Lifetime BDPA Member, Dr. Juan E. Gilbert, receives National Medal of Technology and Innovation

WASHINGTON—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.
 
The National Medal of Science is the nation’s highest scientific honor. Established by Congress in 1959 and administered by the U.S. National Science Foundation, 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, behavioral, and economic sciences, in service to the Nation.

The National Medal of Technology and Innovation is the nation’s highest award for technological achievement. It recognizes American innovators whose vision, intellect, creativity, and determination have strengthened America’s economy and improved our quality of life. Established by Congress and administered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the first Medal of Technology was presented in 1985.
 
President Biden often says that America can be defined in a single word: possibilities. Those who earn these awards embody the promise of America by pushing the boundaries of what is possible. These trailblazers have harnessed the power of science and technology to tackle challenging problems and deliver innovative solutions for Americans, and for communities around the world.
 
These medalists have made discoveries that enable lifesaving medical treatments, help fight the opioid epidemic, improve food security, advance accessibility, protect our democracy, and much more. Their accomplishments advance American leadership in science, technology, and innovation, and their work inspires the next generation of American minds. The recipients are listed below.

Recipients of the National Medal of Science

• Huda Akil, University of Michigan
• Barry C. Barish, California Institute of Technology
• Gebisa Ejeta, Purdue University
• Eve E. Marder, Brandeis University
• Gregory A. Petsko, Harvard Medical School, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
• Myriam Sarachik, (posthumously) The City College of New York
• Subra Suresh, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brown University
• Shelley E. Taylor, University of California, Los Angeles
• Sheldon Weinbaum, The City College of New York

Recipients of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation

• Mary-Dell Chilton, Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc.
• John M. Cioffi, Stanford University, ASSIA, Inc.
• Rory A. Cooper, University of Pittsburgh, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• Ashok Gadgil, University of California, Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• Juan E. Gilbert, University of Florida
• Charles W. Hull, 3D Systems
• Jeong H. Kim, Kiswe Mobile, Inc.
• Steven A. Rosenberg, National Cancer Institute
• Neil Gilbert Siegel, University of Southern California
• James G. Fujimoto and Eric Swanson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and David Huang, Oregon Health & Science University (team) 

One of this year’s distinguished recipients of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation is Dr. Juan E. Gilbert. Dr. Gilbert has been a member of BDPA (formerly known as Black Data Processing Associates) since 1995. He is the Andrew Banks Family Preeminence Endowed Professor and Chair of the Computer & Information Science & Engineering Department at the University of Florida where he leads the Human Experience
Research Lab. Dr. Gilbert has research projects in election security/usability/accessibility, advanced learning technologies, usability and accessibility, Broadening Participation in Computing, Human-Centered AI/machine learning (AiML) and Ethnocomputing (Culturally Relevant Computing).

He has published more than 250 articles, given more than 250 talks and obtained more than $28 million dollars in research funding. He is an ACM Fellow, a Fellow of the American Association of the Advancement of Science and a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

In 2012, Dr. Gilbert received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring from President Barack Obama. He also received the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2014 Mentor Award. Dr. Gilbert received the 2021 ACM SIGCHI Social Impact Award. He received the 2018 Computer Research Association’s A. Nico Habermann Award. He was also named a 2015-2106 AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassador, Speech Technology Luminary by Speech Technology Magazine and a national role model by Minority Access Inc.

Dr. Gilbert was named a Master of Innovation by Black Enterprise Magazine, a Modern-Day Technology Leader by the Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) Conference, the Pioneer of the Year by the National Society of Black Engineers and he received an Epsilon Award from BDPA for Outstanding Technical Contribution.

Dr. Gilbert has served on 3 National Academies consensus committees, “The Role of Authentic STEM Learning Experiences in Developing Interest and Competencies for Technology and Computing”, “The Science of Effective Mentoring in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine, and Mathematics (STEMM)” and “The Future of Voting: Accessible, Reliable, Verifiable Technology” Dr. Gilbert received his MS and PhD degrees in computer science from the University of Cincinnati. He also received his BS in Systems Analysis from Miami University in Ohio.

Dr. Gilbert is featured on page 26 of your 2023 Black History special edition of bdpatoday^®.

_{— Sources and photos: The White House, ACM, BDPA, University of Florida}

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