The President's Award was established to provide special recognition to those individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to women in engineering. SWE selected Congresswoman Johnson as its first-ever recipient for her efforts to implement the recommendations of the 2006 National Academies report, "Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering," and promote gender equity in academic science and engineering.

"The Society of Women Engineers is pleased to honor Congresswoman Johnson for her outstanding contributions to promoting diversity and inclusion in the STEM fields as a legislator and as co-chair of the House Diversity and Innovation Caucus," said Michelle Tortolani, SWE President FY08. "She is an extraordinary leader who deserves recognition for her dedication," said Tortolani.

"The STEM fields are beginning to more accurately reflect our country, but women and people of color are still under-represented in STEM professions," said Congresswoman Johnson, "I remain committed to writing and championing legislation that will make the STEM fields inclusive to all."

Congresswoman Johnson is one of the six Co-Chairs of the House Diversity and Innovation Caucus, which was founded in 2007 on the belief that "the increased education and participation of groups currently under-represented in STEM is essential to supplying the American economy with the expertise the country needs to innovate and remain competitive."

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