Associate professors Luke Chang and Hélène Seroussi were each awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers earlier this month, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on researchers at the outset of their careers in STEM fields.
Chang, an associate professor of psychological and brain sciences, was nominated by the National Institutes of Health for his groundbreaking research, as director of Dartmouth’s Computational Social Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, on decoding dynamic emotional experiences from brain activity and facial expressions. This innovative work could lead to more accurate diagnoses, personalized treatments, and a better understanding of psychiatric conditions like depression and anxiety.
Seroussi, an associate professor of engineering at Thayer School of Engineering, was nominated by NASA “for leading the cryosphere science community in new research directions about the role of ocean circulation in the destabilization of major parts of Antarctica’s ice sheets.”
Her research is focused on better understanding changes of the ice sheets, as well as reducing uncertainties in the ice sheet contribution to sea level rise by combining numerical models. She is one of the co-founders and main developers of the Ice-sheet and Sea-level System Model known as ISSM.
Chang and Seroussi were two of nearly 400 recipients named by the White House on Jan. 14.
“I have tremendous pride in being able to work alongside and be inspired by such talented, hardworking, and brilliant students and colleagues,” says Chang. “It is an absolute dream to have a career where I can be creative, indulge my curiosity, and connect with others through solving puzzles to unravel how our minds work.”
“This recognition inspires me to continue advancing our understanding of ice sheets, how they are changing and evolving in response to a warming climate,” says Seroussi. “Being a woman in engineering and a climate scientist can be challenging at times, but I am fortunate to work alongside remarkable mentors, colleagues, and students at Dartmouth who inspire and challenge me every day.”
Established in 1996, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, aka PECASE, demonstrates the high priority placed by the government on maintaining the leadership position of the United States in science. The awards identify outstanding emerging scientists and engineers who will broadly advance science and the missions important to the participating agencies.
Each PECASE winner receives a citation, a plaque, and funding from the grantmaking agency that supports their work for up to five years to advance their research.
