The National Medal of Technology and Innovation
(formerly known as the National Medal of Technology
) is an honor granted by the President of the United States
to American inventors
and innovators who have made significant contributions to the development of new and important technology
. The award may be granted to a specific person, to a group of people or to an entire organization
. It is the highest honor the United States
can confer to a US citizen for achievements related to technological progress.
The National Medal of Technology was created in 1980 by the United States Congress
under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act. It was a bipartisan effort to foster technological innovation and the technological competitiveness of the United States
in the international arena. The first National Medals of Technology were issued in 1985 by then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan
to 12 individuals and one company.. United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Among the first recipients were technology giants like Steve Jobs
and Stephen Wozniak
, founders of Apple Computer
, and AT&T Bell Laboratories
, a veritable powerhouse in technological innovation. The medal has since been awarded annually.
On August 9, 2007, President George Bush signed the America COMPETES (Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science) Act of 2007. The Act amended Section 16 of the Stevenson-Wydler... Read More