President Honors Outstanding Science, Math, Engineering Mentors

President Obama today named 11 individuals and 4 organizations as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. The mentors will receive their awards at a White House ceremony next week. The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring, awarded by the White House each year to individuals or organizations, recognize the crucial role that mentoring plays in the academic and personal development of students studying science or engineering—particularly those who belong to groups that are underrepresented in those fields. By offering their expertise and encouragement, mentors help prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers while ensuring that tomorrow’s innovators reflect the full diversity of the United States. Candidates for the Presidential Mentoring Awards are nominated by colleagues, administrators, and students in their home institutions. The mentoring can involve students at any grade level from elementary through graduate school. In addition to being honored at the White House, recipients receive awards of $10,000 to advance their mentoring efforts. “These individuals and organizations have gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that the United States remains on the cutting edge of science and engineering for years to come,” President Obama said. “Their devotion to the educational enrichment and personal growth of their students is remarkable, and these awards represent just a small token of our enormous gratitude.” The individuals and organizations receiving the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring this year are: · Richard L. Cardenas, St. Mary’s University, TX · Anthony Carpi, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, NY · Isaac J. Crumbly, Fort Valley State University, GA · Jo Handelsman, Yale University, CT · Douglass L. Henderson, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI · Bruce A. Jackson, Massachusetts Bay Community College, MA · Marigold L. Linton, University of Kansas, KS · Maja J. Matarić, University of Southern California, CA · Gerard F. R. Parkin, Columbia University, NY · Julio J. Ramirez, Davidson College, NC · Michelle A. Williams, University of Washington, WA · Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ · Baccalaureate and Beyond Community College Mentoring Program, State University of New York, Purchase College, NY · Grinnell Science Project, Grinnell College, IA · Women in Science and Engineering Mentoring Initiatives, Center for Research on Women and Gender, University of Illinois-Chicago, IL