The following table lists major awards given to JPL Robotics personnel over the past 15 years. Please click on the award names for more information.
Year |
Award Name |
Effort |
Recipient(s) |
2008 |
IEEE Robotics and Automation Award |
For contributions to robotics enabling effective autonomous operations of science investigations under extreme conditions on the planet Mars. |
Paul Backes, Larry Matthies, Eric Baumgartner |
2007 |
IEEE Region 6 Outstanding Engineer award |
For exceptional technical leadership in diagnosing the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity robotic arm anomaly culminating in a successful resolution of the problem and continued use of the arm in extended mission operations. Also for exceptional service to the IEEE as a Guest Editor in organizing and publishing a special issue of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine on Mars Exploration Rovers, June 2006. |
Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu |
2007 |
Institution of Engineering and Technology Achievement Medal - Sir Monty Finniston Award for an outstanding technical contribution to an engineering project |
Mars Exploration Rovers extended mission operations and engineering. |
Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu |
2007 |
Robotics Society of Japan, Best Paper Award |
For the paper, "Slip-compensated path following for planetary exploration rovers," Advanced Robotics, Vol.20, No.11, pp.1257-1280, October, 2006. |
Daniel Helmick, Yang Cheng, Daniel Clouse, Max Bajracharya, Larry Matthies |
2007 |
NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal |
Computer Vision Research and Mission Infusion |
Larry Matthies |
2007 |
NASA Equal Employment Opportunity Medal |
Robotics engineering in research and flight, and consistent support of Equal Opportunity Programs |
Edward Tunstel |
2007 |
NASA Group Achievement Award |
Development of the Descent Image Motion Estimation System (DIMES) for the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission |
Andrew Johnson, Yang Cheng, Reg Willson, Jay Goguen, Chris Leger, Miguel Sanmartin |
2007 |
NASA Inventions and Contributions Board Major Space Act Award |
Sub-pixel Fiducial Detection |
Max Bajracharya |
2007 |
NASA Inventions and Contributions Board Major Space Act Award |
AUTOAPPROACH: System for Single Command Science Target Rendezvous |
Terry Huntsberger, Yang Cheng, Chris Leger |
2006 |
World Automation Congress Lifetime Career Achievement Award |
In Recognition of Outstanding Contributions to Multivariable Control Systems, Robotic Systems, and Space Applications |
Homayoun Seraji |
2006 |
ASPRS John I Davidson Award for Practical Papers |
Initial Results of Rover Localization and Topographic Mapping for the 2003 MER Mission |
Mark Maimone, Larry Matthies, et al. |
2006 |
Center Best One NASA Peer Award |
CLARAty: Coupled Layer Architecture For Robotic Autonomy |
Issa Nesnas, et al. |
2006 |
NASA Exceptional Service Medal |
Control and Modelling Using Spatial Operators for Multibody Dynamics |
Guillermo Rodriguez |
2005 |
JPL Level A Bonus Award |
Mars Exploration Rovers Slip Compensation |
Mark Maimone |
2005 |
NASA Inventions and Contributions Board Major Space Act Award |
Configuration Control of Dexterous 7-DOF Robotic Arms |
Homayoun Seraji |
2005 |
The Industrial Robot Highly Commended Award |
For the paper "LEMUR IIB: a Robotic System for Steep Terrain Access", at the CLAWAR 2005 conference. |
Brett Kennedy, Avi Okon, Hrand Aghazarian, Yoseph Bar-Cohen, Mike Garrett, Lee Magnone, et al. |
2004 |
Imager of the Year award, Advanced Imaging Magazine |
Visualization and image processing software of the MER's Science Activity Planner (a.k.a. Maestro) |
Mark Powell |
2004 |
INCOSE Outstanding Paper Award |
Towards a Systematic Approach for Selection of NASA Technology Portfolios |
Alberto Elfes, et al. |
2004 |
Journal of Robotic Systems |
Most-published author in 20-year history |
Homayoun Seraji |
2004 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Arab Student Organization Arab American Science and Technology Achievement Award |
Cumulative |
Khaled Ali |
2004 |
NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal |
Mars Exploration Rover Autonomous Surface Navigation System |
Mark Maimone |
2004 |
NASA Exceptional Service Medal |
Mars Exploration Rovers Flight Software |
Jeffrey Biesiadecki |
2004 |
NASA Inventions and Contributions Board Major Space Act Award |
Planetary Rover Absolute Heading Using a Sun-Sensor |
Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu, et al. |
2004 |
NASA Software Of The Year Award |
Science Activity Planner |
Jeff Norris, Mark Powell, Paul Backes, et al. |
2003 |
Best Paper, International Conference on Advanced Robotics (ICAR'03) |
Sensory Fusion for Planetary Surface Robotic Navigation, Rendezvous, and Manipulation Operat |
T. Huntsberger, Y. Cheng, E.T. Baumgartner, M. Robinson, and P.S. Schenker |
2003 |
JPL Level A Bonus Award |
Mars Technology Program Rover Technology Development |
Richard Volpe |
2003 |
NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal |
Galileo, SSI Recovery |
Greg Levanas |
2002 |
JPL Edward Stone Award for Best Journal Publication |
"Behavior-Based Robot Navigation on Challenging Terrain: A Fuzzy Logic Approach, IEEE Trans. R&A
18(3), June 2002." |
Homayoun Seraji, Ayanna Howard |
2002 |
JPL Lew Allen Award for Excellence |
Early Career |
Andrew Johnson |
2001 |
NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal |
For exceptional innovations in computer vision technology that enable autonomous navigation of rovers, landers, and orbiters |
Larry Matthies |
2000 |
NASA Group Achievement Award |
MER/FIDO Black Rock Summit, NV Field Trials |
Paul Schenker, et al. |
1999 |
JPL Lew Allen Award for Excellence |
Early Career |
Adrian Stoica |
1999 |
NASA Group Achievement Award |
FIDO Silverlake, CA Field Trials |
Paul Schenker, et al. |
1998 |
NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal |
Mars Pathfinder Development and Operations |
Al Sirota |
1998 |
NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal |
RCW (Rover Control Workstation) software used on Mars Pathfinder |
Brian Cooper |
1998 |
NASA Software Of The Year Award, Sole Runner-Up |
Web Interface for Telescience (WITS) |
Paul Backes |
1998 |
NASA/U.S. Dept. of Interior William T. Pecora Group Award |
TOPEX/Poseidon Mission |
Eddie Tunstel |
1997 |
IEEE Fellow, Robotics and Automation Society |
For significant original contributions to robotic manipulator control technology |
Homayoun Seraji |
1997 |
NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal |
Rocky 7 Rover Development |
Richard Volpe |
1997 |
NASA Software Of The Year Award |
DARTS: Dynamics Algorithms for Real-Time Simulation |
Abhi Jain, et al. |
1997 |
U.C. Irvine Lauds and Laurels Outstanding Alumnus |
Lead Rover Driver for Mars Pathfinder |
Brian Cooper |
1996 |
NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal |
Galileo troubleshooting |
Greg Levanas |
1994 |
Best Video Award, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation |
Remote Surface Inspection Technology for the Space Station |
Samad Hayati, J. Balaram, Homayoun Seraji, Richard Volpe, et al. |
1993 |
NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal |
Telerobotics |
Paul Backes |
1992 |
NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal |
For significant original contributions to robotic manipulator control technology |
Homayoun Seraji |
1991 |
NASA Exceptional Service Medal |
Galileo, HGA Recovery Effort |
Greg Levanas |