Materials and Manufacturing Directorate honors annual awards winners

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate recently held its 65th annual Awards Luncheon at the Hope Hotel to honor top achievers.

Dr. David Walker, former AFRL vice commander as well as former AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate director, served as guest speaker and was proud to have been a part of the directorate and honored to return for the event.

In his talk, Walker provided guidance on future scientific endeavors.

“We need to leverage data science to help us move forward with what we are doing,” Walker said. “We need to discern how we are going to build the next generation of people that are actually not only going to be able to think up these great projects but actually turn them into reality. We also need to keep pushing basic research.

“We need to leverage data science to help us move forward with what we are doing. We need to discern how we are going to build the next generation of people that are actually not only going to be able to think up these great projects but actually turn them into reality. We also need to keep pushing basic research,” Walker said.

“The next 100 years of materials and manufacturing are really just starting,” Walker continued. “I’m expecting great things coming out of this organization.”

Walker currently serves as director of Technology in the Office of Naval Research. In this capacity, he manages the policy, planning, resourcing and execution management for more than 50 percent of the Department of the Navy S&T budget, including the Future Naval Capabilities, Innovative Naval Prototypes, Small Business Innovation Research and Manufacturing Technology programs.

More than 110 finalists and awardees were honored at the event as Gary Scalzi, branch chief of the Electronics and Sensors Branch, served as the master of ceremonies.

The award recipient list is as follows:

• Engineering Expertise Award: F-35 Sustainment Improvement Team – Doug Carter and Ryan Osysko

• International Award: Dr. Tom Cooper

• R. Lee Kennard S&T Manufacturing Heritage Award: F-22 Auto Inlet Coating Application Team – Dr. Dean Foster, Dr. Carl Lombard and Ryan Osysko

• Program Management Award: Marvin Gale

• Supervisor Excellence Award: Sean Coghlan

• Vincent J. Russo Award for Leadership Excellence: Lt. Col. R. John McFarland

• Mission Support Award (Individual): Marisa Alia-Novobilski

• Mission Support Award (Team): Contracted Services Team – Sheila Boyer, Mary Beth Holt, Clarisa Kerney, Steve Mahurin, Nicholas Massey, Bruce McCallister, Jason Ritchie, Jacob Swogger and Meagan Wooten

• Director’s Award (Team): NDE Technology Development Team – Charlie Buynak, Juan Calzada, Sean Coghlan, Joshua Forbes, Lenell Kern, Dr. Eric Lindgren and Siamack Mazdiyasni

• Director’s Award (Junior Individual): Asheley Blackford

• Director’s Award (Senior Individual): Dr. Adam Pilchak

• Company Grade Officer: Capt. R. Jay Hodkin

• Field Grade Officer: Lt. Col. R. John McFarland

• Robert T. Schwartz Engineering Achievement Award: Charlie Buynak and Ryan Mooers

• Charles J. Cleary Scientific Achievement Award: Flexible Gallium Nitride for High Performance, Strainable Radio Frequency Devices Team – Dr. Donald Dorsey, Dr. Nicholas Glavin, Dr. Eric Heller and Dr. Benji Maruyama

Many of the award recipients will move forward to represent the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate at the annual AFRL Awards Ceremony in February.

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