A longtime supporter of scientific research conducted at universities in New Jersey and across the nation, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) was awarded for his leadership Friday by Rutgers University, Princeton University and The Science Coalition.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick Chancellor Christopher Molloy joined Pablo Debenedetti, dean for research at Princeton University, to present Pallone with The Science Coalition's Champion of Science Award at a conference hosted by Rutgers' Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS).
Molloy praised the congressman, a Rutgers Law school alumnus, for his longstanding support of the university and his commitment to environmental science and medical research.
"Representative Pallone's steadfast commitment to science has been integral to the success of research at Rutgers," Molloy said. "Our university is the number one recipient in New Jersey of funding from NIH, and Rep. Pallone has been a fierce advocate in ensuring this crucial partnership continues. We could not be more grateful and proud to present him with this award."
Throughout his congressional career, Pallone has advocated for doubling the budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As then-ranking member on the Energy and Commerce Committee, he was a key proponent of the 21st Century Cures Act, which added over $2 billion to the NIH budget. Now as chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, he has strongly supported various research initiatives to combat the opioid epidemic, increase research into cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as encourage the development and deployment of new technologies to deliver cures to patient populations.
"I am humbled by this award and would like to thank Rutgers University, Princeton University and The Science Coalition for their commitment to research and innovation," Pallone said. "In Congress, I've been fighting very serious efforts to slash federal science budgets and, as chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, basic facts and science will always guide my policy decisions. We must redouble our efforts to put facts over political fiction and ensure scientists have the resources they need to continue making discoveries that will make our world a better place."
Princeton's Debenedetti said the nation is extremely fortunate that Pallone is at the helm of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which he said is "particularly important for biomedical research, environmental protection and climate change and clean energy."
"We are thrilled to join together today to honor Chairman Pallone as a Champion of Science, a champion who understands the importance of fundamental research to the nation's health, security and well-being and who has devoted his career to advocating for scientific research."
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Champion of Science Award, which has recognized more than 90 members of Congress since 1999. These champions are recognized for their efforts to advance scientific discovery and American innovation through voting records, bill sponsorships, letters of support, and other activities that secure federal funding for fundamental scientific research.
"Rep. Pallone has been a longstanding supporter of the crucial partnerships between our nation's federal research agencies and universities in advancing the United States' scientific enterprise," said Heather Bené, president of The Science Coalition. "Through his consistent support of long-term fundamental science funding, Rep. Pallone represents exactly what it means to be a Champion of Science."
Established in 1994, The Science Coalition is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of more than 50 of the nation's leading public and private research universities. It is dedicated to sustaining the federal government's investment in basic scientific research as a means to stimulate the economy, spur innovation, and drive the United States' global competitiveness.
The award was presented during a two-day DIMACS conference at Rutgers-New Brunswick, where the leading math and computer science center celebrated its 30th anniversary. DIMACS was founded as a prestigious NSF-funded Science and Technology Center (STC), selected in a nationwide competition that had simple requirements: do cutting-edge science, develop impactful educational programs, transfer technology and be a partnership among academia, industry and government.
DIMACS research, education and outreach themes include computer science theory, artificial intelligence and machine learning, discrete mathematics, statistical physics, sustainable environments and epidemiology.
