Remarks

Dr. Joseph Bordogna Deputy Director Chief Operating Officer National Science Foundation Biography Remarks NSF Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) 2003 Awardees National Science Foundation September 9, 2004

Good morning. I believe I speak for all of us in this room when I thank you for the wonderful experience we just enjoyed, ranging from Cassandra Fraser's spectacular expression of what all of this is all about to your individual expressions of your wonderous work. All of you exhibit capabilities of ensuring that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, which is a fundamental strategic tenet of NSF's Faculty Early Career Development investment.

It is an honor to be with you for this celebratory occasion; all of us at NSF are proud of you. We applaud your outstanding achievements and look forward with you to your continuing careers. You have earned the respect of your peers and mentors, and of the nation, and represent the very heart of America's future intellectual progress and societal prosperity.

In a world increasingly defined by science and engineering, your leadership is needed to shape our future and help us to utilize the benefits of research and education to meet the challenges facing society.

These endeavors will require you to not only lead in your own fields of research and education, but to step beyond and lead in the larger arena, envisioning the future and working toward it.

NSF's vision of discovery, learning and innovation, is all about the future. These visionary elements impel us to continually cross boundaries, explore as yet unimagined territory, and find fresh paths to common goals. We must be daring, bold, and have a passion for adventure. These are often risky undertakings, so we scientists, engineers, and mathematicians must also find courage, grit, and determination to see us through, and in the words of Martin Luther King, [have] "an audacious faith in the future." As PECASE awardees, you exemplify these characteristics.

As this new era in science and engineering unfolds, we must act more collaboratively and collectively in our quest for reliable, robust knowledge and new ideas. We are confident in our choice of PECASE awardees that you can lead the community in this direction. Each of you will make many contributions to the commonweal, and will shape a future that is rewarding for all humankind.

You have already displayed the talent to take what is nearly unthinkable and unimaginable, and then discern a landscape of exciting possibilities. We are counting on you to reach even grander heights. Congratulations!

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