Five from Penn recognized with Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

Five Penn faculty members are among nearly 400 recipients of the 2024 Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers(PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the United States government upon science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. The awards are conferred annually at the White House following recommendations from participating federal agencies.

Honorees from Penn are:

Allyson Mackey, associate professor of psychology, Department of Psychology, School of Arts & Sciences

Catherine McDonald, Dr. Hildegarde Reynolds Endowed Term Chair of Primary Care Nursing, Department of Family & Community Health, School of Nursing

Melanie Pellecchia, assistant professor of psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Center for Mental Health

Andy Tan, associate professor of communication, Annenberg School for Communication

Bo Zhen, Jin K. Lee Presidential Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Arts & Sciences

This year's awardees are employed or funded by 14 participating agencies within the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Interior, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs and the Environmental Protection Agency, the intelligence community, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Established by President Clinton in 1996, PECASErecognizes scientists and engineers who show exceptional potential for leadership early in their research careers. The award recognizes innovative and far-reaching developments in science and technology, expands awareness of careers in science and engineering, recognizes the scientific missions of participating agencies, enhances connections between research and impacts on society, and highlights the importance of science and technology for our nation's future.