Awards
Awarded in 2023:
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2022 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GOLD MEDAL
Gregory Foltz (AOML), Chidong Zhang (PMEL), Chris Meinig (formerly PMEL), Gustavo Goni (AOML), Edward Cokelet (PMEL), Eugene Burger (PMEL), Noah Lawrence-Slavas (PMEL), Francis Bringas (AOML), Ben Carlson (PMEL) and Darrin Moore (AGO).
Additionally, the following colleagues at NOAA Cooperative Institutes at the University of Washington and University of Miami provided substantial contributions to the NOAA Hurricane Saildrone Team’s success: Dongxiao Zhang, Andy Chiodi, Calvin Mordy, Kevin O'Brien, Sage Osborne, Jun Zhang and Joaquin Trinanes.
For pioneering the application of uncrewed surface vehicles (saildrones) to observe hurricanes and tropical storms.
Awarded in 2020:
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2020 RON BROWN EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION AWARD
Noah Lawrence-Slavas, Adrienne Sutton, Stacy Maenner Jones, Randy Bott, Christian Meinig
The group created a robust, reliable Autonomous Surface Vehicle CO2 sensor system (ASVCO2) for long-term deployments, capable of surviving the forces of 50-foot waves, 80 mph winds, and collisions with icebergs in the Southern Ocean. NOAA’s PMEL (Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory) worked with Saildrone Inc. through a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) over several years to test and modify the platform, and develop the ASVCO2 so it could collect robust measurements while the Saildrone reached peak speeds of 8 knots in high-wind conditions. The landmark accomplishment will ultimately increase observations and understanding of weather, climate, and ecosystem processes in remote, harsh, and rapidly changing oceanic regions. Preliminary results suggest that there is strong outgassing of CO2 in the austral winter; this finding upends our understanding of the Southern Ocean as a sink for atmospheric carbon. This public-private partnership demonstrated the deep scientific reach of a Federal research lab, and the ability of American industry to manufacture, test, and pilot world-class USVs. This remarkable achievement truly embodies the spirit and standards held up by Ron Brown. Read the full citation. -
2020 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GOLD MEDAL
Noah Lawrence-Slavas, Adrienne Sutton, Stacy Maenner Jones, Randy Bott, and Christian Meinig
For the first autonomous circumnavigation of Antarctica, allowing three-season observation of carbon dioxide flux in the Southern Ocean. -
2020 MARINE TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY FELLOW
Christian Meinig
Mr. Christian Meinig has contributed to MTS as a technical expert and unifying source of engagement to bring government, industry, and academia together in joint pursuits of marine engineering since 2000. As Director of Engineering at NOAA’s premier marine engineering facility, he has led and delivered technology advancements such as the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) warning Buoys, CO2 sensors for ocean acidification detection and monitoring, ocean current sensors, the world’s deepest hydrophone for the Challenger Deep, and other enabling technologies that have advanced the entire field of marine engineering.
Awarded in 2019:
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NOAA's ADMINISTRATOR’S AWARD
Robert Dziak (OAR PMEL), Jason Gedamke (NMFS), Leila Hatch (NOS), Samara Haver (OAR PMEL), Sofie Van Parijs (NMFS), Chris Meinig (OAR PMEL)
For creating the nation’s first, comprehensive, underwater sound sensing network including all U.S. coastal regions & several marine national parks. -
GEARS OF GOVERNMENT AWARD
Christian Meinig, Scott Stalin, Dirk Tagawa, and Nicholas Delich
Created the newest system for detecting a tsunami, allowing more time to alert potentially impacting citizens.
Awarded in 2018:
- NOAA ADMINISTRATOR'S AWARD
Christian Meinig, Scott Stalin, Dirk Tagawa, Nicholas Delich. For the successful establishment, deployment, testing and transfer of the most advanced tsunami detection system (Deep Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis, 4th generation, or DART-4G) into operation. - U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BRONZE MEDAL
Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory 2016 Saildrone Team, Alaska Fisheries Science Center 2016 Saildrone Team (NMFS). For strengthening NMFS-OAR collaborations through the pioneering use of a Saildrone for next-generation ecosystem surveys in the Bering Sea.
