President Barack Obama conferred the 2011 National Medal of Science to Sandra Moore Faber, a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Friday, at a ceremony held at the White House.

Faber, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics, was honored for her research projects in understanding the history and structure of the universe.

Besides her, 12 other eminent researchers were presented with Science medals and 11 inventors were honored with Technology and Innovation medals.

"We are so grateful to all of you. The contributions you've made have enhanced all of our lives," Obama said, reports the Santa Cruz sentinel.

These medals are the highest recognition given to scientists, engineers and inventors by the government.

Other medal recipients include Solomon Golomb from the University of Southern California, Sidney Dell of Stanford University and Lucy Shapiro from Stanford University of Medicine.

When the announcement for the medal recipients was made, December 2012, by the White House, Faber said: "Receiving the National Medal of Science is the thrill of a lifetime, but good science does not happen in isolation".

Faber said she was grateful to UC Santa Cruz and the University of California observatories for providing both outstanding telescopes and collaborators.

She has been conferred with other prestigious awards as well - the 2009 Bower Award and Prize, two lifetime scientific achievement awards, the Bruce Medal and the Russell Prize.

The first National Medal of Science was awarded to Theodore Von Karman by President John F. Kennedy in 1963.