founded. Since 2010, he has been honorary co-host of eight briefings, covering topics such as R&D funding, STEM education, environmental issues, supercomputers and space technology. He currently serves on the Committees of Armed Services, Energy and Natural Resources and the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Representative Smith is a strong supporter of science and technology innovation, as well as STEM education and jobs. In the 112^th Congress, he co-sponsored the America Invents Act, which is the most significant reform to the U.S. patent system since 1952. He also introduced the STEM Jobs Act and the Patent Law Treaties Implementation Act, which implements provisions of international patent agreements. In 2007, he supported the America COMPETES Act and introduced renewable energy legislation in the Energy Independence and Security Act. He currently serves as chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, which has jurisdiction over various federal programs, including NASA, the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Legislation to promote scientific discovery, exploration of space and technological innovation is his focus as chairman of the Science Committee. He also serves on the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees. A fifth-generation Texan, Smith has represented the 21^st Congressional District of Texas since 1986. Previously, he practiced law, managed a family ranch and served in the Texas state legislature and as commissioner in Bexar County.

As director of OSTP, assistant to the president for Science and Technology and co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), Dr. Holdren has championed the roles of scientific research, science education and innovation to revitalize the national economy. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, he was director of the Program on Science, Technology, and Public Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government while also serving as director of the independent Woods Hole Research Center. Previously, at the University of California, Berkeley, he co-founded and co-led a graduate degree program on resources and energy. During the Clinton Administration, Dr. Holdren served as a member of PCAST, where he chaired studies concerning the security of nuclear materials and energy R&D strategy, both domestically and via international collaboration. A member of both the National Academies of Science and Engineering, Dr. Holdren has degrees in aerospace engineering and physics from MIT and Stanford University, and is internationally recognized for his work in science and technology policy, global climate change, and nuclear arms control and nonproliferation.

“ACS created its Public Service Award to recognize the kind of leadership that these gentlemen exemplify, and it is fitting that they will be joining the list of distinguished recipients,” said Wu.

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