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The U.S. National Science Foundation honors individuals recognized by the president of the United States with prestigious White House awards. These include the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Together, these awards highlight exceptional K-12 STEM educators, mentors and early-career researchers advancing the frontiers of science and engineering.

“These honorees embody the excellence and innovation that drive STEM education and research forward,” said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. “We are proud to support these educators and scientists whose transformative work inspires students, cultivates a passion for learning and advances the frontiers of discovery.”

The PAEMST and PAESMEM programs, supported by NSF, highlight excellence in STEM education and mentorship. PAEMST recognizes K-12 educators who excel at engaging students in STEM learning and inspiring them to pursue careers in these fields. PAESMEM honors mentors who have enhanced participation among individuals, including those with disabilities, who may not have previously considered or had access to opportunities in STEM fields and careers.

Among the nearly 400 recipients of the prestigious PECASE award, which recognizes outstanding early-career scientists and engineers, 111 have received support through the NSF CAREER program. Notably, two of this year’s PECASE honorees, William Anderegg and Melanie Matchett-Wood, are former winners

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A U.S. National Science Foundation-supported team recently solved an enduring physics enigma, revealing new information about how X-rays form during thunderstorms.

Starting in the 1960s, scientists noticed a strange occurrence. When they performed laboratory experiments to replicate lightning and similar phenomena, they noticed that electrons accelerating between two electrodes were sometimes more energetic than expected. When researchers ran tests, they noted that the excess energy was released as sparks, which they recorded as bursts of X-rays.

To solve this mystery, Victor Pasko, a professor at Penn State University, and his team used mathematical modeling to discover that during the lightning experiments, electrons interacted with the first electrode material, emitting X-rays made of photons. Some of these photons moved backward, releasing more electrons from the second electrode. This caused a repeating chain reaction; it became a feedback loop capable of producing more energetic electrons.

“Our findings help explain the processes that can produce X-rays right before lighting strikes,” Pasko said. “These processes had mysteriously remained radio silent and optically dark.”

New knowledge on X-rays also informs fields like pollution control and plasma-assisted combustion. “Our work could stimulate new research on the production of energetic electrons from solid materials, which would help researchers design innovative medical imaging devices that use X-rays,” Pasko said.

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U.S. National Science Foundation-supported research shows that caribou will optimize their migration path based on their collective memories.

Caribou are the largest species on land in the Arctic. They are not only an important part of the ecology but are also a primary source of food for hundreds of communities.

The antlered deer migrate more miles than any other land-based animal but don’t always take the same path each year. To figure out how and why caribou migrate during the winter, Eliezer Gurarie, a professor at the State University of New York, and fellow researchers teamed up with the National Park Service, which had put trackable collars on over 300 female caribou in the Western Arctic Caribou Herd. The team tracked the herd’s movements and deaths as it traveled across a region spanning over 360,000 square kilometers in northwest Alaska for 11 years, from 2009 to 2020.

The researchers discovered that when the animals wintered south of the Kobuk River, they were more likely to survive a warm, windier winter. When they wintered north of the same river, they were more likely to survive when there was more snow and less wind. The caribou decided whether to cross the river each year as an adaptive measure to maximize their chances of survival.

“A dead animal doesn’t remember anything (or move again) by definition,” Gurarie said. “But

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This week, NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan began the new year by strengthening strategic global partnerships and commemorating the groundbreaking achievements of the nation’s brightest scientists and engineers.

On Monday, Jan. 6, Panchanathan virtually welcomed delegates from Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, including Minister ABE Toshiko. The group discussed opportunities to deepen U.S.-Japan collaborations in STEM, emphasizing the importance of working together to develop a robust workforce and tackle global challenges in critical technologies.

Later in the week, NSF reflected on the National Medal of Science (NMS) ceremony, held at the White House on Jan. 3, honoring the 2024 NMS and National Medal of Technology and Innovation recipients.

“Congratulations to the 2024 recipients of the National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology and Innovation. The distinguished laureates include many exceptionally talented and inspiring scientists and engineers, whose groundbreaking work has been supported by NSF at various stages of their careers,” said Panchanathan. “These individuals exemplify NSF’s commitment to investing in talent, advancing education and promoting mentorship across the nation. Their achievements will continue to drive progress, strengthen our nation’s competitiveness and inspire future generations of innovators.”

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