President Obama honors four Michigan researchers
Wayne State University's Pamela VandeVord won a Presidential early career award for scientists.
Credit: Wayne State University
Examiner.com: Four researchers from Michigan win presidential awards
By Vince Lamb, Detroit Science News Examiner
On Friday, President Obama named 85 researchers as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. Among them were four from the state of Michigan, including three at the University of Michigan and one at Wayne State University.
In a press release, Mr. Obama said, "Science and technology have long been at the core of America’s economic strength and global leadership. I am confident that these individuals, who have shown such tremendous promise so early in their careers, will go on to make breakthroughs and discoveries that will continue to move our nation forward in the years ahead.”
The awards, established by President Clinton in 1996, are coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President. Awardees are first nominated by one of ten Federal departments and agencies for early accomplishments that show the greatest promise for assuring America’s preeminence in science and engineering and contributing to the awarding agencies' missions. They are then selected for their pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and their commitment to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, or community outreach.
Winning scientists and engineers have received research grants for up to five years to further their studies in support of critical government missions.
The researchers will be honored at a White House ceremony. A date has not yet been set.
The four researchers honored include a molecular biologist who was recognized for his work on channel proteins implicated in Lou Gehrig's Disease and several cancers, an engineer who has developed sensors that can tell when a bridge is in danger of failing, an ecologist who works on switchgrass as a source of biofuel, and a biological engineer who studies and treats brain trauma in soldiers and marines injured by IEDs in Iraq and Afghanistan.
More details on the award winners at the link in the headline. There is also a slideshow on the winners from the University of Michigan.
Election's over. Time for me to return to writing about science.