Awards
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