for Presidential Early Career Awards in Science and Engineering
January 30, 2014
In a Jan. 23 ceremony in McLean, Va., Director of National Intelligence James Clapper congratulated the first six Intelligence Community science and technology researchers to be selected for Presidential Early Career Awards in Science and Engineering, the nation’s highest award for young scientists and engineers.
When, on Dec. 23, President Obama announced the 102 names in the eighteenth PECASE class, saying, “The impressive achievements of these early-stage scientists and engineers are promising indicators of even greater successes ahead,” it marked a major milestone for the Intelligence Community.
Charles Tahan from NSA, Daniel Stick from Sandia National Laboratories, Lucy Cohan from CIA, Joeanna Arthur from NGA, Justin Jacobs from NSA, and Steven Jaslar from FBI were the first IC members to be selected.
At the Jan. 23 IC ceremony, Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Stephanie O’Sullivan specifically thanked the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and ODNI Director of Science and Technology Dave Honey for working through classification of research and other serious issues to allow IC researchers to be included.
She told the six researchers, “I know you didn’t come here for recognition,” acknowledging that her technical research from 30 years earlier was still highly classified. “You came here, and you stayed here, because of the IC’s mission, the challenges it provides, and the impact you can have on our national security.”
Clapper told them, “I read through your award submissions, and you are doing incredible work that has a huge, positive impact on intelligence mission.”
He added that he wants the IC to follow up on this recognition. “I want all 17 of the IC Elements to spread the word about this award program and build the fact that it exists into onboarding process for new researchers. New and future IC employees in particular need to know that the window for earning a PECASE award is rather small.”
According to the Dec. 23 White House press release, the 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.”