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
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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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