CARBONDALE - A physics researcher at Southern Illinois University Carbondale was among a handful of promising early career scientists honored by the White House on Thursday as winners of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

María de las Mercedes Calbi, associate professor of physics in the College of Science at SIUC, was one of just 20 outstanding scholars nominated by the National Science Foundation and honored with the award in Washington.

The foundation selected Calbi from a pool of about 450 of its CAREER grant awardees, making her one of its most meritorious researchers.

The award, known as the PECASE, is the highest honor given by the U.S. government to outstanding scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers. Calbi is the first SIUC researcher in the university's history to receive such an award.

President Barack Obama announced the winners of this year's PECASE award, praising them for their ingenuity and dedication.

"These extraordinarily gifted young scientists and engineers represent the best in our country," the president said.

Calbi, along with the other winners, will be honored at White House ceremony this fall.

Calbi said she was surprised to win the award after previously earning the CAREER grant.

"I just felt extremely honored by this further distinction," she said. "More than a personal achievement, I rather feel this as a collective one that involves the efforts of all of us at the physics department," particularly Aldo Migone, professor and chair of the department.

"Professor Migone has mentored and supported all of us since we were hired and is committed to secure our success in our careers," she said.

Tim Crosby writes for SIUC University Communications.