September 9, 2004

Energy Department Early Career Scientists and Engineers Honored

WASHINGTON, DC -- At a White House ceremony today, seven researchers funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) and its National Nuclear Security Administration were honored for their work ranging from nanoscale materials to the geology of Nevada.

These honorees are among 57 researchers supported by eight federal departments and agencies who received the 2003 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.  The Presidential award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers who are beginning their independent careers.  Each Presidential award winner received a citation, a plaque and a commitment for continued funding of their work from their agency for five years. 

Dr. John Marburger, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, presented the awards.

“The work of these young scientists and engineers is an excellent example of the kind of innovative and forward-looking research that our nation needs to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century,” Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said.   “Their work will help to contribute to our energy security and independence far into the future.”

Before the White House ceremony, the seven researchers described their work at a ceremony at DOE headquarters hosted by Under Secretary of Energy David Garman.

At the DOE event, four of the scientists from DOE national laboratories received the DOE's Office of Science Early Career Scientist and Engineer Award for 2003.   The winners are:

Tamara G. Kolda, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, Calif., for her innovative research in algorithms and software for scientific computing, performance optimization, parallel computing and complex, nonlinear problems.

Saskia Mioduszewski, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, for her studies of the properties of the unusual matter formed in extremely high-energy nuclear collisions produced at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider.

Margaret   S. Torn, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif., for her use of carbon and oxygen isotopes to better understand and model carbon cycling.   Her research provides critical advances in terrestrial carbon sequestration and quantifying regional sources and sinks of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Jian Shen, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn., for his pioneering approach to the study of magnetism in nanostructured materials.

At the same time, three university researchers received the Office of Defense Programs Early Career Scientist and Engineer Award for 2003. The directors of the national weapons laboratories nominated the recipients in recognition of their work in support of the National Nuclear Security Administration.
The winners are:

Catherine E. Snelson, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for her contributions to the characterization of the geologic structure of the Las Vegas, Nevada basin.

Donald P. Visco, Jr., Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, for his fundamental insights into solving inverse molecular design problems.

Brian D. Wirth, University of California, Berkeley, for his computational dynamics studies of dislocations and defects in metals, primarily those resulting from irradiation by neutrons and ions.

Prior to their current positions, Snelson and Wirth worked at DOE’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. 
Biographical information on the winners and their award citations are available at www.sc.doe.gov

Media contact:  Sherwood, 202/586-5806