NSF PR 00-22 - April 11, 2000

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President Honors Top Junior Faculty in Science and Engineering

President Clinton today named 20 National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported researchers as recipients of the 1999 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). The awards were presented at the White House Old Executive Office Building by the President's science advisor, Neal Lane.

The PECASE award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers who are in the early stages of establishing their independent research careers. This is the fourth year of the awards.

Nine participating federal agencies shared 60 PECASE awards for 1999. The Clinton Administration established the awards in February 1996 to recognize some of the nation's finest scientists and engineers and to maintain U.S. leadership across the frontiers of scientific research.

"We honor these outstanding young scientists and engineers for their research contributions, for their promise, and for their commitment to broader societal goals," President Clinton said. "They will do much to shape our society and advance our national interests in the twenty-first century."

"We expect these promising scientists and engineers to one day become the leaders of this nation's research and education community," said NSF director Rita Colwell.

NSF awardees have demonstrated a notable commitment to the integration of research and education. They each receive $500,000 over a five-year period to further their research and educational efforts. NSF awardees collectively receive a total $10 million. Since President Clinton established the award in 1996, 80 NSF-supported faculty members have received this presidential honor.

NSF selects its PECASE nominees from among its most meritorious CAREER (Faculty Early Career Development) awardees. The CAREER award supports exceptionally promising college and university junior faculty who are committed to the integration of research and education. CAREER awards range from $200,000 to $500,000 for a period of four to five years.

Attachment: Recipients of the 1999 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

Editors: For further information, see: http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/pecase/start.htm http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/career/start.htm

**NSF is an independent federal agency which supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering, with an annual budget of about $4 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states, through grants to about 1,600 universities and institutions nationwide. Each year, NSF receives about 30,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 10,000 new funding awards.

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Attachment

Recipients of the 1999 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

The following are National Science Foundation-supported researchers receiving the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).

Linnea M. Avallone, University of Colorado-Boulder - For advances in the detection of reactive gases and their effects on atmospheric ozone, and for integration of air chemistry research and undergraduate teaching.

John Chapin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - For original contributions to dynamic analysis of parallel, long-lived software systems, and for innovative techniques in the teaching of dynamic analysis skills to undergraduates.

Donald DeVoe, University of Maryland-College Park - For developing a novel approach to fabricate six-degree-of-freedom micromechanisms, and for innovative educational activities that nurture capable MEMS researchers of the future.

Brenda L. Dingus, University of Wisconsin-Madison - For the development of innovative detectors for gamma-ray astrophysics, and for the creation of an exceptionally wide-ranging education and outreach program.

Dennis E. Discher, University of Pennsylvania - For outstanding contributions toward understanding cellular and molecular membrane structure-function relationships, and an educational plan involving students at all levels, and the general public.

Richard J. Elston, University of Florida - For world leadership in the design, construction, and utilization of infrared-wavelength instrumentation to be used for astronomical observatories with education projects.

Steven C. George, University of California-Irvine - For cutting-edge applications of engineering principles to address asthma, and for novel plans to implement Problem-Based Learning in the curriculum.

Lori L. Graham, University of Virginia - For highly original methods using probabilistic/reliability approaches to materials characterization, and for education activities infusing probabilistic analysis and reliability-based design into the curriculum.

Victoria L. Interrante, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities - For innovative contributions to research and education by combining graphics, visualization, and cognitive science to develop a science of representation for design of computer interfaces.

Predrag Jelekovic, Columbia University - For seminal work on modeling network behavior with applications to Quality-of-Service management, and a networking educational program combining theoretical results with practical experience.

Yishi Jin, University of California-Santa Cruz - For research on formation of connections in the nervous system and for dedicated development of courses that integrate research into the undergraduate neuroscience curriculum.

Felicia Keesing, Siena College - For combining ecological and educational research on herbivore effects on plant community structure with research on influences of field experience on undergraduates.

Steven D. Levitt, University of Chicago - For innovative empirical research on the economics of gang activities and for integrating the research findings into course curriculum.

Todd L. Lowary, Ohio State University - For studying synthesis and conformations of compounds in bacterial cell walls, and designing courses that incorporate the latest educational technology.

Ken Ono, Pennsylvania State University -- University Park - For outstanding contributions to number theory and for unusual talent for fostering mathematical abilities in students at different levels.

Feniosky Pena-Mora, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - For creative investigation into the cross-cutting worlds of game theory, contract negotiation, and infrastructure management, and for involving students in an international educational environment.

Sanjay Raman, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University - For addressing challenges in mixed technology single-chip systems with application to wireless communications, and revitalizing the microwave engineering curriculum while infusing this new knowledge.

Richard W. Roberts, California Institute of Technology - For integrating innovative combinatorial method of selecting and designing protein motifs that specifically recognize biologically important RNA structures into teaching chemistry and biology students.

Jeffrey S. Urbach, Georgetown University - For pioneering studies of granular media and for creation of new curricula to provide non-science majors with tools to appreciate rapidly developing technology areas.

Zhuomin Zhang, University of Florida - For valuable research contributions enabling radiometric temperature measurements of miniaturized integrated circuits, for writing a textbook, and establishing a seminar series and microscale laboratory.


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