Last week, President Obama named Steve Benkovic, Evan Pugh Professor and Eberly Chair in Chemistry, as a recipient of the National Medal for Science. The National Medal of Science, awarded by the National Science Foundation, is the nation’s highest award for achievement  in science.

According to a press release issued by the Eberly College of Science, the award “honors individuals for pioneering scientific research in a range of fields that enhance our understanding of the world and lead to innovations and technologies that give the United States its global economic edge.”

Obama commented, “The extraordinary accomplishments of these scientists, engineers, and inventors are a testament to American industry and ingenuity. Their achievements have redrawn the frontiers of human knowledge while enhancing American prosperity, and it is my tremendous pleasure to honor them for their important contributions.”

Steve Benkovic has been teaching at Penn State since 1965 and has been holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Chemistry since 1986. His work is continually considered to be at the forefront of research at the interface of chemistry and biology, and he is considered to be among the most prominent mechanistic enzymologists (no, I don’t know what that means either) in the world.