The NSF describes CAREER as "its most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars".

These highly competitive five-year awards are open to tenure-track faculty nationwide and require "creative, integrative and effective research and education plans" that can serve as the "foundation for a lifetime of contributions to research, education and their integration."

Patrick's proposal and award are entitled "Developing a Theoretical Understanding of the TeV Energy Scale from the LHC and Dark Matter", and this project will engage the most pressing issues in contemporary elementary particle physics.

Patrick Meade was educated at the College of William and Mary and Cornell University, and held postdoctoral research positions at Harvard University and the Institute for Advanced Study before joining the YITP in 2009 as assistant professor.