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(Top left to right) Ishmail Abdus-Saboor, Bo Zhen, (bottom left to right) Bhaswar B. Bhattacharya, Ziyue Gao, and Marc Miskin were named Sloan Research Fellows for 2021.

Five Penn faculty members have been named 2021 Sloan Research Fellows, earning $75,000 for research funding.

Ishmail Abdus-Saboor and Bo Zhen from the School of Arts & Sciences, Bhaswar B. Bhattacharya from the Wharton School, Ziyue Gao from the Perelman School of Medicine, and Marc Miskin from the School of Engineering and Applied Science are Penn’s recipients this year among 128 awardees. They join the 120 members of the Penn faculty who have previously received this award, Penn Today reported

The Sloan Research Fellowship is a two-year fellowship awarded to researchers who are early in their careers. Researchers must work in chemistry, computer science, computational and evolutionary molecular biology, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, Earth system science, or physics to be eligible, Penn Today reported. After being nominated by their peers, a panel evaluates the nominees’ research quality, creativity, and leadership to determine award recipients.

Mitchell J. and Margo K. Blutt Presidential Assistant Professor of Biology Abdus-Saboor received the award for his research on how the nervous system responds to tactile stimulation, especially pain, Penn Today reported. In October he received an award of up to $150,000 from the Rita Allen Foundation to fund his pain research.

Zhen is an assistant professor of physics. His research focuses on determining now to reduce energy use in optical communications through energy-efficient design and developing new types of materials.

Bhattacharya, an assistant professor of statistics, focuses on applying graph theory to large datasets for efficient computation, Penn Today reported.

Gao, an assistant professor of genetics, focuses on using computational approaches to address questions about mutation, natural selection, and evolution.

Miskin, an assistant professor of electrical and systems engineering, researches the design and control of microscopic robots. His research involves utilizing technology for producing computer chips to make microscopic robots, Penn Today reported.

Last year, three Penn professors were awarded Sloan Research Fellowships.