National Medal of Technology and Innovation
The National Medal of Technology and Innovation (NMTI) is the nation’s highest honor for technological achievement, bestowed by the president of the United States on America's leading innovators.
The medal is awarded to individuals, teams (up to four individuals), companies or divisions of companies for their outstanding contributions to America’s economic, environmental and social well-being. The purpose of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation is to recognize those who have made lasting contributions to America's competitiveness, standard of living, and quality of life through technological innovation, and to recognize those who have made substantial contributions to strengthening the nation's technological workforce.
By highlighting the national importance of technological innovation, the medal is also meant to inspire future generations of Americans to prepare for and pursue technical careers to keep America at the forefront of global technology and economic leadership.
Jan Achenbach (2003)
McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
Jan Achenbach has made groundbreaking contributions to research on waves and vibrations in solid propellants, dynamic behavior of composite materials, dynamic effects on fracture, and applied ultrasonic methods for the measurement of elastic properties of thin films by acoustic microscopy, as well as for the detection of fatigue cracks and corrosion in aircraft, and recently for probabilistic methods of structural health monitoring. He is the Walter P. Murphy and Distinguished McCormick School Professor Emeritus of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, and Mechanical Engineering.
