Microsoft Research today named the five newest members of its highly prestigious Microsoft Research New Faculty Fellowship Program. Because new faculty members are essential to the future of academic computing, Microsoft Research honors early-career professors who demonstrate the drive and creativity to develop original research while continually advancing the state of the art of computing.

The five winners — two women and three men — were chosen from a pool of more than 100 individuals representing universities in North America. Each fellow will each receive a $200,000 (U.S.) cash award over a two-year period to assist in his or her research. The recipients are also given the opportunity to collaborate with some of the top researchers working in their area of interest at Microsoft Research.

“Microsoft Research New Faculty Fellows represent the best new professors in computing disciplines today,” said Rick Rashid, senior vice president of Microsoft Research. “The intellectual curiosity and capacity that each fellow has demonstrated is inspirational, and we will watch their careers develop with interest.”