Dean Kamen To Receive UNH Alumni Association’s Pettee Medal

Contact: Polly Daniels
603-862-2041
UNH Alumni Association

Oct. 12, 2004



DURHAM, N.H. – The University of New Hampshire Alumni Association will present its most prestigious award, the Pettee Medal, to inventor Dean Kamen in a ceremony Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2004, at 2 p.m. in the Granite State Room of the Memorial Union Building on the UNH campus. The Pettee Medal is awarded annually to a resident or former resident of New Hampshire in recognition of outstanding accomplishment or distinguished service in any form to the state, the nation or the world.

The event is free and open to the public, but as space is limited, reservations are encouraged. For reservation information, call the UNH Alumni Center at (603) 862-2040.

Dean Kamen is president of DEKA Research and Development Corp. and Chairman of Segway LLC. As an inventor and physicist, he has dedicated his life to developing technologies that help people lead better lives. His inventions include a portable dialysis machine; the Independence iBot 3000 Mobility System, a mobility aid capable of climbing stairs, navigating rough terrain and raising the user to eye-level with a standing person; and the Segway Human Transporter which uses sophisticated self-balancing technology to improve upon the most basic form of transportation: walking.

One of Kamen’s proudest accomplishments is founding FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989, an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use, and enjoy science and technology. The FIRST Robotics Competition, an annual event teaming professional engineers with high school students nationwide, attracts hundreds of teams, breaks participation records every year and seeks to inspire students to pursue careers in science and technology.