President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated six Nigerian-born scientists and engineers recognized by U.S. President Joe Biden as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).
The award, announced on January 14, 2025, celebrates early-career professionals who have made exceptional contributions to their fields. Established in 1996 by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the PECASE remains the highest honor given by the U.S. government to scientists and engineers at the beginning stages of their careers. This year’s recipients were selected through nominations by 14 participating U.S. government agencies, with six Nigerians earning global recognition for their groundbreaking work.
The honorees include Azeez Butali, a professor at the University of Iowa; Ijeoma Opara, a public health researcher at Yale University; Oluwatomi Akindele, a postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Eno Ebong, a professor at Northeastern University; Oluwasanmi Koyejo, a computer science professor at Stanford University; and Abidemi Ajiboye, a biomedical engineering expert at Case Western Reserve University.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu commended the awardees for their remarkable contributions to science, technology, and engineering. He described their achievements as a reflection of Nigeria’s vast potential and an inspiration to millions across the globe.
“These trailblazers represent the extraordinary talent and dedication that Nigerians bring to every field of human endeavor. Their accomplishments inspire renewed confidence in our nation’s capacity to compete and lead in the global arena,” the President remarked.
President Tinubu also expressed hope that their expertise would contribute to advancing Nigeria’s development goals under the Renewed Hope Agenda and emphasized the need to strengthen collaboration between Nigerian experts in the Diaspora and institutions within the country.
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