Professor earns presidential career award and close encounter with Obama

Pamela J. VandeVord, associate professor of biomedical engineering, was among 85 researchers named by President Barack Obama as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.

VandeVord's nomination came from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and recognizes her expertise in blast-related neurotrauma, including her investigation of blast-induced neurotrauma in U.S. troops. She is examining the pathological causes of so-called "mTBI," or mild traumatic brain injuries, received by soldiers in Iraq who were affected by the concussion wave produced by roadside incendiary devices. Thousands of these men and women are returning home with multiple symptoms, including headaches, memory loss, and emotion and attention issues. "We're studying how the cells respond to the pressure and why they are triggered to become damaged," says VandeVord. "This is a novel area."

The award recipients gathered in Washington, D.C., Dec. 13, 2010, for a reception and short visit with President Obama hosted by the Office of Science and Technology Policy. In a White House auditorium before Obama appeared, they arranged themselves on risers from shortest to tallest recipients. When the president arrived, says VandeVord, he shook everyone's hands and said he believed engineering and science are the future of the country.

VandeVord, who stood in the front because of her small size, was not expecting what happened next. "He squeezed inbetween us," she says. "He came in and threw his arms around us and said, 'Come on. Put your arms around me.' He was very personable and warm."

The award embodies the high priority the Obama administration places on producing outstanding scientists and engineers to advance the nation's goals, tackle grand challenges and contribute to the American economy. Ten federal departments and agencies join together annually to nominate the most meritorious scientists and engineers whose early accomplishments show the greatest promise for assuring America's preeminence in science and engineering and contributing to the awarding agencies' missions.