RELEASE NO: 99-058

EARTH SCIENCES DIRECTOR OF GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER RECEIVED THE PRESIDENTIAL DISTINGUISHED RANK AWARD

Dr. Vincent V. Salomonson received the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award during the 1998 Presidential Rank Awards Ceremony on April 29, 1999. Vice President Al Gore and OPM Director Janice Lachance congratulated the 1998 Distinguished Executives in a recognition event at the Old Executive Office Building. The Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive is granted for sustained extraordinary accomplishments.

Salomonson is recognized as a pioneer with a world-class reputation regarding the use of remote sensing from space borne facility instruments for Earth science applications.

Born in Berthoud, Colo., Salomonson, received a bachelor of science degree in agricultural engineering from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, a bachelor of science degree in meteorology from the University of Utah in Salt Lake, a master of science degree in agricultural engineering from Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. and a doctorate in atmospheric science from Colorado State.

Salomonson has been with the Goddard since 1968. In addition to serving as the Director of the Earth Sciences Directorate, he also serves as the Science Team Leader for the Earth Observing System facility instrument called the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer.

Prior to assuming his present position, he served as the deputy director for Earth Sciences in the Space and Earth Sciences Directorate. Other positions he has held include: chief of the Laboratory for Terrestrial Physics, project scientist for Landsat 4 and 5, head of the Hydrospheric Sciences Branch, and as a research meteorologist. Prior to coming to NASA, he spent three years as a weather officer in the United States Air Force. He has published over 125 articles in scientific journals, conference proceedings and NASA reports.

He has received numerous awards throughout his distinguished career. Salomonson received the Goddard Exceptional Performance Award in 1975, the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal in 1976 and 1983, the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society award for Distinguished Achievement in 1986, the William T. Pecora award in 1987, and the rank of Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service in 1993. He was made a Fellow of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) in 1994 and also received the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal in 1996.

Salomonson has served in various capacities in support of the Earth sciences and as part of technical society activities. He served as an associate editor of the Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing Journal, an Associate Editor of the Remote Sensing of Environment journal and associate editor for the International Remote Sensing of Environment journal. He also has served in a number of positions with the ASPRS. He has served as a member of the Executive Administrative Committee for the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society, and was the general chairman of the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium. He also is a member of the American Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Union.