Dr. Jean Gao has been recognized by the National Science Foundation with one of the
nation's top honors for investigators in the early stages of careers who are
considered likely to become America's research leaders.
Dr. Gao, an assistant professor in UTA's Department of Computer Science and
Engineering, received the Faculty Early Career Development award, known as CAREER,
from the NSF in January. The award provides Dr. Gao, whose primary research area is
bioinformatics, $558,000 to study cell dynamics.
The grant will be used to investigate subcellular particles and structures and how
cells regulate proteins to help better understand disease and viral infections.
The project will provide graduate and undergraduate students significant resources
for training and education in cell biology and computer science.
Dr. Roger Walker, interim chair of CSE, praised Dr. Gao and called her a very
promising young researcher. "The CSE Department is very proud of Dr. Gao and the
exciting work she is doing in this important research area", Dr. Walker said.
Dr. Gao joined CSE in 2003. She received her doctoral degree from Purdue University
in electrical and computer engineering in 2002.
Dr. Gao is an active mentor with the Society of Women Engineers and the
CSE annual high school robot programming contest, RoPro, which inspires
high school students to pursue careers in science and engineering.