Two Pittsburgh researchers were among 100 recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers announced yesterday by the White House.

Dr. Gonzalo E. Torres, 41, an assistant professor with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and Carlos Guestrin, 34, an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University, were joined by four researchers at Penn State University in receiving "the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on young professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers."

The Presidential Early Career Awards focus attention on young scientists and engineers in an attempt to contribute to all sectors of the economy. The annual nominations come from nine federal departments and agencies.

"These extraordinarily gifted young scientists and engineers represent the best in our country," President Barack Obama said in the announcement. "With their talent, creativity and dedication, I am confident that they will lead their fields in new breakthroughs and discoveries and help us use science and technology to lift up our nation and our world."

Dr. Torres, an assistant professor in the UPMC department of neurobiology in the Pitt School of Medicine for five years, was notified of the award Wednesday evening. He said the government grants mean he and the other recipients will be able to continue valuable work.

"I'm extremely happy and honored that what we are doing here is being recognized at such a high level," he said. "I'm very humbled and terribly excited by the award."

Dr. Torres' research, which was recognized by the Department of Health and Human Services, relates to the dopamine system in the brain.

"We're studying how it works. How neurons in the brain basically regulate the dopamine, which is very important in the control of locomotion, the reward mechanisms, in emotion and pleasure," he said. "When it's not regulated properly, it can result in a number of human disorders, such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease and drug addiction."

According to his online biography, Dr. Guestrin is an assistant professor in the machine learning and computer science departments at Carnegie Mellon. His research spans the areas of planning, reasoning and learning in uncertain dynamic environments, focusing on applications in sensor networks and addressing the challenge of information overload. He was nominated by the Department of Defense.

The Penn State researchers honored were Michael A. Hickner and Susan E. Parks, both nominated by the Department of Defense, and Sean Hallgren and Adam D. Smith, nominated by the National Science Foundation.

The awards, established by President Bill Clinton in 1996, amount to a federal research grant of up to five years so the recipients can further their studies. The researchers will receive their awards at a fall ceremony at the White House.