Editing National Medal of Science (section)

==History==
The National Medal of Science was established on August 25, 1959, by an act of the [[Congress of the United States]] under {{USPL|86|209}}. The medal was originally to honor scientists in the fields of the "physical, biological, mathematical, or engineering sciences". The Committee on the National Medal of Science was established on August 23, 1961, by [[Executive order (United States)|executive order]] 10961 of President [[John F. Kennedy]].<ref>{{cite web |author=John F. Kennedy |title=Executive Order 10961 Providing Procedures for the Award of the National Medal of Science |url=http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/jfkeo/eo/10961.htm |publisher=The White House |date=21 August 1961 |access-date=2007-10-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819012118/http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/jfkeo/eo/10961.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=2007-08-19}}</ref>

On January 7, 1979, the [[American Association for the Advancement of Science]] (AAAS) passed a resolution proposing that the medal be expanded to include the social and behavioral sciences.<ref>{{cite web |author=AAAS Council |title=AAAS Resolution: National Medal of Science |url=http://archives.aaas.org/docs/resolutions.php?doc_id=338 |publisher=American Association for the Advancement of Science |date=7 January 1979 |access-date=2007-10-10}}</ref> In response, [[Ted Kennedy|Senator Ted Kennedy]] introduced the ''Science and Technology Equal Opportunities Act'' into the [[United States Senate|Senate]] on March 7, 1979, expanding the medal to include these scientific disciplines as well. [[Jimmy Carter|President Jimmy Carter]]'s signature enacted this change as Public Law 96-516 on December 12, 1980.

[[File:Von_Kármán_receives_National_Medal_of_Science_(JFKWHP-AR7727-A).jpg|thumb|Presentation of the National Medal of Science to Theodore von Kármán by President Kennedy.]]

In 1992, the National Science Foundation signed a letter of agreement with the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation that made the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation the metaorganization over both the National Medal of Science and the very similar [[National Medal of Technology]].

The first National Medal of Science was awarded on February 18, 1963, for the year 1962 by President John F. Kennedy to [[Theodore von Kármán]] for his work at the [[Caltech]] [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]]. The citation accompanying von Kármán's award reads:

<blockquote>For his leadership in the [[science and engineering]] basic to aeronautics; for his effective teaching and related contributions in many fields of mechanics, for his distinguished counsel to the Armed Services, and for his promoting international cooperation in science and engineering.<ref>{{cite web |title=2008 Call for Nominations through December 7, 2007 |url=https://www.nsf.gov/nsb/awards/nms/recip_details.cfm?recip_id=375 |publisher=National Science Foundation |date=24 September 2007 |access-date=2007-10-10}}</ref></blockquote>

The first woman to receive a National Medal of Science was [[Barbara McClintock]], who was awarded for her work on plant genetics in 1970.<ref name=NSFMcClintock>{{cite web|title=The President's National Medal of Science - U.S. National Science Foundation|url=https://www.nsf.gov/od/nms/recip_details.jsp?recip_id=234|publisher=National Science Foundation|access-date=6 July 2014}}</ref>

The awards ceremony is organized by the Office of Science and Technology Policy. It takes place at the [[White House]] and is presided by the sitting [[United States president]].

Although Public Law 86-209 provides for 20 recipients of the medal per year, it is typical for approximately 8–15 accomplished scientists and engineers to receive this distinction each year. There have been a number of years where no National Medals of Science were awarded. Those years include: 1985, 1984, 1980, 1978, 1977, 1972 and 1971.

President [[Donald J. Trump]] did not confer any National Medals of Science during his presidency.  The last time the medal was awarded before his presidency was on May 19, 2016, when President [[Barack Obama]] conferred the 2013 and 2014 medals.<ref>{{cite web|title=President Obama Honors Nation's Leading Scientists and Innovators|date=19 May 2016 |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/05/19/president-obama-honors-nations-leading-scientists-and-innovators}}</ref> On October 23, 2023, President Joe Biden presented nine Medals of Science and 12 National Medals of Technology and Innovation<ref>{{Cite press release |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/24/president-biden-honors-leading-american-scientists-technologists-and-innovators/ |title=President Biden Honors Leading American Scientists, Technologists, and Innovators |publisher=United States Government |date=October 24, 2023}}</ref> in a ceremony in the [[East Room of the White House]].