Jane Lerner

jlerner@lohud.com

Director of Columbia University%27s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory awarded a National Medal of Science

Rockland scientist Sean Solomon known for his work on Mars%2C Mercury missions

He and other award winners will receive medals in a White House ceremony later this year.

The director of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades today was awarded a National Medal of Science by President Barack Obama.

Sean C. Solomon is one of 19 new recipients of the National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology and Innovation— the nation's highest honors for achievement and leadership in advancing the fields of science and technology, according to the White House.

He was given a medal by the president in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.

During the ceremony, Obama praised the scientists for their "spirit of restless inquiry" and their "search for the right solution to any problem."

"The work of the people here today changed our world," he said.

Solomon has been director of the Earth Observatory, a division of Columbia University, since 2012.

He heads NASA's Messenger mission to Mercury. Solomon also helped send spacecraft to Venus and Mars.

"It's about going to the neighborhood of our inner solar system, a neighborhood that includes our planet, and learning how that neighborhood evolved," Solomon told The Journal News in 2012.

"These scholars and innovators have expanded our understanding of the world, made invaluable contributions to their fields, and helped improve countless lives," Obama said in a statement. "Our nation has been enriched by their achievements, and by all the scientists and technologists across America dedicated to discovery, inquiry, and invention."

Solomon grew up in California. As a 5-year-old, he learned to impress adults by replying "paleontologist" when asked the inevitable question about his future.

Physics held his interest for a while, as did Earth science and seismology. But as an undergraduate at the California Institute of Technology in the 1960s, TV images of the space program caught his attention.

Staff writer Michael Risinit contributed information for this report.

Twitter: @JaneLernerNY