Two days before Christmas, Samantha Hansen, an assistant professor in the University’s geology department, received an email from the White House informing her that she was among a group of 102 researchers to receive the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. This award is the highest honor that can be given from the United States government to science and engineering professionals in the beginning stages of their careers in independent research.

“The impressive achievements of these early-stage scientists and engineers are promising indicators of even greater successes ahead,” President Barack Obama said in a recent announcement from the White House Press Office. “We are grateful for their commitment to generating the scientific and technical advancements that will ensure America’s global leadership for many years to come.”

The news came shortly after Hansen returned from her fourth trip to Antarctica where she and a small team were collecting data from 15 seismic stations the team put in place in order to study the formation of the Northern Trans-Antarctic Mountains, which are in large part covered in ice and snow.

“I think for both me and the department, it is a nice feather in the cap,” Hansen said about receiving the honor. “Many years of my life have been invested in this [project], and it’s nice to see someone recognize that.”

Lindsey Kenyon, one of two graduate students working under Hansen, has been able to accompany her to Antarctica the past two years. Though she will not be accompanying Hansen to the White House, she was honored to work with her.

“Dr. Hansen is really fun and hardworking,” Kenyon said. “It’s her award; I was just lucky to get to be her student.”

The seismic stations will be recording earthquake activity from all over the world, which will hopefully help Hansen and the team understand exactly how the Northern Trans-Antarctic Mountains were formed.

“It’s a unique project,” Kenyon said. “We put up instruments in a new location that will be gathering brand new information.”

Hansen and the team need to take at least two more trips to Antarctica in the next two years to collect data from the seismic stations, but Hansen said the team had already experienced previously untouched parts of the continent.

“There were definitely sights that no other person had been to before,” Hansen said of the experience. “Especially in this day and age, that’s pretty amazing.

Hansen’s research is funded by the National Science Foundation through the CAREER award. She is among a group of three UA professors to receive the CAREER award, which also included Dawen Li and Yuping Bao.

As of right now the White House has not revealed the exact date the award will be given due to scheduling.

Hansen’s award was recognized by the University Wednesday by playing Celebrating Achievement.