Four Bay Area scientists honored by White House with national science medals

WASHINGTON (KGO) -- President Obama Thursday honored some of the nation's top minds for their work in science and technology. Four Bay Area scientists were among them.

President Obama handed out the National Medals of Science and National Medals of Technology and Innovation to 17 all-stars of the science world.

Two are from Stanford and two from the University of California, Berkeley. The president says these role models deserve to be celebrated.

Dr. Paul Alivisatos of UC Berkeley works with nano-crystals that's helping to develop biomedicine that could cure diseases.

Dr. Chenming Hu is a UC Berkeley professor who specializes in semiconductor technology. Dr. Stanley Falcow of Stanford studies how bacteria cause human disease.

And Stanford's Dr. Albert Bandura is famed for his Bobo doll experiment, which shows children copying adults' violent behavior.

At Thursday's ceremony, President Obama also announced a new initiative. He's seeking kid science advisors.

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