Washington, DC The National Academy of Sciences has awarded Carnegie president emerita Maxine F. Singer the Public Welfare Medal, the academy's most prestigious honor, for her inspired leadership in science and its application to education and public policy. Each year the academy awards the medal in recognition of an individual's extraordinary commitment to the use of science for public good.
"Maxine has a sterling record of leadership in the scientific community, and embodies the concept of citizen-scientist in every endeavor she undertakes," said current Carnegie president Richard A. Meserve. "She has strengthened Carnegie's legacy, as well as that of every institution with which she has been affiliated, through her tireless dedication to advancing science for the good of humankind. We are truly pleased to offer her our congratulations on this momentous occasion."
Singer is a pioneer of molecular biology and an accomplished leader in science policy. She has championed the cause of women and minorities in science by fostering equal access to education and career opportunities, and has worked tirelessly to improve science education.
As president of the Carnegie Institution from 1988 to 2002, Singer reinforced the institution's position of preeminence among U.S. scientific organizations through innovative programs and initiatives. Highlights of her tenure include spearheading the Magellan Project, which culminated in the construction of the twin Magellan telescopes at Carnegie's Las Campanas Observatory in La Serena, Chile, and the development of the Department of Global Ecology, the institution's first new department in decades.
While at Carnegie, Singer's personal concern for education in the nation's capital led her to establish the Carnegie Academy for Science Education (CASE), a program for D.C. K-12 teachers. CASE works to increase teachers' knowledge of science, while providing them with new methods to teach their studen
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Contact: Matthew Wright
mwright@ciw.edu
202-939-1142
Carnegie Institution
12-Jan-2007