NEWS

Congressman honored, NSF-funded institute has grand opening at RTP event

CHAPEL HILL -- U.S. Rep. David Price of North Carolina was honored as a "Champion of Science" Tuesday (Sept. 3) in a Research Triangle Park ceremony for his work in securing federal funding for basic scientific research.

The event, held at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center on T.W. Alexander Drive in RTP, was attended by Price and top leaders representing the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University and North Carolina State University. In addition to honoring Price, the ceremony celebrated the opening of the nearby Statistical and Applied Mathematical Sciences Institute, or SAMSI.

Duke University President Nannerl O. Keohane presented the award to Price, also a Duke political science professor, on behalf of the Science Coalition organization. In remarks before the event, Keohane said, "Congressman Price has been a champion of sustained federal investment in basic science research and the government-university partnership from the moment that he was elected to the Congress."

UNC Chancellor James Moeser said of Price during the ceremony, "He has remarkable vision concerning the importance of emerging sciences such as nanotechnology, biotechnology and genomics in treating diseases, designing medication and creating agricultural innovation. He sees how this research will one day help the future of our state and its people."

Also speaking at the event were Dr. John Hunt, assistant director of the National Science Foundation; and Dr. Jon Kettenring, board chairman of the National Institute of Statistical Sciences in RTP.

Duke is a founding member, and N.C. State and UNC are also members, of the Science Coalition, an alliance of more than 400 organizations that encourages a strong partnership between the federal government and research universities to advance science and technological innovation deemed vital to the nation's economic and social progress.

The coalition began the Champion of Science award program in 1999. Representatives from some 60 universities who participate on the coalition's steering committee selected Price for the award. Previous recipients have included U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas, U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge of North Carolina and U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri.

The RTP event also celebrated SAMSI, a new federally supported research institute representing a partnership among Duke, N.C. State, UNC and the National Institute of Statistical Sciences. SAMSI occupies the second floor of the National Institute of Statistical Sciences headquarters and is funded, in part, by a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Officials say SAMSI is the world's first institute to forge a synthesis of the statistical sciences with the applied mathematical sciences to confront the hardest and most important challenges in scientific modeling and data analysis. Examples of these challenges range from global climate simulations to modeling the course of HIV infections. In an advance statement, Price said this and similar work in university laboratories broadens knowledge, spurs innovation and fuels economic growth through new products.

"By providing federal funding for this research, we're making an investment in our country's future," Price said. "I'm honored to be recognized by the Science Coalition for my work in this area and I plan to continue fighting for increases in funding for basic science."

After the awards ceremony, Price and other officials participated in a ribbon cutting for SAMSI.

- 30 -

Contact: News Services staff, (919)962-2091