AAAS Honors Scientific Achievement

The American Association for the Advancement of Science honored scientists and engineers at its annual meeting last February in Boston.

Among the recipients was Günther Bauer, head of the semiconductor physics group at the University of Linz in Austria. He received the AAAS Award for International Scientific Cooperation for his “scientific accomplishments in the field of semiconductor physics, his outstanding work in institution-building and collaboration with numerous scientists across political and national boundaries, and [his] promotion of equal opportunities for women in physics.” The award included a cash prize of $2500.

Ian Stewart, a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick in the UK, won the AAAS Award for Public Understanding of Science and Technology “for sustained achievement in public understanding of science and technology; his efforts have had an international impact.” According to the AAAS, he has “become known for his popular science writing on mathematical themes and for furthering the public understanding of science.” Stewart’s research interests include the effects of symmetry on dynamics, with applications to pattern formation and chaos theory, in the areas of animal locomotion, fluid dynamics, mathematical biology, electronic circuits, computer vision, and intelligent control of spring coiling machines. The award included a cash prize of $5000.

The AAAS Lifetime Achievement Award went to William T. Golden for “a lifetime of leadership, counsel, and support in the advancement of science.” The association noted that “Golden has dedicated his career to advancing science, science policy, and science education…. He is most recognized for his work under the Truman administration, when he established the post of Science Adviser to the President, and the related Office of Science and Technology.” He is the chairman emeritus of the American Museum of Natural History.