President Clinton said that "these awardees will serve as examples to their colleagues and will be leaders in the national effort to train the next century's scientists, mathematicians, and engineers."

Producing the world's finest scientists and engineers for the 21st century and helping all Americans achieve basic scientific literacy are two central goals of the Administration's science and technology policy. The White House established the mentoring awards as one strategy to achieve the goal of developing a pool of highly trained scientists and engineers that reflects the nation's diverse population.

The award -- which will be administered annually by the National Science Foundation -- includes a $10,000 grant and a Presidential commemorative certificate. It is made to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding and sustained mentoring and provided effective guidance to a significant number of students at the K-12, undergraduate, or graduate level. Institutions that have enabled a substantial number of students from groups traditionally under-represented in science, mathematics and engineering to earn degrees also are eligible. Approximately 10 individual and 10 institutional awards are expected to be made every year.

The 1996 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring awardees are:

Individuals

Martha G. Absher, Duke University, Durham, NC
Howard G. Adams, National Institute on Mentoring, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Diola Bagayoko, Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA
Joaquin Bustoz, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Carlos G. Gutierrez, California State University-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Janet S. Herman, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Susan J. S. Lasser, Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Melvin B. Robin, Science High School, Newark, NJ
Walter S. Smith, University of Akron, Akron, OH
Richard A. Tapia, Rice University, Houston, TX

Institutions

Columbia University Double Discovery Center, New York, NY
(Kevin C. Matthews accepting)

Dartmouth College Women in Science Project, Hanover, NH
(Mary L. Pavone accepting)

National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc. (NACME), New York, NY
(George Campbell, Jr. accepting)

New Mexico MESA, Inc., Albuquerque, NM
(Evangeline Sandoval Trujillo accepting)

Oregon Graduate Institute of Science & Technology Saturday Academy Program, Portland, OR
(Kathryn G. Whitney accepting)

University of Maryland Baltimore County, MD
(Freeman A. Hrabowski, III accepting)