A local professor is receiving the nation's highest honors in science and technology.
The White House announced Tuesday UC Santa Barbara's Arthur Gossard, Ph.D., will receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
President Obama's Office said, "The award recognizes those who have made lasting contributions to America's competitiveness and quality of life and helped strengthen the Nation's technological workforce."
Gossard is a a research professor and professor emeritus of materials and of electrical and computer engineering at UCSB. A lot of his work has been with materials that enhance cell phones and satellite receivers.
"It feels great to join this group of people who have in the past received this. So they're people who have made a lot of important contributions in the past," said Gossard. "I feel like it's a real honor to become part of this group of people who've received this thing."
Gossard and 16 other recipients will be honored at the White House early in the new year. A total of eight will receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, and nine people will be honored with the National Medal of Science.
