The National Science Foundation (NSF) honored 338 outstanding new science and engineering faculty members nationwide in fiscal year 1998 with Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) awards totaling approximately $80 million. CAREER awards support exceptionally promising college and university junior faculty who are committed to the integration of research and education. The awards range from $200,000 to $500,000 for a period of four to five years. The 1998 awardees were selected from among more than 1,600 applicants.

Wishing to nurture professorial career development, NSF places a high value on the synthesis of research and education as integral to stimulating the discovery and learning process. Career awardees also become eligible to receive the White House's highest honor for new scientists and engineers, the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).

"The synergy of frontier-level discovery skills with the learning process and continuous educational innovation lies at the heart of these awards," said NSF Acting Deputy Director Joseph Bordogna. "The nation's cumulative experience in science, mathematics, engineering and technology education tells us that serious discovery and learning skills are interdependent. Engaging students and faculty in integrated inquiry-based research and education experiences thus ensures a world-class science and engineering workforce for the nation."

NSF established the CAREER grants program to help top-performing scientists and engineers develop simultaneously their contributions and commitment to research and education early in their careers. There are nearly 1,400 total CAREER and PECASE award recipients to date.

The CAREER program rewards academic talent in all areas supported by NSF's research and education programs in science, mathematics, engineering and technology. With the establishment of the award in 1995, it supplanted other N
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Contact: Lee Herring
kherring@nsf.gov
703-306-1070
National Science Foundation
25-Jan-1999