Posted: July 11, 2005

The Announcement
Dr. William P. King, assistant professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, is a 2005 recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).

About the Award
Dr. King was among 58 researchers receiving the PECASE. The Presidential award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers who are beginning their independent careers. Each Presidential award winner received a citation, a plaque, and a commitment from their agency for continued funding of their work for five years.

About His Work
Blake Simmons, Sandia/CA technical staff member, nominated Dr. King for this prestigious award for his work on heat transfer and thermomechanical processing at micrometer and nanometer scales. Dr. King’s work contributes to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) mission to reduce global danger from weapons of mass destruction. His research is critical to developments in nonproliferation, stockpile surety, and homeland defense.

About His Partnership with Sandia
Dr. King is one of Sandia’s strongest supporters for both research collaboration and recruitment of outstanding students for our internship/co-op program.

The research collaboration between Dr. King at Georgia Tech and Blake Simmons at Sandia/CA was initiated in 2003, with a focus on the fabrication of nanostructured polymer cell growth substrates. This joint research has produced very interesting results in elucidating the dominance of chemical and mechanical topography on cell patterning as a function of relative length scales. In addition, their two-year ongoing collaboration has already resulted in one joint publication, and several conference presentations.

Simmons feels that Dr. King is very deserving of this award in light of the significant accomplishments he has made in his field during this early stage of his career. He is very hopeful that the continued relationship between Dr. King’s group and Sandia will have a significant positive impact in the years to come.

Norma Hibbs and Juan Abeyta, University Relations Liasions for Sandia CA and NM respectively, consider Dr. King valuable in helping Sandia strengthen its partnership with Georgia Tech, as well as in our efforts to recruit a new generation of scientists and engineers. “This partnership is integral to developing the talent necessary to maintain our excellence in research and leadership in science, engineering, and technology—not only for Sandia, but for the United States as well.”

Read more: DOE press release; Georgia Tech news

Dr. King and Blake Simmons at DOE headquarters