University of Houston engineering professor John Lienhard will be awarded one of four 2002 Freedoms Foundation Awards at a luncheon, Nov. 9, at the Junior League of Houston.
Lienhard, M.D. Anderson Professor of Technology and Culture, Emeritus in the Cullen College of Engineering, will be joined by UH political science professor Richard Murray, who will also be honored. Murray is the director of the Center for Public Policy at UH.
Lienhard is an internationally known public radio personality who is recognized by his academic and professional peers for his contributions to the public's understanding of engineering and technology and for advancing mechanical engineering education. He gained international visibility as the writer and voice of the syndicated public radio program, The Engines of Our Ingenuity, produced by the UH's National Public Radio affiliate KUHF.
The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge's mission is "to effectively communicate to young people the principles upon which our nation was founded, and the balance of rights and responsibilities of citizens in today's increasingly diverse society."
The first Freedoms Foundation Awards were presented in 1949 to 200 recipients by General Dwight E. Eisenhower. Fifty-three years later, the Freedoms Foundation has recognized more than 55,000 Americans of all ages and careers. The Award is presented for "the efforts these people put forth to make America a better place for everyone."