6 Indian-American scientists selected for Presidential Early Career Awards

President Barack Obama on 18 February 2016 named 106 researchers, including six of Indian origin, as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest US Government honour for young independent researchers.

he winners will receive their awards at a Washington, DC ceremony in the spring of 2016.

The White House announced the names of the following Indian-Americans who have been selected for the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers:

Shwetak Patel (University of Washington)

• Patel is the Washington Research Foundation Entrepreneurship Endowed Professor in Computer Science and Engineering and Electrical Engineering.

• He is a nationally recognised expert in sensor systems research.

Rahul Mangharam (University of Pennsylvania)

Mangharam was selected for the award for having invented a new formal methodology to test and verify the correct operation of medical device software, saving lives and reducing care costs.

Sachin Patel (Vanderbilt University Medical Centre)

Patel is the Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, and Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Vanderbilt University Medical Centre.

Milind Kulkarni (Purdue University)

He is the associate professor with the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University researches Programming Languages and Compilers that support efficient programming and high performance on emerging complex architectures.

Vikram Shyam (NASA)

Shyam is a technical innovator in fundamental aeronautics at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.

Kiran Musunuru (Harvard University)

• He is the assistant Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology at Harvard University and Associate Physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

• He has developed a genome editing approach for permanently reducing cholesterol levels in mice.

About Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers

• The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers is the highest honour bestowed by the United States Government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers.

• The White House, following recommendations from participating agencies, confers the awards annually.

• In February 1996, the National Science and Technology Council was commissioned by President Bill Clinton to create an award program that would honour and support the achievements of young professionals at the outset of their independent research careers in the fields of science and technology.

• The stated aim of the award is to help maintain the leadership position of the United States in science.

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