Office Director, Department of Energy, Sophia, Bulgaria | National Nuclear Security Administration

Riaz H. Awan has received the NNSA Administrator's Silver Award for his sustained superior accomplishments in the Department of Energy (DOE) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) as Office Director of the DOE office in Kyiv, Ukraine from June 2001 to August 2009.  Mr. Awan consistently demonstrated creative leadership and guidance while achieving notable accomplishments while serving as the senior DOE representative to the U.S. Embassy, Kyiv, Ukraine. He advanced DOE/NNSA interests as a member of the U.S. Ambassador's country team on energy, nuclear safety, and nonproliferation issues/programs and supported the daily implementation of these programs within Ukraine and the region. Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of Mr. Awan's time in Ukraine was his devotion to the safe and secure closure of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. His in-depth knowledge of critical energy, nuclear safety and security and nonproliferation earned him the profound respect of the US Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, his country team colleagues, DOE/NNSA officials, the Department of State, U.S. nuclear industry executives, the G-7 embassies in Ukraine, and senior level Ukrainian officials.