Andrew Viterbi receives National Medal of Science

National accolade announced by President Bush is the top honor given for science and technology

President George W. Bush has announced that USC trustee and namesake of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering Andrew J. Viterbi is one of the recipients of the nation's highest honor for science and technology, earning the National Medal of Science for 2007. The awards are for the year 2007 but are announced now, as is customary for these designations.

Viterbi, who also holds the USC Presidential Chair within the USC Viterbi School, was one of eight individuals selected for the honor.

"It's thrilling to know that one of the intellectual giants of our time is also one of USC's most faithful alumni and wisest trustees," said USC President Steven B. Sample.

"Few people in any field can say that they have truly enhanced the world in which we live. Andrew Viterbi is one of the few, one of the elite, whose intellect and imagination have helped advance human understanding. This is a tremendous honor for Andy and a well-deserved recognition of his historic accomplishments."

The National Medal of Science honors individuals for pioneering scientific research in a range of fields, including physical, biological, mathematical, social, behavioral and engineering sciences that enhances our understanding of the world and leads to innovations and technologies that give the United States its global economic edge. The National Science Foundation administers the award, which was established by Congress in 1959.

Viterbi co-founded QUALCOMM Inc., a developer and manufacturer of mobile satellite communications and digital wireless telephony. Prior to co-founding QUALCOMM, Viterbi co-founded LINKABIT Corp., a digital communications company.

He served as a professor at the UCLA School of Engineering and Applied Science until 1973 and continued teaching on a part-time basis at the University of California, San Diego until 1994, where he is currently a professor emeritus.

Prior to that, Viterbi was a member of the communications research section of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, where he was one of the first communication engineers to recognize the potential of digital transmission techniques for space and satellite telecommunication systems.