President Bola Tinubu has extended his congratulations to six outstanding Nigerians in the Diaspora who were honoured by U.S. President Joe Biden as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). This recognition, awarded to 400 exceptional scientists and engineers, is the highest honour the U.S. government bestows on early-career professionals in these fields.
The PECASE, established in 1996 by then-President Bill Clinton, celebrates individuals making significant contributions to science, technology, and engineering while demonstrating leadership and community impact. This year’s recipients, announced by President Biden on January 14, 2025, are affiliated with or supported by 14 U.S. government agencies.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday, Tinubu applauded the Nigerian awardees for their groundbreaking accomplishments. He emphasised that their recognition highlights the immense talent within the Nigerian community, both domestically and internationally.
The President also anticipated that these honourees would leverage their diverse expertise to contribute to Nigeria’s development under his Renewed Hope Agenda.
The distinguished Nigerian recipients include:
- Azeez Butali, Gilbert Lilly Endowed Professor of Diagnostic Sciences at the College of Dentistry, University of Iowa.
- Ijeoma Opara, Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences) at Yale School of Public Health, Yale University.
- Oluwatomi Akindele, Postdoctoral Researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
- Eno Ebong, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biology at Northeastern University.
- Oluwasanmi Koyejo, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University.
- Abidemi Ajiboye, Executive Vice Chair at the Case School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University.
Tinubu’s acknowledgement underscores the significant role Nigerians play in advancing global science and innovation while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to fostering an environment where such talents can thrive at home.
