Dr. David Breault, a graduate of the School of Medicine’s MD/Ph.D. program, has been awarded a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. The award winners were announced by President Obama Sept. 26. As mentioned in the official announcement, this is “the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.”
Breault, a Connecticut native, attended Trinity College in Hartford. While in the combined program at UConn, he did his dissertation research with Dr. David Rowe, director for Regenerative Medicine and Skeletal Development at the Health Center. Following graduation in 1997, Breault completed an internship and residency in Pediatrics at Yale and then a fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology at Boston Children’s Hospital. Breault is presently an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.
President Obama named 94 researchers as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. The awards embody 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. Sixteen 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.
“It is inspiring to see the innovative work being done by these scientists and engineers as they ramp up their careers – careers that I know will be not only personally rewarding but also invaluable to the nation,” Obama said. “That so many of them are also devoting time to mentoring and other forms of community service speaks volumes about their potential for leadership, not only as scientists but as model citizens.”
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