President Barack Obama has named Ana Maria Rey as one of 102 recipients of the 2013 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their research careers. Rey will receive her award at a Washington, DC ceremony in 2014.
"The impressive achievements of these early-stage scientists and engineers are promising indicators of even greater successes ahead," said President Obama. "We are grateful for their commitment to generating the scientific and technical advancements that will ensure America's global leadership for many years to come."
The awards reflect the Obama administration's priority of producing outstanding scientists and engineers to advance our nation's goals, tackle grand challenges, and contribute to the American economy. They were established by President Clinton in 1996 and are coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President.
The Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program supports university-based centers and institutes where the collective efforts of a larger group of individuals can enable transformational advances in the most promising research areas. The program is designed to foster major breakthroughs at the intellectual frontiers of physics by providing needed resources such as combinations of talents, skills, disciplines, and/or specialized infrastructure, not usually available to individual investigators or small groups, in an environment in which the collective efforts of the larger group can be shown to be seminal to promoting significant progress in the science and the education of students. PFCs also include creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, broadening participation of traditionally underrepresented groups, and outreach to the scientific community and general public.