Three Iowa State University researchers were among nearly 400 U.S. scientists and engineers who received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) on Jan. 14 for their high-impact contributions to STEM fields. The honorees include Soumik Sarkar, a professor of mechanical engineering and director of Iowa State’s Translational AI Center; Dipali Sashital, a professor in the Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology; and Zengyi Shao, the Hershel B. Whitney professor of global initiatives in chemical and biological engineering. To learn more about the three researchers’ work, click here. Established by former President Bill Clinton in 1996, the award honors scientists and engineers who show exceptional potential for leadership early in their research careers. “The award recognizes innovative and far-reaching developments in science and technology, expands awareness of careers in science and engineering, recognizes the scientific missions of participating agencies, enhances connections between research and impacts on society, and highlights the importance of science and technology for our nation’s future,” a news release said.