Nancy Ho Chosen to Receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation

Nancy Ho, research professor emerita of chemical engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, has been selected by President Obama as one of seven winners of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. She is the only woman among the seven winners of the award, which will be presented at the White House early in 2016.

The National Medal of Technology and Innovation was established by Congress in 1980 and is administered by the White House and the Patent and Trademark Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The award honors individuals who have made lasting contributions to America’s competitiveness and quality of life.

Professor Ho holds seven patents for her work on developing recombinant yeast for cellulosic ethanol production. She first joined the faculty at Purdue in 1971.

Dr. Ho is a 1957 graduate of National Taiwan University. She earned a master’s degree in organic chemistry from Temple University in Philadelphia and a Ph.D. in molecular biology from Purdue University.