National Medal of Technology and Innovation

Biologist Roscoe Brady reacts after U.S. President George W. Bush presented him with a National Medal of Technology and Innovation during an East Room ceremony at the White House September 29, 2008 in Washington, DC. Bush presented the 2007 National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to discoverers and innovators to honor their accomplishments. Established by the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980, the Medal was first awarded in 1985.

The 2007 winners include:

• Paul Baran who invented the packet switching technology used in the transfer of data on the internet.
• David Cutler for contributions to computer architecture through his design of global standards for real-time, personal and server-based operating systems.
• eBay for its pioneering online trade technology, which fostered global entrepreneurship and worldwide Internet growth.
• C. Grant Willson who created novel lithographic imaging materials and techniques that enabled the manufacture of smaller, faster and more efficient microelectronic components.

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images