Three Brown scientists have won National Science Foundation CAREER awards to advance their research. The five-year grants all start this month. Eric Darling, assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology and a member of Brown’s Center for Biomedical Engineering, will receive $401,792 to look at spatial variation in gene expression and mechanical properties of stem cells to learn more about how they turn into more specific tissue cells. Erika Edwards, assistant professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, will be awarded $800,000 to study the evolution of a modified form of photosynthesis that allows plants to grow more efficiently amid heat, drought, or low carbon dioxide. Eunsuk Kim, assistant professor of chemistry, will have $550,000 to elucidate chemical principles that can shed light on the roles of cellular iron-sulfur clusters in nitric oxide (NO) signaling in the body. Among the questions Kim will study is, “What are the physiological and/or deleterious consequences of the reaction between NO and iron-sulfur clusters?” The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is the NSF’s most prestigious award in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education, and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations. CAREER awards also support outreach to various groups ranging from primary and high school students to graduate students from overseas.