Washington: US President George W Bush has conferred the Science and Technology National medal to Indian American Hiren S Gandhi for his pioneering work in automotive technology to improve environmental standard at Ford Motor company where he works.

Gandhi is responsible for the "platinum-free automotive catalyst" used in Ford cars and is considered a research pioneer in automotive technology to improve environmental standards, the National Science & Technology Foundation, which administers the award for the Commerce Department, said in a press release.

Over the years, it notes, Gandhi has been awarded more than 30 patents and has won five Henry Ford Technological Awards.

He has been acknowledged by the United Nations for his expertise in automotive emissions and in the late 1990s was appointed a member of a panel to advise the Government of India on automotive emission regulations.

Gandhi is among 13 other awardees who were conferred the Science and Technology National Medals by President Bush.

The citation says Gandhi is receiving the medal for "research, development and commercialisation of automotive exhaust catalyst technology, shaping the industry from its very beginning and continually pushing to improve the quality of the air we breathe."

PTI