Prof. Eric I Altman receives highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government

News - February 10, 1999
National Science Foundation
NSF-Supported New Scientists And Engineers Receive Presidential Award

President Clinton today awarded 20 National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported researchers, including nine women and three minorities, with the 1998 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). This third annual presidential award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding new scientists and engineers who are in the early stages of establishing their independent research careers.

Among nine participating federal agencies, there were 60 total PECASE winners in 1998. NSF awardees are receiving collectively a total of $10 million to further their achievements and PECASE goals. The Clinton Administration established the awards in February, 1996, in order to meet its goals of recognizing some of the nation's finest scientists and engineers and maintaining U.S. leadership across the frontiers of scientific research into the 21st century. The awards are given to foster innovative and influential developments in science and technology, to increase awareness of careers in science and engineering and to recognize the scientific missions of the federal agencies. NSF awardees have demonstrated a special commitment to the integration of research and education. "These talented young men and women show exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of scientific knowledge," President Clinton said. "Their passion for discovery will spark our can-do spirit of technological innovation and drive this nation forward and build a better America for the twenty-first century."

"These are the 'Golden Globe Awards' for the Albert Einsteins and Marie Curies of tomorrow -- our nation's most promising scientist and engineering educators," said NSF director Rita Colwell.

NSF awardees will receive $500,000 each over a five-year period to further their research and educational efforts. The PECASE awards recognize the research contributions and commitment to broader societal goals of these scientist-scholars as well as advances in science that serve important government missions.

NSF now selects its PECASE nominees from a pool of its most meritorious CAREER (Faculty Early Career Development award) winners. 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. Last month, NSF honored 338 outstanding new science and engineering educators-scholars nationwide with the 1998 CAREER awards, totaling approximately $80 million. The 1998 CAREER awardees were selected from among more than 1,600 applicants. The 1998 PECASE awardees were selected from among 1,122 applicants. There are about 1,400 total NSF CAREER and PECASE award recipients to date. Only 60 hold the presidential honor.

-NSF-

 Prof. Altman received the Award in the Engineering category: "For developing innovative concepts and student laboratories in the characterization and processing of ultrathin-film growth with the addition of metal surfactants."

NSF Media contact: Lee Herring (703) 306-1070 kherring@nsf.gov
Eligibility criteria are described at http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/pecase/start.htm