National Academy of Sciences Awards Announced (news item)

<p>NAS</a> Honors 17 for Major Contributions to Science</p>

<p>The National Academy of Sciences has announced its 2010 honorees who are being recognized for their "extraordinary scientific achievements in the areas of biology, chemistry, geology, astronomy, and psychology." </p>

<p>Princeton and the U. of Chicago led the nation, each having three alumni represented among the 17 honorees.</p>

<p>Princeton alumni winners this year were:</p>

<p>NORMAN R. AUGUSTINE (Princeton '57) retired chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corp., is the recipient of the NAS AWARD IN AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING. Augustine is being honored for his service to the nation as a dedicated aeronautical engineer, a leader in the aerospace defense industry, a public servant, a civic leader, and a thought leader in the engineering profession. </p>

<p>MARK TYGERT (Princeton '01) assistant professor in the department of mathematics at New York University’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, is the recipient of the NAS AWARD FOR INITIATIVES IN RESEARCH. Tygert is being honored for his development of fast algorithms in mathematical physics, operator compression, and linear algebra, using deep, innovative ideas based on randomization and harmonic analysis. </p>

<p>MARGARET J. GELLER (Princeton PhD '74), senior scientist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, is the recipient of the JAMES CRAIG WATSON MEDAL. Geller is being honored for her role in critical discoveries concerning the large-scale structure of the universe, for her insightful analyses of galaxies in groups and clusters, and for her being a model in mentoring young scientists.</p>