The White House announced on Sep.26 that alumni of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) YANG Lan and DUAN Xianfeng have been named recipients of Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. President Obama will award the winners in mid-October.

Dr. YANG joined the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis in 2007. She runs the Laboratory of Micro/Nano Photonics Research Group in the School of Engineering & Applied Science. She got her B.S and M.S degree from USTC in 1997 and 1999, respectively. She received her second M.S degree from California Institute of Technology in 2000 and Ph.D. degree in California Institute of Technology in 2005.

Dr. DUAN focus on Chemistry and Biochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry as he joined UCLA in 2008. He received the B.S degree in chemistry from USTC in 1997, M.A. degree in chemistry and Ph.D. degree in physical chemistry from Harvard University in 1999 and 2002, respectively. He was a Founding Scientist, Principal Scientist and Manager of Advanced Technology at Nanosys Inc. from 2002 to 2008.

The Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, or PECASE, is the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. There are 94 early career scientists and engineers to be recognized this year.

The awards, established by President Clinton in 1996, are coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President. Awardees are selected for their pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and their commitment to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, or community outreach.

Until 2011, the number of USTC alumni as PECASE winners is one of the most among the universities of Chinese Mainland. 　　

White House news released here.

(USTC News Center)