President Obama today named nine individuals and eight organizations as recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. The mentors will receive their awards at a White House ceremony later this year.

Administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring is awarded by the White House to individuals and organizations in recognition of the crucial role that mentoring plays in the academic and personal development of students studying science and engineering–particularly those who belong to groups that are underrepresented in these fields. By offering their expertise and encouragement, mentors help prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers while ensuring that tomorrow’s innovators reflect and benefit from the diverse talent of the United States.

Colleagues, administrators and students in their home institutions nominate candidates for the award. 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 $25,000 from NSF to advance their mentoring efforts.

The mentors and organizations announced today represent the winners for 2010 and 2011.

“Through their commitment to education and innovation, these individuals and organizations are playing a crucial role in the development of our 21st century workforce,” President Obama said. “Our nation owes them a debt of gratitude for helping ensure that America remains the global leader in science and engineering for years to come.”

The individuals and organizations receiving the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring are:

2010

Solomon Bililign, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, N.C.
Peggy Cebe, Tufts University, Mass.
Roy Clarke, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich.
Amelito Enriquez, Canada College, Calif.
Karen Panetta, Tufts University, Mass.
ACE Mentor Program of America, Conn.
Ocean Discovery Institute, Calif.
Women’s Health Science Program for High School Girls and Beyond, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Ill.

2011

Winston Anderson, Howard University, Washington, D.C.
Juan E. Gilbert, Clemson University, S.C.
Shaik Jeelani, Tuskegee University, Ala.
Andrew Tsin, University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas
Camp Reach, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Mass.
Diversity Programs in Engineering, Cornell University, N.Y.
The Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute, Arizona State University, Ariz.
The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program, Stanford University, Calif.
University of California San Francisco Science & Health Education Partnership High School Intern Program, Calif.

-NSF-

Media Contacts
Maria C. Zacharias, NSF (703) 292-8454 mzachari@nsf.gov