The researchers are David Newman, a staff member in the Fusion Energy Division, and David Dean, a staff member in the Physics Division.
The Presidential Awards were established by President Clinton in 1996 to help meet the administration's goals of producing the finest scientists and engineers for the 21st century while maintaining U.S. leadership across the frontiers of scientific research. The awards recognize young scholars' research contributions, their promise and their commitment to broader societal goals.
Newman's award is "in recognition of his seminal contributions to the theoretical understanding of turbulence and transport in magnet fusion devices." Dean's award is "in recognition of his research in nuclear structure physics and his critical contributions to shell model Monte Carlo techniques."
Ten federal government agencies nominate promising scientists and engineers for the awards. Newman and Dean are two of seven recipients nominated by DOE.
Newman began his employment at ORNL in 1993 as a Wigner Fellow. He was previously a research assistant and teaching assistant at the University of Wisconsin and was a secondary school teacher in Kenya as a volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps. Newman earned a bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from the University of Pittsburgh and a doctorate in physics from Wisconsin. He is married to Uma Bhatt and resides in Harriman.
Dean was named a Wigner Fellow at ORNL in 1995. He previously worked as a fellow at Oak Ridge Associated Universities and was a research fellow in physics from 1992 to 1995 at the California Institute of Technology. He earned a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, and a master's degree and doctorate in physics from Vanderbilt University. Dean and his wife, Brenda, reside in East Knox County.
ORNL, one of DOE's multiprogram national research and development facilities, is managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation.