It feels good to get recognition, especially when it comes from the White House.

This week D Cornelison, a Bond Life Sciences Center researcher and associate professor of biological sciences found out she will receive a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). The award is the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. She joins 102 researchers this year selected by the White House to receive this prestigious award.

This is a first for Missouri as a state as well as MU, making her the only scientist based in Missouri to ever be selected. Cornelison was nominated by her program officer at the National Institutes of Health, which funds her work on satellite cells.

Read more here from Melody Kroll on the Division of Biological Sciences website.

If you’d rather hear about it from her mouth, listen to Cornelison’s interview on KFRU Wednesday morning.