 Thank you very much and welcome to the White House. One of the pleasures of this job is being able to meet individuals who are contributing to our country and, yes, bettering all of mankind as well. And that is, of course, the ultimate goal of technology and science, a quest for bettering the human condition. So today it's a great pleasure for me to honor some champions of progress, some American heroes of technology and science. One of the advantages of being my age, and believe me my birthday cake is beginning to look more like a celestial phenomenon every year, is that it provides a perspective that can't help but lead one to be optimistic about the future of our country in the direction of the human race. I've already lived some 23 years longer than was projected when I was born. That's a source of consternation in certain circles, but I'm still here as are other people because during the intervening years men and women of science have made enormous strides combating diseases, bolstering health, lengthening the lifespan and improving the quality of living. I remember when I was in high school we were still being taught about the predictions of a 19th century economist named Malthus, who calculated that by now mankind would be suffering catastrophic shortages of food in the necessities of life. Over the last 200 years there have been a number of experts like him who made their reputation, earned a living forecasting planetary gloom and doom, but the people we honor today are among those who make their living seeing to it that those dire predictions will never come true. You see what the pessimists rarely take into account is the potential of human intelligence and ingenuity to overcome problems. The most vital factor in maintaining man's environment and ensuring that the needs of the earth's population are taken care of is human freedom. It's freedom that energizes the creative spirit of mankind to meet the immense challenges of our modern age. If you believe in freedom and see what the people have accomplished in just one lifetime, you can't help but be optimistic. Our founding fathers were just such people, and as Jefferson wrote, I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. Benjamin Franklin once wrote, I have sometimes almost wished it had been my destiny to be born two or three centuries hence, for invention and improvement are prolific and beget more of their kind. The present progress is rapid. Many of great importance, now unthought of, will before that period be produced, and then I might not only enjoy their advantages, but have my curiosity gratified in knowing what there to be. Well, after reading the accomplishments of those we honor today, I couldn't help but feel like Franklin, and wish that I were going to be around to see where we were headed, let us say a hundred years from now. It was just fifty years ago that Lindbergh flew nonstop from New York to Paris, a feat that was applauded the world over. It took him thirty-three and a half hours. Today we make that same run on a plane carrying four hundred passengers and do it in about seven hours. And now we're conducting research for an aerospace plane which will cover the distance in forty-five minutes. Lindbergh, like Jefferson, was a dreamer, a man who pushed back the frontiers. There's a story about a father and his young son who visit the Air and Space Museum here in Washington, and there, hanging in all its glory, is Lindbergh's airplane, the Spirit of St. Louis. The boy asked his father, was it difficult for Lindbergh to fly across the Atlantic all alone? His father said it would have been harder with a committee. The recipients of this year's national medals of science and technology, I'm certain, have had to overcome a variety of obstacles. Yet with diligence and dedication they persevered. They put their genius to work and the results are phenomenal. This year's recipients include individuals who have made contributions in agricultural biochemistry, magnetic resonance imaging, advanced mathematics, causes and treatments of diseases, geotechnical engineering, semiconductors, communication satellites, and much, much more. These individuals have been in the front lines of the battle for national competitiveness and productivity. They and their colleagues are keeping American in pace and in many cases out front. These are the dreamers, the builders, the men and women who are the heroes of the modern age. Our country's greatest asset is not our vast expanse of land and not our abundant resources or our temperate climate. Instead what will serve America most in the years ahead, our most precious possession, is the genius of our people. It'll be the inventions, the ideas, the innovations developed by our fellow Americans like those we honor today that will not only keep us competitive but enable us to beat the competition. That's one of the reasons we've taken care to pay them the tribute that they deserve. Now Secretary Baldritch, my science advisor Dr. Graham will now announce the recipients and I will present the awards. Thank you, Mr. President. The National Medal of Technology Awards for 1987 are as follows. Joseph V. Sherrick, pioneer of international communications, the founder and the president of Comsat Corporation. And next Mr. President is a former, I'm very proud to say as a former employee of the Commerce Department who went on to great things. Dr. Edwards Deming, the internationally known developer, father really of statistical quality control and a former Commerce Department employee, as I said from 1939 to 1945, his daughter will be accepting the award for him, Linda Deming, helped. John E. France, pioneer and environmentally safe methods of noxious weed and pest control, Mr. France. Dr. Robert N. Noyce, one of the fathers and developer of the integrated circuit and microprocessor, Dr. Noyce. Mr. President, that concludes the awards of the National Medal of Technology. Mr. President, the recipients of the National Medal of Science for 1987 are Philip Abelson, former editor science magazine for his pathbreaking contributions in radiochemistry, physics, geophysics, biophysics and biochemistry. Anne Anastasi, professor emeritus, Fordham University for her work in the development of the discipline of differential psychology as a behavioral science. Robert Byrd, professor of chemical engineering, University of Wisconsin for his profoundly influential books and research on kinetic theory, transport phenomena and the behavior of polymeric fluids. Raul Botte, professor of mathematics, Harvard University in recognition of his profound studies in the topology of Lee groups and differential geometry over many decades. Michael DeBakey, director, DeBakey Heart Center, Baylor College of Medicine for his pioneering medical innovations throughout his medical career and his unique ability to bring his professional knowledge to bear on public policy. Theodore Deener, research plant pathologist, Beltsville Agricultural Center, USDA for the discovery of viroids, the smallest known agent of infectious disease. Harry Eagle, director, Cancer Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine for his research in the development of reproducible conditions for the growth and culture of human and animal cells. Walter L. Sasser, professor of physics, Johns Hopkins University for his fundamental and lasting contributions to physics, meteorology and geophysics. Michael Friedman, professor of mathematics, University of California, San Diego for his proof of the Poincaré conjecture in dimension four, one of the great achievements in mathematics in this century. Accepting the award for professor Friedman is his father, Dr. Benedict Friedman. William Johnson, professor emeritus Stanford University for his outstanding achievements in organic synthesis, notably in the stereoselective total synthesis of steroids. Gobine Carana, professor of biology and chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology for his innovative contributions that significantly contributed to our understanding of gene structure, membrane function and vision. Paul Lauterberg, professor, College of Medicine, University of Illinois for first proposing and demonstrating the use of magnetic resonance imaging to form images of living systems. Rita Levy Montalcini, director, laboratory of cell biology, Rome, Italy for a major breakthrough in neurobiology by her discovery of the nerve growth factor and its effect on the growth of the sympathetic nervous system. George Paik, group vice president of Xerox Corporation for his commitment to creative excellence in support of institutional purpose as a research scientist, physics teacher, university administrator and corporate executive. H. Bolton Seed, professor of civil engineering, University of California, Berkeley, for his pioneering contributions to the arts and science of civil engineering. George Stigler, professor emeritus, University of Chicago, for his efforts to advance the understanding of industry, its internal organization and its relation to government. Walter Stockmeyer, professor emeritus, Dartmouth College, for his fundamental contributions to the physical chemistry of high polymers. Max Tischler, professor emeritus, Wesleyan University, for his profound contributions to the nation's health and for the impact of his research on the practice of chemistry. James Van Allen, professor emeritus, University of Iowa, for his central role in the exploration of outer space, including the discoveries of the magnetospheres of the earth, Jupiter and a Saturn. Ernst Weber, professor emeritus, Polytechnic University of New York, for his distinguished and pioneering contributions to electrical engineering and allied areas and as an educator, researcher and entrepreneur. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. This concludes our ceremony and you're invited to join us in the Indian Treaty Room in the old executive office building for refreshments. Thank you, Mr. President. None don't walk to the nearest shade.