Four American scientists of Indian origin were chosen on Tuesday by United States president Barack Obama for the prestigious Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. The PECASE is the highest honour given by the US government to science and engineering professionals.

The scientists are Kaushik Chowdhury from Northeastern University, Manish Arora from Icahn School of Medicine, Pankaj Lal from Montclair State University and Aradna Tripati from University of California. The four are among 102 scientists and researchers who have been selected for the award.

Congratulating the awardees, Obama said, “These innovators are working to help keep the United States on the cutting edge, showing that Federal investments in science lead to advancements that expand our knowledge of the world around us and contribute to our economy.”

The awards were established by President Bill Clinton in 1996 and the awardees are selected based on their pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology, the White House said in a statement.