Delaware Senator Ted Kaufman Receives ASME President's Award

NEW YORK, April 27, 2010 – In recognition of his extensive work in promoting the expansion of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in the United States, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) presented Senator Ted Kaufman (D-Del.) with the prestigious ASME President’s Award.

ASME President Amos E. Holt, Ph.D., presented the award to Kaufman following the senator’s remarks to the 2010 Engineering Public Policy Symposium held last week in Washington D.C. The 8th annual symposium, attended by leaders from the nation’s engineering societies, featured legislative priorities related to energy, research and STEM education.

“I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to tackle STEM issues as a United States senator. Receiving an honor like this from an organization of my peers is a wonderful and unexpected bonus,” said Kaufman, the only U.S. Senator to have worked as an engineer.

Established in 1998, the ASME President’s Award provides an opportunity for the office of the president of ASME to present special recognition to companies, organizations or to prominent individuals who have demonstrated significant contributions to the engineering profession.

“Since taking office in January 2009, Senator Kaufman has championed engineering education and the expansion of STEM fields, promoting policies that encourage women and underrepresented minorities to enter engineering. He has our sincere appreciation for inspiring a new generation of young people to pursue engineering,” said Holt.

Since taking office last year, Kaufman has led the expansion of STEM education programs. Together with Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), he recently introduced the Engineering Education for Innovation Act, a bipartisan legislation to authorize competitive planning and implementation grants to states to integrate engineering education in K-12 instruction and curriculum.

In June 2009, Kaufman introduced the STEM Education Coordination Act, a bill to establish a committee under the National Science and Technology Council to better coordinate federal STEM education programs and activities. The senator was also instrumental in securing $400,000 to fund research and extension grants to women and minorities in STEM fields as part of a spending bill signed into law last year.

“I believe the key to the future of our country, and the world, rests on the United States’ ability to use STEM to solve the major problems we face. ASME’s continued support is critical to ensuring we have a sound innovation policy that helps generate greater interest in these fields and actually leads to the training and graduation of more engineers,” said Kaufman.

Sen. Kaufman joins a distinguished group of past ASME President’s Award recipients, which include Sheila E. Widnall, Daniel S. Goldin, Dean Kamen, Shirley Ann Jackson, Rep. Rush Holt, Westinghouse Electric Company, U.S. Naval Academy and the Apollo 11 astronauts among others.

About ASME ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world.

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