It Appears There Is Only One African American Among the 85 Recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers

Last month the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy announced the names of 85 winners of Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Winners are selected based on two criteria: pursuit of innovative research on the frontiers of science or technology and a dedication to community service. Grant awards are for five years and they may be valued as high as $1 million. Several federal departments and agencies including the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health nominate scholars for these awards.

While the race of recipients is not disclosed by the government, it appears from JBHE research that only one of this year’s 85 winners is an African American.

Edward A. Botchwey, an associate professor of biomedical engineering and orthopaedic surgery at the University of Virginia, was nominated for a PECASE award by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Botchwey, who earned a Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002, conducts research on tissue engineering to repair, replace, preserve, or enhance tissue function in the human body.

In 2009 JBHE research identified seven African Americans among the 100 PECASE awards.

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