For immediate release, September 09, 2008
Contact: Pesticide Action Network North America
Steve Scholl-Buckwald (415-203-4455) steveatpan@panna.org
Kegley is One of 25 Innovators From Around the World Recognized for Applying Technology to Benefit Humanity
(San Jose. and San Francisco, California) Sept. 09, 2008 — Dr. Susan Kegley, a chemist and senior scientist at Pesticide Action Network North America in San Francisco, was today named a 2008 Tech Awards Laureate, one of 25 global innovators recognized each year for applying technology to benefit humanity and spark global change. The Tech Awards, a signature program of The Tech Museum of Innovation, and presented by Applied Materials, Inc., selected Kegley from among hundreds of nominations representing 68 countries, for her work inventing and promoting the “Drift Catcher”.
The Drift Catcher is a user-friendly and affordable air monitoring system developed to empower rural and farm communities around the U.S. to measure the concentrations of hazardous pesticides in the air to protect their health and promote sustainable alternatives. Details of the program are available at www.panna.org/science/drift
The Tech Awards: Technology Benefiting Humanity is one of the premier annual humanitarian awards programs in the world, recognizing technical solutions that benefit humanity and address the most critical issues facing our planet and its people. The awards program honors 25 scientists and innovators annually alongside the recipient of the Global Humanitarian Award. Laureates are selected by a prestigious panel of international judges organized by the Center for Science, Technology, and Society at Santa Clara University, and made up of Santa Clara University faculty as well as leaders from educational and research institutions, industry and the public sector
around the world.
“The Tech Awards are a wonderful honor, recognizing individuals and organizations whose ideas and execution of those ideas are changing the world,” said Dr. Kegley. “We are proud to be among those recognized for their contributions, and share this honor with all of the courageous community members who have been using the Drift Catcher to protect their families from pesticide exposure. Pesticide Action Network will continue to develop solutions that protect the health of people worldwide and promote a more sustainable food system.”
“This year’s international roster of Laureates demonstrates the exceptional and creative applications of both high and low-tech solutions to change the world,” said Peter Friess, president of The Tech. “By celebrating the accomplishments of these 25 Laureates, we are encouraging future innovators to harness the incredible power and promise of technology to solve the challenges that confront us and make the world healthier, safer and more sustainable.”
Established in 2000, The Tech Awards recognize 25 Laureates in five universal categories: education, equality, environment, economic development and health. These Laureates have developed new technological solutions or innovative ways to use existing technologies to significantly improve the lives of people around the world. One Laureate in each category will receive a $50,000 cash prize during the annual Awards Gala in San Jose, Calif. on November 12.
This year, the 2008 Laureates represent the truly global vision of the program, spanning countries such as Senegal, Peru, Hungary, Canada, Namibia, Germany, Egypt, India, United Kingdom, Laos and the United States. Their work impacts people in many more countries worldwide.
The Tech Awards collaborate with humanitarian, educational, and business partners through global outreach efforts, giving people around the world the opportunity to benefit from the successful technologies recognized through the Awards. The selected Laureates’ projects address multiple humanitarian efforts including narrowing the digital divide, expanding renewable energy, improving multilingual education and empowering women in developing countries.
Key sponsors supporting The Tech Awards include Applied Materials, Inc., Intel Corporation, Accenture, Microsoft, The Swanson Foundation, BD Biosciences, Polycom, Genentech, Wells Fargo, SAP, eBay, KPMG, Cadence, The Quattrone Foundation, Omidyar Network, NASDAQ OMX, HP, Google, Cisco, Scott Cook and Signe Ostby, NBC11, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, The Fairmont San Jose, Montgomery Hotel, Marriott San Jose, American Airlines and Siltronic. Key partners include Santa Clara University’s Center for Science, Technology, and Society, World Federation of United Nations Associations, United Nations Development Programme, World Bank Institute, Catholic Relief Services, The CORE Group, National Center for Technology Innovation and Opportunity International.
For more information about The Tech Awards, visit www.techawards.org. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2009 program.
About The Tech Museum of Innovation
The Tech Museum of Innovation is a hands-on technology and science museum for people of all ges and backgrounds. Located in San Jose, California – the Capital of Silicon Valley – its mission, as a public-benefit corporation, is to inspire the innovator in everyone. Through hands-on exhibits, educational programs, the annual Tech Challenge team competition for youth, and the internationally recognized Tech Awards, presented by Applied Materials, Inc., The Tech Museum of Innovation honors the past, celebrates the present, and encourages the development of innovative ideas for a more promising future. For more information about The Tech Museum of Innovation, visit www.thetech.org.
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Contacts
Steve Scholl-Buckwald
Pesticide Action Network North America
(415) 981-1771
steveatpan@panna.orgLisa Croel
The Tech Museum of Innovation
(408) 795-6219
lcroel@thetech.orgAnalisa Schelle
Ogilvy PR
(415) 677-2721
analisa.schelle@ogilvypr.com
