Joe DeSimone is one of 17 recipients of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, which was given to him by President Barack Obama in a ceremony Thursday.
“The real reason we do this, as I’ve said before, is to teach our young people that it’s not just the winner of the Super Bowl or the NCAA Tournament that deserves a celebration,” Obama said. “We want the winners of science fairs. We want those who have invented the products and life-saving medicine and are engineering our future to be celebrated too.”
DeSimone was recognized for his work with cancer research and 3D-printing.
His work has impacted a number of fields including medicine and manufacturing.
DeSimone is part of a joint program, where he is a professor of chemistry at UNC and chemical engineering at NC State.
“This is a world-class honor,” said chair of the UNC Board of Trustees Dwight Stone. “Highest honor our nation gives. Joe and his staff should be commended for all the work they do.”
UNC chancellor Carol Folt also made the trip to Washington to support DeSimone.
“One of the exciting thing about Joe’s work is that it’s so cross cutting,” she said. “He works in medicine, he works in manufacturing. He has inventions in so many fields. He’s involved in every way that you can imagine making it stronger here.”
Related Stories
‹
UNC Women's Basketball Ranked No. 12 in 2026-27 AP Preseason PollHead coach Courtney Banghart and UNC checked in at No. 12 in the AP Preseason Top 25 poll, which was released Tuesday. It’s the third consecutive year and fourth overall in Banghart’s tenure that the Tar Heels have been ranked inside the top 15 in the preseason poll. Comin' in at No. 𝟭𝟮 in the […]
UNC Reaches Deal with Trump Administration's Justice Department to End Civil Rights InvestigationsUNC agreed to terms outlined by both departments to curb race-based considerations in admissions practices and strengthen policies responding to antisemitism.
![]()
Tell Me Something: How to Classify a Tomato, with UNC's Melanie FeinbergIs a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? According to UNC's Melanie Feinberg, the technically correct answer is: both.
100 Years of Kenan Stadium: Rick Steinbacher Invades SpainRick Steinbacher, UNC's senior associate athletic director for facilities, has a lot on his plate when the Tar Heels play at Kenan Stadium.
2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: SyracuseUNC will return home to host Syracuse at Kenan Stadium Saturday night. The Orange enter 2-4 overall and 0-4 in ACC play. Syracuse’s only FBS win this season was an overtime victory at UConn earlier in October. The Orange have lost to Cal, Pitt, Virginia and Louisville in the ACC. Fran Brown is in his […]
UNC's Peyton Seelmann Named ACC Linebacker of the WeekUNC’s Peyton Seelmann was named the ACC’s Linebacker of the Week Monday in recognition of his performance in the Tar Heels’ 24-20 win at Duke. Peyton Seelmann is your ACC Linebacker of the week! pic.twitter.com/ddQ4wQ3Jkk — Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) October 19, 2026 Seelmann was all over the field Saturday in Durham, leading all players with […]
UNC Men's Basketball Unranked in 2026-27 Preseason AP PollMichael Malone’s Tar Heels will not be ranked at the outset of the 2026-27 season. The AP Top 25 preseason poll was published Monday morning, and UNC was not included. Florida reigns supreme at No. 1 in the poll, followed by No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Illinois, No. 4 UConn and No. 5 Arizona. Elsewhere […]
This Week in UNC Sports: October 19-25, 2026This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors. October will roll on with another very busy week of Tar Heel sports. […]
![]()
On Air Today: At UNC, A $25 Million 'Moonshot' to IMPEDE Alzheimer'sUNC recently announced a $25 million "moonshot effort" to fight Alzheimer's, through a seven-university consortium called IMPEDE.
For Whom the Bill Tolls: Reactions to UNC Football's Win at DukeUNC forged multiple redemption arcs during its thrilling win at Duke Saturday night to take the Victory Bell back.
›
