Earlier this week during a ceremony at the White House, President Barack Obama named a researcher from NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., as a recipient of the 2012 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).
Joshua S. Alwood was awarded the honor for his NASA Postdoctoral Program research into the temporal changes in skeletal tissue density and cancellous orientation during recovery from musculoskeletal disuse and ionizing radiation exposure. Alwood and four other NASA researchers were part of a cohort of 102 early-career researchers invited to receive their awards at a ceremony April 14 in Washington.
“Josh’s exceptional research in space biosciences at Ames has, no doubt, advanced our knowledge about the biological changes that affect astronauts during space flight,” said Ames Center Director S. Pete Worden. “His early success is a testament to the value of the NASA Postdoctoral Program.”
The PECASE awards represent the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on scientists and engineers beginning their research careers. The award recognizes recipients’ exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of scientific knowledge and their commitment to community service as demonstrated through professional leadership, education or community outreach.
The 2012 NASA recipients were nominated by the agency’s Science Mission Directorate, Office of the Chief Engineer and Office of the Chief Technologist.
The PECASE awards were created to foster innovative developments in science and technology, increase awareness of careers in science and engineering, give recognition to the scientific missions of participating agencies, enhance connections between fundamental research and many of the grand challenges facing the nation, and highlight the importance of science and technology for America’s future.
For a complete list of 2012 award winners, visit:
To read a White House blog post about the winners, visit:
To read NASA Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan’s blog about the winners, visit:
For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
