07-R172

2007 -- H 6273

Enacted 04/10/07

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

DECLARING APRIL 12TH TO BE LEON N. COOPER DAY IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND     

Introduced By: Representatives Story, Ajello, Rice, and Segal

Date Introduced: April 10, 2007

     WHEREAS, Leon Cooper was born in New York in 1930 and attended Columbia

University, where he attained an A.B. Degree in 1951, an A.M. Degree in 1953 and a Ph.D in

1954. Upon completing his Ph.D requirements he became a member of the Institute for Advanced

Study. Shortly thereafter he joined the faculty as a research associate at the University of Illinois.

In 1957, he became an assistant professor at Ohio State University before joining the faculty at

Brown University in 1958; and

     WHEREAS, Professor Cooper has served Brown University with honor and distinction in

numerous capacities in his distinguished academic career. From 1964-1974 he was the Henry

Ledyard Goddard University Professor, and since 1974 he has been the Thomas J. Watson, Sr.

Professor of Science, the Director of the Institute for Brain and Neural Systems, and Director of

the Brian Science Program; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Cooper has been honored at the highest levels within the science

community and has been awarded some of science's most distinguished awards. In 1972, he won

the most prestigious award in science when he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his studies

on the theory of superconductivity. He was awarded the Comstock Prize in 1968 from the

National Academy of Sciences, has been honored for his scientific work by Columbia University

and Columbia College, and received the Descartes Medal from the Academie de Paris; and

     WHEREAS, Since his groundbreaking work on superconductivity and various aspects of

theoretical physics, Professor Cooper has turned his attention to the study of artificial neural

networks, looking for ways to help people with disorders related to higher brain functions such as

learning and memory; and

     WHEREAS, Over the last thirty years, Professor Cooper has done groundbreaking

research in the subject of Neural Studies. The theories and formulations he was a leader in

discovering and developing have stood the test of time and revolutionized various fields of

science, Dr. Cooper is also the co-founder and chairman of Sention, a pharmaceutical

development company focused on the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of

disorders related to higher brain functions; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby declares April 12, 2007 to be "Leon Cooper Day" in the State of

Rhode Island. We honor him for his incredibly distinguished career in science and we thank him

for his service to Brown University and the citizens of this state. We wish him continued success

and good fortune in all his future endeavors; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Professor Leon N. Cooper. 

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LC02868

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