Air Force Research Lab engineer recognized as Champion of Small Business

  • Published
  • By Holly Jordan
  • AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate
In recognition for her advocacy of small firms in the government sector, AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate engineer Amber Davis has been named a recipient of the Small Business Technology Council's 2016 Champion of Small Business Technology Commercialization Award.

Davis was nominated for the honor by Third Wave Systems, a developer of materials-based modeling software and services.  She worked closely with the company to help focus their efforts in modeling for machining applications.  She also helped connect the company with key players within the industry, as well as manufacturers who could benefit from their modeling technologies.

Davis currently serves as a section chief in the Composite Materials and Processing group, where she manages the polymeric matrix composite and ceramic matrix composite research teams.  She previously served as a program manager within the Manufacturing and Industrial Technologies Division, where her focus was manufacturing for propulsion and structural applications.  It was in this role that she became involved with machining technologies.  Recognizing the importance of the small businesses in these efforts, she continued her involvement into her current role.

"I was surprised and honored to be recognized with this award.  Small businesses are very important to our goals here in AFRL, and it is mutually beneficial to help them advance their efforts," said Davis.

The Small Business Technology Council bestows the Champion of Small Business Technology Commercialization Award annually upon government personnel whom they deem to have gone above and beyond in their efforts to help companies find funding and commercialization opportunities as well as resources to advance their technologies.

Davis was recognized at the June 7 Small Business Technology Council meeting and awards presentation in Washington, D.C.