US: Meet Subra Suresh and Ashok Gadgil, Indian-Americans who received highest scientific award

United States President Joe Biden awarded two Indian-American scientists withthe country's highest scientific honour at the White House on Tuesday (Oct 24).

The two scientists -Ashok Gadgil and Subra Suresh - were awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovational and the National Medal of Science, respectively.

The White House in a statement said, "Today, President Biden is awarding the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to a number of Americans who have made exemplary achievements in science, technology, and innovation to strengthen our nation's well-being."

"It is bestowed by the President of the United States on individuals deserving of special recognition for their outstanding contributions in biology, computer sciences, education sciences, engineering, geosciences, mathematical and physical sciences, and social, behavioural, and economic sciences, in service to the Nation," itadded.

Subra was born in 1956 in Mumbai, India. He completed his Bachelor's in India and later went to Iowa State University in 1979 for his Master's degree in Mechanical engineering. He got his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the guidance of Robert O Ritchie, specialising in materials science in 1981.

In 2010, he was nominated by former US President Barack Obama to head the National Science Foundation and was unanimously confirmed by the US Senate. He led the NSF from 2010 to 2013.

During his tenure he established a number of new initiatives including the Integrated NSF Support Promoting Interdisciplinary Research and Education (INSPIRE); collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Science Across Virtual Institutes (SAVI)and the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps).

Suresh received the Padma Shri award, India's fourth-highest civilian honour, bestowed by the President of India in 2011. Other honours include the 2006 Acta Materialia Gold Medal; the 2007 European Materials Medal, the highest honour awarded by the Federation of European Materials Societies; and the 2011 General President's Gold Medal from the Indian National Science Congress.

Also born in Mumbai, India in 1950, Ashok is the Andrew and Virginia Rudd Family Foundation Distinguished Chair and Professor of Safe Water and Sanitation at the University of California, Berkeley.

He specialises in heat transfer, fluid dynamics and technology for the development. He led a group of 20 researchers at LBNL, conducting experiments and modelling research in indoor airflow and pollutant transport. Most of the work focused on reducing indoor radon concentrations.

Ashok has received several honours including the 2023 "R&D Leader of the Year"; Inaugural Laureate of the Zuckerberg Water Prize in 2022; National Inventors Hall of Fame 2014; 15th Annual Heinz Award 2009; Laureate (Health), The Tech Awards, for UVWaterworks 2004.

The National Medal of Science is the US's highest scientific honour, established by the US Congress in 1959.

(With inputs from agencies)

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