AFRL researchers awarded top honors

  • Published
  • By Jeanne Dailey
  • Air Force Research Laboratory
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Three Air Force Research Laboratory researchers at Kirtland Air Force Base received prestigious recognition from the AFRL commander Maj. Gen. Thomas Masiello.

Kevin Slimak and Dr. Moriba Jah were recognized as 2015 AFRL Fellows and Dr. Wellesley Pereira was among five AFRL researchers to receive a Scientist and Engineer Early Career Award. 

"This is the second year I have had the opportunity to perform this honor and the experience solidifies my belief more than ever that, first and foremost, our workforce is our singularly most important asset," Masiello said.

AFRL Fellows are an elite professional cadre and represent less than 2 percent of AFRL's professional technical staff.  Early career awards recognize researchers for significant research or engineering developments during the early stages of their career.

Slimak of AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate initiated the nation's first program in the development of launch vibration isolation systems to protect satellites from vibrational damage caused by rocket motors. His early work on high performance space solar cells and smart structures made major contributions to the Space Tracking and Surveillance System program.  This solar cell technology is now in use on every Department of Defense satellite.

AFRL's Directed Energy Directorate nominated Jah for achievements in technology development and transition. He is heavily engaged in the Air Force efforts to transition space situational awareness to the warfighter.  Jah who has been working for AFRL since 2007 said, "I feel privileged to have a voice in guiding and participating in the world's best research related to space situational awareness, and seeing the algorithms that I've developed make their way into operationally relevant environments."

Jah is also the inspiration behind the Advanced Sciences & Technology Research Institute for Astronautics, which is composed of about 35 government, industry and academia members that work to coordinate, and transition advances in astrodynamics.

Pereira has been working with AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate since January 2011.  He has made many valuable technical contributions in the area of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, especially in the application of HyperTemporal Imaging, a new space-based sensing technology for the detection of challenging targets through sunlit clouds.  His work is contributing significantly to ISR and targeting solutions for the Air Force, DOD and intelligence community.

"I feel honored and humbled by this award," Pereira said.  "In my research circle, success is a team effort, and I feel fortunate to be surrounded by a terrific team of civilian, military and contractor scientists, engineers and administrative staff, as well as visionary managers who see the value in what we do.  With the funds that come with this award, I hope to continue performing innovative research that will benefit the Air Force and its mission."

Recipients will be honored at a banquet on Oct. 22 at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.