The National Medal of Technology and Innovation (NMTI) is the nation’s highest honor for technological achievement, bestowed by the president of the United States on America's leading innovators. There were 11 laureates in the 2011 class.
Frances H. Arnold
California Institute of Technology
For pioneering research on biofuels and chemicals that could lead to the replacement of pollution-generating materials.
George Carruthers
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
For invention of the Far UV Electrographic Camera, which significantly improved our understanding of space and earth science.
Robert Langer
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
For inventions and discoveries that led to the development of controlled drug release systems, engineered tissues, angiogenesis inhibitors, and new biomaterials.
Norman R. McCombs
AirSep Corporation
For the development and commercialization of pressure swing adsorption oxygen-supply systems with a wide range of medical and industrial applications that have led to improved health and substantially reduced health care costs.
Gholam A. Peyman
University of Arizona College of Medicine and Arizona Retinal Specialists
For invention of the LASIK surgical technique, and for developing the field of intraocular drug administration and expanding the field of retinal surgery.
Arthur H. Rosenfeld
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy and California Institute Energy and Environment and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
For extraordinary leadership in the development of energy-efficient building technologies and related standards and policies.
Jan T. Vilcek
New York University School of Medicine
For pioneering work on interferons and key contributions to the development of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.
Samuel Blum, Rangaswamy Srinivasan, and James Wynne
IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center
For the pioneering discovery of excimer laser ablative photodecomposition of human and animal tissue, laying the foundation for PRK and LASIK, laser refractive surgical techniques that have revolutionized vision enhancement.
For sustained innovation through the engineering of first-of-a-kind, practical systems in acoustics, signal processing, and information technology.