Melissa Cregger, a senior staff scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has risen above the fold in the scientific community, having been honored with the Presidential Early Career Award for Science and Engineers (PECASE). Recognized as the United States government's most prestigious award for up-and-coming professionals in the fields of science and engineering, the PECASE award signals Cregger's outstanding potential and leadership at the vanguard of scientific knowledge.
This year's round of the PECASE awards covered a diverse spectrum of fields, with nearly 400 recipients across 14 federal agencies. Notably, 55 scientists and engineers funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) are among, the recipients. The award heralds transformative advancements in science and technology while boosting awareness of careers in these arenas, and underlines the importance of science and technology in the nation’s persistent march toward the future.
Cregger's research at ORNL delves into plant-microbe-soil interactions, a crucial study for enhancing plant growth and ecosystem resilience. Her work, which garnered a DOE Office of Science, Environmental and Biological Research Program nomination, is not going unnoticed. As noted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Cregger received an Early Career Research Program award from DOE BER in 2021, examining the role of fungal symbionts in poplar trees, which are of particular interest as a bioenergy feedstock crop.
"Melissa’s work is advancing scientific breakthroughs in support of a strong bioeconomy,” Stephen Streiffer, ORNL Director, stated in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory news release. With an eye on the bioeconomy, Cregger’s contributions assist not just scientific endeavors but rural economies and U.S. competitiveness at large. She leads various projects, including those for the DOE Center for Bioenergy Innovation and two significant DOE Science Focus Areas: the Plant-Microbe Interface project, and the Secure Ecosystem Engineering and Design project.
Beyond her research, Cregger is dedicated to developing future scientific talent and actively mentoring undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate scientists at ORNL. Holding a joint faculty appointment at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, she's also part of professional bodies like the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Ecological Society of America.
