The Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN RD&A) honored 17 Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) employees with the Dr. Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers Award during a Pentagon ceremony, June 29.

The award recognizes scientists and engineers who have made significant contributions immediately recognizable by the research, development, acquisition, test and evaluation community, as well as senior leadership within the Department of the Navy (DON).

"These awards recognize SPAWAR's exceptional scientists and engineers who work tirelessly to ensure the fleet has the most advanced warfighting technology today and into the future," said Rear Adm. Christian Becker, SPAWAR commander. "Their creativity and forward thinking will provide solutions that the warfighter needs to both compete and win in the new strategic environment."

Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SSC) Pacific's Dr. Nicholas Johnson and Dr. Richard Ordonez received awards in the emergent investigator category, which recognizes scientists and engineers with less than 10 years of non-academic work prior to nomination.

Johnson was recognized for his implementation of machine learning techniques in electronic warfare systems for the purpose of reducing warfighter reaction times to threats. Ordonez was recognized for his contributions to the development of novel approaches for integrated photo-emitter and optical filter devices for secure, narrow-wavelength, and high-bandwidth communications.

SSC Atlantic's nemesis engineering leadership team and integration and interoperability (I&I) team, with collaboration from across the Naval Research and Development Establishment (NR&DE), and SSC Pacific's benthic microbial fuel cell (BFMC) technology team were selected for the team category, which recognizes scientific or engineering excellence achieved by a group.

Nemesis engineering leadership team members Robert Taylor, Andrew Stubbs, Michael Pereira, Gregory Freeland and Justin Sellers were recognized for the development of an interoperable architecture and systems of systems implementation for the nemesis innovative naval prototype, achieving a first for the Navy through the demonstration of synchronized electromagnetic maneuver warfare effects at sea.

Integration and interoperability (I&I) team members Rebecca Evans, Kenneth Kontras, Leah Tuten, Bethany Calabrese and Zandria Dickens were recognized for the incorporation and assessment of information warfare capabilities in fleet prioritized surface warfare and mine warfare effects chains. They identified mission critical gaps and system of system solutions across doctrine, training, logistics, material, personnel and facilities.

To recognize their efforts and encourage future NR&DE collaboration, a new category of "Teaming Across NR&DE" has been added to next year's award competition.

The BFMC technology team members Meriah Arias-Thode, Bart Chadwick, Alex Phipps, Greg Anderson and Lewis Hsu were recognized for their contributions to the development of working BMFC prototypes to power sensors using alternative sources for longer duration to meet current and future warfighting needs.

The annual ASN RD&A Dr. Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers Awards program was established in 2006 to recognize the excellence of the DON's highest performing scientists and engineers who have made significant contributions in their fields, to the department and to Sailors, Marines and the future fleet.

SPAWAR identifies, develops, delivers and sustains information warfighting capabilities supporting naval, joint, coalition and other national missions. SPAWAR consists of more than 10,000 active duty military and civil service professionals located around the world and close to the fleet to keep SPAWAR at the forefront of research, engineering and acquisition to provide and sustain information warfare capabilities to the fleet.


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