Search Begins For

Virginia’s Outstanding Scientist

and

Virginia’s Outstanding Industrialist

 

RICHMOND – The Science Museum of Virginia and the Commonwealth of Virginia are conducting their annual statewide search for Virginia’s Outstanding Scientist and Virginia’s Outstanding Industrialist of 2008.

 

            These prestigious awards were created in 1984 to recognize and honor the excellence of scientific research and the strength of leadership in business and industry throughout the Commonwealth. Nominees have a tie to Virginia either through birth, work and/or the effect of that work on Virginia.

 

            Virginia’s Outstanding Scientist is selected for a recent contribution to basic scientific research that extends the boundaries of any field of science. To qualify a contribution should be easily recognizable as a significant advance of knowledge or a technological development.

 

            Virginia’s Outstanding Industrialist is selected for a distinct contribution to a business or industry that has advanced business development through the innovative use of science or technology. Consideration will also be given to the individual’s service to the community.

 

An individual may also be honored for a lifetime of achievement in science or industry. This award is not given on an annual basis, but at the discretion of the jurors. An individual may also be awarded the Beverly Orndorff Award for Exceptional Service to Public Understanding of Science. This award is also not given on an annual basis, but at the discretion of the jurors.

 

Nominations will be accepted by the Science Museum of Virginia through 5 p.m., November 15, 2007.  The awards presentation is scheduled for Thursday, April 17, 2008. Information on the program and nomination packets may be obtained by accessing the Science Museum of Virginia’s Scientist and Industrialist web site www.smv.org/osi  or by calling 804-864-1499.

 

Virginia’s Outstanding Scientist recipients include Steven Grant, M.D., George Milton Hornberger, Ph.D. and M. Patrick McCormick, Ph.D. (2007); John T. Povlishock, Ph.D. and Cindy Lee Van Dover, Ph.D. (2006); Michael F. Hochella, Jr., Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Hadis Morkoc, Virginia Commonwealth University, (2005) Anatoly V. Radyushkin, Ph.D., Old Dominion University, Harvey A. Schenkein, DDS, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University, John J. Tyson, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2004); Gordon D. Ginder, M.D., Massey Cancer Center, Richmond, and Cynthia M. Jones, Ph.D., Old Dominion University, Norfolk; (2003); David G. I. Kingston, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg and Aaron I. Vinik, M.D., Ph.D. Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk (2002); Richard O. Claus, Ph.D., Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, and Francis Sellers, M.D., Ph.D., National Institutes of Health (2001); Neal Castagnoli Jr., Ph.D., Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, and John Christian Herr, Ph.D., University of Virginia, Charlottesville (2000); Donald J. Abraham, Ph.D. and Billy R. Martin, Ph.D. both of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond (1999); Hermann A. Grunder, Ph.D., Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News (1998); and Thomas F. Gallagher, Ph.D. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, and James E. McGrath, Ph.D., Virginia Tech, Blacksburg (1997).

 

Former Outstanding Industrialist recipients include Ernst Volgenau, Ph.D. (2007); Jack L. Ezzell, Jr. (2006); Richard D. Fairbank, Capital One Financial Corporation (2005), John S. Langford, Ph.D., Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, Kent A. Murphy, Ph.D., Luna Innovations Inc. (2004); David R. Goode, Norfolk Southern Railroad, Norfolk (2003); Stephen M. Case, AOL Time Warner, Dulles (2002) G. Gilmer Minor III, Owens & Minor, Richmond (2001); John B. Adams Jr. and Mike Hughes Jr., the Martin Agency, Richmond (2000); Edward H. Bershoff, Ph.D., BTG Inc., Fairfax (1999); Richard T. Cheng, Ph.D., Eastern Computers, Inc., Virginia Beach (1998); and Hugh Stallard, Bell Atlantic-Virginia, Richmond (1997).

 

Among those who have been honored for Life Achievement in Science are Duncan M. Porter, Ph.D. (2006); Ali Nasan Nayfeh, Virginia Polytechnic Institute (2005), Lemont B. Kier, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University (2004); William L. Dewey, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, William Jennings Hargis, Jr., College of William and Mary, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester, Michael Menaker, Ph.D., University of Virginia, Charlottesville, John Dirk Walecka, Ph.D., College of William and Mary, Williamsburg (2003); Walter Lawrence Jr., M.D., Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond (2002); Joseph F. Borzelleca, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond (2001); Howard W. Jones, M.D. and Georgeanna Seegar Jones, M.D., Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk (1998); Louis S. Harris, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, and Oscar L. Miller Jr., Ph.D., University of Virginia, Charlottesville (1997); S. Gaylen Bradley, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond (1996); and John H. Gibbons, Ph.D., Office of the President, U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy, Washington, D.C. (1995).

 

E. Morgan Massey, Evan Energy Investment (2005), Beverley W. Armstrong, CCA Industries Inc. (2004); G. T. Halpin, WEST*GROUP, McLean, Virginia (2003); Stanley F. Pauley, Carpenter Company, Richmond (2001); J. Carter Fox, Chesapeake Corporation, Richmond (1999); Charles W. Wampler Jr., WLR Foods, Harrisonburg (1997); Joe T. May, Electronic Instrumentation & Technology, Sterling (1996); and Jack H. Ferguson, Virginia Power, Richmond (1995), are among the recipients of the Life Achievement in Industry Award.

 

Beverly Orndorff Award for Exceptional Service to Public Understanding of Science awarded to Richard James Rezba, Ph.D. in 2007, Hans Christian von Baeyer in 2005 and Bev Orndorff in 1998.

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