Archives
Three Illinois researchers receive Presidential Early Career Awards
James E.
Kloeppel, Physical Sciences Editor
217-244-1073; kloeppel@uiuc.edu
7/27/2006
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.
— Three researchers
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign were among 56 young
researchers named as recipients of the 2005 Presidential Early Career
Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the
U.S. government on young professionals at the outset of their independent
research careers.
Awards were made Wednesday in a White House ceremony presided over by
John H. Marburger III, science adviser to the president and director
of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The U. of I. winners and their current research interests:
• Scott D. Kelly, mechanical science and engineering, is
developing a novel theory and sophisticated experiments for the control
of biomorphic underwater vehicles deployed in close proximity to one
another. The project examines hydrodynamic aspects of fish schooling
as a way to dramatically improve the collective energy efficiency of
underwater vehicles.
Kelly’s research could have a significant impact in several areas
of science and engineering by furthering the understanding of biological
control systems, human ability to mimic such systems, and the technology
and methods to do so. Kelly has made a commitment to mentoring, outreach
and educational activities, promoting the interest of diverse groups
in science and engineering.
• Benjamin
J. McCall, chemistry, brings a unique perspective to combining laboratory
work with observational astronomy. McCall and his students will make
a group of exotic molecules in the laboratory to measure its unique
electromagnetic fingerprint. With knowledge of these fingerprints, McCall
and other scientists will then look for evidence of the same molecules
throughout the universe.
McCall’s hope is that measuring the abundances of these molecules
in a variety of environments can help answer larger questions about
the chemical processes occurring in space. Besides his research, McCall
is working to introduce the field of astrochemistry to the next generation
of young scientists.
• Michael
S. Strano, chemical and biomolecular engineering, is addressing key
technical challenges in the manipulation and control of carbon nanotube
structures, thereby enabling new applications in a wide variety of sensors,
including medical devices. He is developing interactive software models
that will be tested at Illinois and elsewhere.
Strano’s education activities include an outreach program that
partners the College of Education at the U. of I. with several local
area schools, bringing enhanced science education to classrooms that
are otherwise disadvantaged.
The young scientists and engineers receive up to a five-year research
grant to further their study in support of critical government missions.
The federal agencies involved include the departments of Agriculture,
Commerce, Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs,
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National
Science Foundation.
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