AFRL Honors Researchers, Engineers with Fellows Designation

  • Published
  • By Laura Dempsey, AFRL/CCX
  • AFRL Headquarters
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The Air Force Research Laboratory celebrated seven of its best and brightest in a September ceremony that highlighted the brilliant work and promising future of the 2013 class of AFRL Fellows. The AFRL Fellows program selects annual recipients from among nominations put forward by colleagues and supervisors. A Fellows designation is the highest AFRL honor possible, with just 164 (0.6 percent) of the Lab's scientists and engineers in research and development and technical program management having been chosen to receive the title. To be considered, candidates must have demonstrated ongoing, significant contributions to the state of the art in their field, and must also show a high probability of even greater accomplishments in the future. The applications are thoroughly reviewed and vetted by AFRL's highest senior technical leadership before being presented to AFRL's commander, who makes the final selection.

Each Fellow receives a special grant of $150,000 per year for two years -- over and above any funds normally managed by the Fellow -- to be used in further development of their research. A Fellows designation also affords each honoree a greater level of autonomy and freedom in his or her work for AFRL.

The 2013 Fellows Award Ceremony took place at AFRL's Wright-Patterson Air Force Base headquarters, in the Air Force Institute of Technology's Kenney Hall, on Thursday, Sept. 26. Other AFRL locations participated via video-teleconference, allowing maximum participation by the family, friends and colleagues of each Fellow.

The Air Force Research Laboratory's 2013 Fellows are:

Dr. David B. Doman - Principal Aerospace Engineer for the Aerospace Systems Directorate. Dr. Doman's work has advanced the fields of flight dynamics, guidance and control, while influencing high-speed systems, re-usable space launch vehicles and autonomous systems.

Dr. Braham Himed - Technical Advisor for the Radio Frequency Technology Branch of the Sensors Directorate. Dr. Himed is a leader in next-generation radar sensors systems who has successfully led a team in the development of next-generation over-the-horizon radar for homeland defense.

Dr. Roger L. Kimmel - Principal Research Engineer for the Aerospace Systems Directorate. Dr. Kimmel's achievements are largely in hypersonic aerodynamics, ranging from fundamental investigation of boundary layer transition characterization and prediction in hypersonic flows to groundbreaking international hypersonic flight tests.

Dr. Thomas R. Morgan - Chief of Aircrew Equipment Development in the Human Effectiveness Directorate of the 711th Human Performance Wing. Dr. Morgan is an internationally recognized authority in aviation physiology, having made extensive contributions in altitude, acceleration and chemical-biological aircrew protection.

Dr. William "Pat" Roach - Chief of Quantum and Non-Equilibrium Processes Division, Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Dr. Roach is a pre-eminent subject matter expert in bioeffects of Ultrashort Laser Pulses, with his research directly responsible for the establishment of critical laser and RF safety standards.

Dr. John D. Schmisseur - Chief of the Energy, Power & Propulsion Sciences Division of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Dr. Schmisseur is an international leader in the advancement of science relevant to high-speed aerospace systems, with his efforts recognized for uniting the hypersonics scientific community in vision and execution.

Dr. B. "Babu" K. Singaraju - Chief of the Spacecraft Technology Division of the Space Vehicle Directorate. Dr. Singaraju is a leader in space system protection and spacecraft bus and payload technologies, having significantly advanced the state of the art in space system design.