Awarded in 2017:
- 2017 OAR EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Noah Lawrnece-Slavas For outstanding eningeering support in developing ocean observing systems that NOAA mission. - 2017 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SILVER MEDAL AWARD
Acoustics Group and Engineering Development Division For the successful deployment and recovery of an acoustic mooring and the first long-term record of ambient sound at Challenger Deep.
Awarded in 2015:
- 2015 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SILVER MEDAL
Jeremy Mathis, Christian Meinig, Noah Lawrence-Slavas, Scott Stalin, Nicholas Delich, Stacy Maenner-Jones. Nominated by OAR for developing a multi-platform observing array to collect integrated environmental intelligence on ocean acidification in the Gulf of Alaska.
Awarded in 2011:
- NOAA TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AWARD
Christopher Sabine, Stacy Maenner Jones, Christian Meinig, Noah Lawrence-Slavas, Patrick D. McLain, Randy E. Bott. For developing a sensor to measure carbon dioxide concentrations in the surface ocean and overlying atmosphere and transferring this design to a commercial vendor.
Awarded in 2010:
- ASSOCIATION OF COMMISSIONED OFFICERS' ENGINEERING AWARD
LT(jg) Timothy Smith
- EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Scott Stalin
NOAA Research, Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
February 2010
Awarded in 2008:
- ASSOCIATION OF COMMISSIONED OFFICERS' ENGINEERING AWARD
LT(jg) Brent J. Pounds
An individual decoration recognizing a NOAA Corps officer making an outstanding engineering contribution to NOAA's mission. Awarded for development and testing work done on the Deep Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) Easy To Deploy (ETD) buoy system
- NOAA TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AWARD
Christian Meinig and Scott Stalin For the invention of DART® tsunami technology, which allows NOAA to produce accurate tsunami forecasts and, through a patent and license, generated new U.S. jobs.
Awarded in 2007:
- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BRONZE MEDAL
Chris Meinig
For personal and professional excellence as the Nation's experts and spokespersons on tsunamis following the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
Awarded in 2006:
- NOAA RESEARCH EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR 2006
Dennis E Holzer- Technical Support
For outstanding engineering support of PMEL's scientific programs
Awarded in 2005:
- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GOLD MEDAL in 2005 - for research and development leading to the creation of a tsunami forecasting capability
Eddie Bernard, Marie Eble, Frank Gonzalez, Christian Meinig, Hugh Milburn, Harold Mofjeld, Scott Stalin
Note: The Gold Medal is granted for distinguished contributions and is the highest honorary recognition bestowed by the Department of Commerce. Because so many people contributed to this success, the Gold Medal is presented as an organizational award.
Awarded in 2004:
- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GOLD MEDAL in 2004 - for the creation and use of a new moored buoy system to provide accurate and timely warning information on tsunamis
PMEL / NDBC
Note: The Gold Medal is granted for distinguished contributions and is the highest honorary recognition bestowed by the Department of Commerce. Because so many people contributed to this success, the Gold Medal is presented as an organizational award.
- NOAA ASSOCIATION OF COMMISSIONED OFFICERS "ENGINEER OF THE YEAR"
LT(jg) Noah Lawrence-Slavas
Awarded in 2003:
- NOAA ADMINISTRATOR'S AWARD
Christian Meinig
In recognition of leadership and engineering development accomplishments as exemplified by the successful deployment of the New Millennium Observatory Network interactive seafloor sampling system
Awarded in 2002:
- NOAA RESEARCH EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Patrick McLain
For his pioneering design and implementation of electronic hardware with imbedded software systems for NOAA programs in climate and hydrothermal vents.
Awarded in 1991:
- SILVER MEDAL
Hugh Milburn
For major contributions to the field of observational oceanography