Maureen Groppe

mgroppe@gannett.com

WASHINGTON – The amount of brainpower in the East Room of the White House on Thursday afternoon was astonishing, President Barack Obama told this year’s recipients of the nation’s highest honor for scientific and technological achievement — including Purdue University’s Nancy Ho.

“But when you talk to these brilliant men and women, it’s clear the honor has not yet gone to their heads,” Obama said. “They still put their lab coats on one arm at a time.”

Ho, a research professor emerita in Purdue University’s School of Chemical Engineering, didn’t wear her lab coat to receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Instead, she stood out from the 16 other winners in her "Purdue Old Gold and Black" jacket and pants.

The audience members included former Purdue University President France Córdova, now director of the National Science Foundation.

Ho is the third Purdue faculty member to receive the national technology medal.

She was recognized for improving industrial microorganisms to effectively produce biofuels from plant materials such as corn stalks, wheat straws, wood and grasses.

Ho founded the startup Green Tech America Inc. at Purdue Research Park to produce and market the special yeast.

“She is an exceptional researcher who has made an enormous contribution to science and technology,” Purdue President Mitch Daniels said in a statement.

Ho said after the White House ceremony that she tells young people to just “work hard and do your best.”

“We never expect recognition just for that, but some recognition will come,” she said.

Ho, who began working at Purdue in 1971 after earning a doctoral degree in molecular biology there, encourages others to get involved in science and technology.

“Other fields are important, too,” she said, “but this is more for society, for developing useful things.”

Obama’s citation said Ho’s work will lead to large-scale and cost-effective production of renewable biofuels and industrial chemicals.

“There are few better examples for our young people to follow than the Americans we honor today,” Obama said. “Science rocks.”

Obama announced at the ceremony the creation of a “Kid Science Advisors” campaign for young scientists and innovators to suggest ways to inspire the next generation.

“Immersing young people in science, math, engineering — that’s what’s going to carry the American spirit of innovation through the 21st century and beyond,” he said.

Created in 1980, the National Medal of Technology recognizes those who have made lasting contributions to America’s competitiveness and quality of life, and helped strengthen the nation’s technological workforce. An independent committee representing the private and public sectors submits recommendations to the president.

The achievements of some of this year’s other winners include breakthroughs in medical devices, bioelectronics used in medicine, microelectronics and next generation DNA-sequencing technologies.

Ho had previously been honored for her work by former President George W. Bush, who invited Ho to be a guest at his 2007 State of the Union address.

Email Maureen Groppe at mgroppe@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @mgroppe.

Purdue professor to receive White House award