2 September 2013

Call for Nominations: 2014 Vannevar Bush & Public Service Awards

Richard Fienberg

Richard Fienberg American Astronomical Society

The National Science Board (NSB) is seeking nominations for the 2014 Vannevar Bush Award and the 2014 Public Service Awards. Nominations are due Wednesday, 30 October 2013.

Vannevar Bush Award

The Vannevar Bush Award honors exceptional, lifelong science and technology leaders. Award recipients have made substantial contributions to the welfare of the nation, by both expanding the frontiers of science and technology and serving as champions of science in the public sphere.

Established in 1980, the award commemorates Vannevar Bush, a science advisor to President Roosevelt during World War II. The driving force behind creation of the National Science Foundation, Bush helped establish peacetime federal funding for science and engineering as a national priority.

Candidates for the Vannevar Bush award must be U.S. citizens and must have demonstrated outstanding leadership and accomplishment in meeting at least two of the following selection criteria:

  • Distinguished him/herself through public service activities in science and technology;
  • Pioneered the exploration, charting and settlement of new frontiers in science, technology, education and public service;
  • Demonstrated leadership and creativity that inspired others to distinguished careers in science and technology;
  • Contributed to the welfare of the nation and mankind through activities in science and technology;
  • Demonstrated leadership and creativity that has helped mold the history of advancements in the nation's science, technology and education.

Recent recipients include physicist and former NSF Director Neal Lane; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson; former Lockheed Martin CEO Norman Augustine; and Leon Lederman, director emeritus of Fermilab. Renowned science leaders Glenn Seaborg, Maxine Singer, and Linus Pauling have also been awardees, along with many more.

Detailed nomination instructions can be found on the Vannevar Bush Award website.

Public Service Award

The NSB Public Service Award honors individuals and groups that have made substantial contributions to increasing public understanding of science and engineering in the United States. These contributions may be in a wide variety of areas, including mass media, social media, education, training programs and entertainment.

Two awards are typically given each year: one to an individual and one to a company, corporation or organization. Members of the U.S. government are not eligible to receive the award.

Candidates should have demonstrated outstanding leadership and accomplishment in meeting the following selection criteria:

  • Increased public understanding of science and engineering processes through discovery, innovation and public communication;
  • Encouraged others to raise public understanding of science and technology;
  • Promoted engagement of scientists and engineers in public outreach and scientific literacy;
  • Contributed to the development and support of broad science and engineering policy;
  • Influenced and encouraged the next generation of scientists and engineers;
  • Achieved broad recognition outside of the candidate's area of specialization;
  • Fostered awareness of science and technology among broad segments of the population.

Neurologist and author Oliver Sacks, the PBS-TV series "NOVA," "Science Friday" host Ira Flatow, and San Francisco's Exploratorium are all past recipients of the Public Service Award. A complete list of recipients, as well as nomination instructions, can be found on the award website.

For more information, contact Jessica Arriens or Ann Ferrante at NSF. 

— Adapted from a National Science Foundation (NSF) press release.