Kevin Field honored with prestigious PECASE award
The NERS professor was given the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for his innovative research on radiation effects in materials.
Kevin Field, an associate professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences, has been awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) through the Department of Energy (DOE). This prestigious recognition is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on early-career scientists and engineers who demonstrate exceptional leadership and innovation in their respective fields.
Field is renowned for his groundbreaking work in coupling advanced characterization and irradiation methods to accelerated analysis techniques enabling new insights on how materials perform in advanced nuclear energy systems. His team’s research has been and continues to be critical to advancing the materials science underpinning both fission and fusion energy systems, paving the way for safer and more efficient nuclear energy solutions.
This achievement highlights the excellence of U-M’s Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences (NERS) in fostering innovation and critical collaborations that contribute broadly to global societal challenges, including clean and sustainable energy. Field’s recognition as a PECASE recipient not only underscores his individual contributions but also reflects the department’s broader strengths and lasting commitment to advancing nuclear science and technology.
In addition to Field, seven other U-M researchers received the PECASE award announced this year that covers eligible candidates from 2018 to 2022. The full list is available here. This isn’t the first time the NERS department has been honored through the PECASE program. Professor Kimberlee Kearfott and Jeremy Busby, a NERS Adjunct Professor and alumni, are also past recipients of this distinguished award.
“I am pleased to see Professor Field recognized by the White House for his outstanding accomplishments,” said NERS Chair Todd Allen. “This award highlights the importance of nuclear energy to the future, the value of the University of Michigan as a host to the best talent in Nuclear Engineering, and the appreciation of Professor Field as an important voice for the next few decades.”