Four senior AFRL officials get presidential awards
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — Four senior Air Force Research Laboratory personnel have been honored with 2008 Presidential Rank Awards for achievement and leadership.
Those honored were Don Paul, chief scientist for AFRL's Air Vehicles Directorate; Joe Sciabica, AFRL's executive director; Alok Das, AFRL's senior scientist for design innovation, and Barry Farmer, chief scientist for AFRL's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate.
Paul was honored as a Distinguished Rank recipient, meaning he will receive a lump-sum payment award equal to 35 percent of his rate of annual base pay. The others received Meritorious Rank awards, entitling them to payments equal to 20 percent of their annual base pay.
All recipients also receive a framed certificate signed by the president.
The AFRL said Paul's contributions ensured that $2 billion in research investments was focused on innovative technologies for troops.
Sciabica was honored for leading technological advances ranging from space flight experiments to sensor technology improvements, and building education partnerships with local universities and school systems.
Das led a rapid-reaction team to focus researchers' efforts on solving urgent problems for warfighters. Farmer led significant new investments in nanotechnology, biotechnology and advanced materials research, the AFRL said.
