Two CSE Faculty Members Receive Prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)

Sean Hallgren and Adam Smith, assistant professors in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, have been named as recipients of the highest honor that any young scientist or engineer can receive in the United States, a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).  Hallgren and Smith were among 100 researchers nationwide, and two of 20 National Science Foundation (NSF) nominees, to receive this national award.  The recipients will be presented with their awards at a White House ceremony in the fall 2009.

Hallgren works in the area of quantum computation, which aims to use quantum mechanical systems for computation.  Quantum computers can break widely used cryptosystems, including those used to protect e-commerce transactions.  His work aims to find new applications for quantum computers and to determine which cryptosystems are secure against them.

Smith studies cryptography and information privacy and their connection to such diverse fields as quantum mechanics, combinatorics, information theory, and statistics.  His CAREER award focuses on the problems stemming from conflicts between data access and privacy in collections of personal and sensitive data such as census surveys, social networks, and public health data.  His work addresses the need for formal privacy guarantees that remain meaningful even against an intruder with partial knowledge of the sensitive data.  Smith says that "he is very honored by the award.  He thinks that a share of the recognition that comes with the PECASE should go to his mentors and scientific colleagues with whom he has been fortunate to collaborate."

The PECASE program recognizes outstanding scientists and engineers who, early in their careers, show exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of knowledge.  This Presidential Award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on scientists and engineers beginning their careers.

Raj Acharya, Professor and Head of CSE, states that "receiving an NSF PECASE is a very exclusive recognition.  The Computer Information Science and Engineering (CISE) division typically nominates three of the available twenty slots to NSF every year.  The CSE department at Penn State received two of the three CISE awards.  It is very unusal to have two PECASE awards recipients in the same department."

Hallgren and Smith were nominated for the PECASE by NSF.