Two University of California, Davis, faculty members on Tuesday received the fifth annual Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Kwan-Liu Ma, an acting associate professor of computer science, and Naoki Saito, an associate professor of mathematics, were among 59 researchers nationwide presented the award during a special ceremony at the White House Old Executive Office Building. Saito and Ma, along with computer scientist John Kubiatowicz of UC Berkeley, were the only University of California faculty members to receive the Presidential Early Career Award. Instituted in 1996 by the White House, the award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of establishing their independent research careers. Recipients, who receive research grants for up to five years to further their studies, are selected on the basis of their demonstrated research expertise and commitment to integrating research and education. A member of the UC Davis faculty for just a year, Ma holds a doctorate in computer science from the University of Utah. Before coming to campus, he worked at the Institute for Computer Applications in Science and Engineering, located at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. His research is in the area of visualization and graphics, with a focus on improving the overall experience and performance of data-visualization through more interactive techniques. He is particularly interested in large-scale data visualization, parallel processing, human-computer interaction and computational science. He teaches courses on computer graphics and volume data visualization, and directs a computer-graphics research seminar. His education plan emphasizes hands-on experience for his graduate and undergraduate students. Saito, a member of the mathematics department faculty since 1997, works on the theoretical development of computational harmonic analysis and wavelet theory, and applies the new techniques to problems in digital image processing and geophysics. Before coming to UC Davis, he worked for 13 years as a research scientist for Schlumberger, an international firm that provides services and technology to the petroleum industry and other businesses. In 1994 he received a doctoral degree in applied and computational mathematics from Yale University. He also holds a master's degree in mathematical engineering from the University of Tokyo. He is currently teaching courses on stochastic processes and differential equations. Saito was selected for the award by the Department of Defense, and Ma was chosen by the National Science Foundation. Other participating federal agencies included the departments of agriculture, commerce, energy, health and human services, veterans affairs and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.