WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Pentagon leaders honored 17 individuals and six teams as the Department of the Navy's top contributors to basic and applied science and engineering June 12.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN RDA) Sean J. Stackley and former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Dr. Delores M. Etter recognized 46 naval scientists and engineers for their achievement, professionalism and technical excellence during a ceremony held at the Pentagon.
During the ceremony, Stackley noted that the award recipients represent the very best of the approximately 36,000 professionals who comprise the Department of the Navy's research and engineering community.
"They are critical links in a long unbroken chain of technical giants who have dedicated their talents to ensure that our Navy and Marine Corps is the most capable fighting force in the world," said Stackley.
Among the projects recognized were the Laser Weapon System prototype onboard USS Ponce (AFSB(I)15), a new cryptographic solution for unmanned applications, new personal protective equipment and combat load systems for Marines, improvements to Sailor and Marine hearing protection programs, and advancements in the effort to find ways to combat malaria in deployed settings.
Before presenting the awards, Stackley spoke to the audience about the dedication of the award recipients and the importance of their achievements to the Department of the Navy and the American people.
"They are being rewarded not just for their contribution in their field," he said. "But truly they are being rewarded for their contribution to national security."
The annual science and engineering awards program, named for Dr. Delores M. Etter, was established in 2006 to recognize the excellence of the Department of the Navy's highest performing scientists and engineers. Recipients are nominated by their respective commands and evaluated based upon the technical or scientific merit and the operational impact of the individual or team's accomplishment.
The recipients of the 2014 Dr. Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers of the Year Award are:
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego
Dr. Karen Kelly
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory, Groton
Dr. Lynne Marshall
Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico
Mr. Fran Bonner
Mr. George Moreno Pineda
Naval Air Warfare Center, Patuxent River
Mr. Brian Concannon
Naval Air Warfare Center, Point Mugu
Ms. Lynne Clarke
Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme
Mr. Daniel Zarate
Naval Research Lab
Dr. Daniel Gibson
Dr. Dmitri Kaganovich
Dr. Geoffrey San Antonio
Dr. Mark Sletten
Dr. Michael Stewart
Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport
Dr. Harold Robinson
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific
Dr. Jose Romero-Mariona
Mr. John Stastny
Dr. Benjamin Taylor
Mr. Walter Velasquez
Team awards
The Anopheles Darlingi Mosquito Colonization Team from the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit, Lima, Peru. Team members are Mr. Geidn Chavez, Ms. Karn Escobedo, Dr. Carmen Flores, Mr. Victor Lpez, Dr. Gissella Vasquez, and Mr. Miguel Vasquez.
The Millimeter Wave Vacuum Electronics Amplifier Team from the Naval Research Laboratory.
Team members are Dr. David Abe, Dr. Simon Cooke, Dr. Baruch Levush, and Dr. John Pasour.
The Laser Weapon System (LaWS) Engineering Team including Mr. Joseph J. Barrasse, Mr. Ronald J. Flatley, Ms. Teresa L. Gennaro, Mr. David S. McCormick, Mr. David W. Newton, Ms. Melissa A. Olson, Dr. Robert J. Pawlak, Mr. Gunendran Sivapragasam, and Mr. David D. Sullins from Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren; and Lt. Cdr. Michael J. Putnam from Naval Sea Systems Command's Directed Energy and Electric Weapons Programs.
The Fully Dense Nanocrystalline Materials Team from the Naval Research Laboratory. Team members are Dr. Boris Feygelson and Dr. James Wollmershause.
The Hybrid Rocket Propulsion Team from Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head.
Team members are Dr. Vasant Joshi and Dr. Gregory Young.
The Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures Team from the Naval Research Laboratory.
Team members are Mr. David Merritt Cordray, Dr. Greg Lynn, Mr. Roger Mabe, Dr. Hugo Romero, Mr. Kenneth Sarkady.