Neal F. Lane received the 2009 Compton Medal “in recognition of his leadership and service to the physics community and to science; for serving as a model 'civic scientist'; for his advocacy of public understanding of science and technology; and for his championship of scientific research and education."
A distinguished scientist and educator, Lane has been in public service most of his career. He has worked on review and advisory committees for federal and state agencies and with many scientific and professional organizations. From 1993 to 98, he served as director of NSF and a member of the National Science Board. From 1998 to 2001, during the Clinton administration, he was the assistant to the president for science and technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Lane has been affiliated with Rice University in Houston, Texas, since 1966. He is a fellow of APS, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Association for Women in Science. He is also a member of the American Association of Physics Teachers.