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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release September 12, 1996

       PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES THREE MEMBERS TO THE PRESIDENT'S 
              COMMITTEE ON THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF SCIENCE

President Clinton today announced his intention to appoint three members to the President's Committee on the National Medal of Science. The National Medal of Science was created by statute to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science and engineering.

The President is announcing the appointment of the following individuals:

Kenneth J. Arrow of Stanford, California. Dr. Arrow is the Joan Kenny Professor of Economics Emeritus at Stanford University. He was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic science in 1972, and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Arrow holds a B.S. in Social Science from City College, New York. He received his M.A. in mathematics and Ph.D. in economics from Columbia University. He will represent the area of economics.

Elsa Garmire of Hanover, New Hampshire. Dr. Garmire is Dean of the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and is the past-president of the Optical Society of America. Dr. Garmire received her A.B. in physics from Harvard University (Radcliffe College) and her Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Garmire will represent the area of engineering.

Joan Argetsinger Steitz of Branford, Connecticut. Dr. Steitz is the Henry Ford II Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and was also awarded the national Medal of Science in 1986. Dr. Steitz holds a B.S. in chemistry from Antioch College and a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Harvard University. Dr. Steitz will represent the area of life sciences.

The President's Committee on the National Medal of Science reviews nominations and assists in deciding recipients of the National Medal of Science. This is a highly prestigious award and compares favorably with Nobel awards in science.

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