October 26, 2023

Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate

TO: Distribution

FROM: Associate Administrator, Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate

SUBJECT: 2023 Call for ARMD Associate Administrator Awards

I am pleased to announce the 13th annual ARMD Associate Administrator Awards. This 

letter opens the call for nominees for fiscal year 2023. Award submissions will be assessed 

based on contributions that occurred during FY23 (October 1, 2022- September 30, 2023). 

The ARMD Associate Administrator awards include six distinct categories. Each award 

category is intended to recognize the essential contributions of one part of the ARMD team. 

The ARMD AA awards recognize individual and group contributions across NASA Centers 

that lead to the achievement of NASA’s mission.

AWARD CATEGORIES:

▪ Technology and Innovation – Exemplary performance by an individual or group that

results in significant, unique, or innovative technical research concepts and

technologies that position ARMD, NASA, and the aeronautics community and

industry for success in addressing national challenges. This category would also

include test and evaluation contributions.

▪ Leadership and Management Excellence – Exemplary performance by an individual

in leading and managing people in the formulation and accomplishment of disciplined

research in the field of aeronautics, demonstrating leadership qualities that invite

collaboration, and cultivate dedication to team excellence. Leaders of ARMD-related

research activities take action that allows others to foster a sense of pride and

accomplishment in achieving the mission of ARMD.

▪ Program and Mission Support – Exemplary performance by an individual or group

to provide non-technical mission support to aeronautics research programs, projects,

and related activities that significantly improves and streamlines their efficiency and

effectiveness of operations. This could be in functions typically associated with the

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Headquarters

Washington, DC 20546-0001

Reply to Attn of:
NASA Mission Support Directorate (procurement, HR, policy/evaluation, etc.) or 

other support activities such as resources management, IT, legal counsel, 

communications, knowledge management, education, legislative affairs, 

administrative support, etc. These efforts enable the successful completion and 

advancement of significant program goals that otherwise may not have been achieved.

▪ High Potentials – Exemplary performance by an individual student, intern, or

someone in the first five years of their federal service career that have made significant

contributions to the advancement of aeronautics research, and that have clearly

demonstrated high potential in their abilities and skills in the areas of Science,

Technology, Engineering, and/or Math. They have actively and positively contributed

to addressing technical challenges and to the overall the mission of NASA.

▪ Strategic Partnerships – Exemplary performance by an individual to establish or

strengthen strategic partnerships with non-NASA entities that leverage emerging

capabilities in the U.S. and abroad to significantly impact and advance the

achievement of aeronautics research and development goals and objectives, generate

robust and timely knowledge transfer, and strengthen trust and credibility with U.S.

and foreign partners. For example, these efforts could result in significantly increased

quality of NASA Research Announcements or other collaborative agreements.

▪ Pushing the Envelope – Exemplary performance by an individual or group in taking

on an ambitious challenge, and although not meeting the technical objectives,

positively applying the learning experience toward advancing the aeronautics

community. This category emphasizes the positive impact that can result from broadly

disseminating and applying the knowledge gained from a rigorous, objective

evaluation.

Individual nominees will be accepted for all categories. Groups may be nominated for 

Technology and Innovation, Program and Mission Support, and the Pushing the Envelope 

categories only.

ELIGIBILITY:

For the Technology and Innovation, Leadership and Management Excellence, Program and 

Mission Support, and Strategic Partnerships categories, all NASA civil servants and 

contractors engaged with ARMD projects are eligible to apply or be nominated. The High 

Potentials category is limited per the award category description above. The Pushing the 

Envelope category is limited to NASA civil servants, or groups led by NASA employees.

Nominations may be submitted by employees, supervisors, contractors, subordinates, and 

peers. All nominations must be cleared in writing by the nominee’s immediate supervisor on 

the nomination form.
AWARD PROCEDURES:

To submit a nomination, fill out the form (Attachment A), ensure all signatures are made, and 

email a copy of the document in Word or PDF format to hq-armdaaawards@mail.nasa.gov no

later than November 30, 2023.

The nomination requires a justification narrative that must clearly describe how an 

outstanding approach and resulting accomplishments during the past fiscal year makes the 

nominated individual or group deserving of an award in that specific category. Emphasis 

should be placed on how the actions taken by the individual or group resulted in an outcome 

that had or will have an impact on ARMD, its partners, and/or stakeholders. For the Pushing 

the Envelope award, describe the lessons learned from trying to overcome an ambitious 

challenge and how they were disseminated and/or used by ARMD, its partners, and/or 

stakeholders. The narrative is not to exceed 750 words on a single page.

For group awards, in addition to the standard nomination form, please submit via email the 

group member names using the attached Excel group member template.

Additional information is available in the Nomination, Evaluation and Selection Guidelines, 

which can be found at https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/aa-awards. The ARMD AA Awards 

point of contact is Natasha McNeill, and she can be reached at natasha.mcneill-1@nasa.gov

or (202) 358-2638.

I encourage you to take this opportunity to give recognition to your deserving colleagues and 

thank you in advance for your participation in our annual ARMD awards program.

Mr. Robert A. Pearce

ARMD Associate Administrator

Enclosures: 

Nomination Evaluation and Selection Guidelines

Nomination Form (Attachment A)

Excel Group Nomination Template
Distribution:

Office of the Associate Administrator 

Associate Administrator/Mr. Robert Pearce

Deputy Associate Administrator/Ms. Carol Carroll

Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs/Dr. Ed Waggoner

Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy/Mr. Jon Montgomery

Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator for Missions/Ms. Barbara Esker

Sustainable Flight National Partnership Mission Integration Manager/Dr. Rich Wahls

Advanced Air Mobility Mission Integration Manager/Mr. Parimal Kopardekar

Quesst Mission Integration Manager/Mr. Peter Coen

Integration & Management Office 

Director/Mr. Tony Springer

Deputy Director/Ms. Kimberly Miller

Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program Office 

Director/Dr. John Cavolowsky 

Airspace Operations & Safety Program Office 

Director/Mr. Akbar Sultan

Deputy Director/Ms. Cheryl Quinn

Advanced Air Vehicles Program Office 

Director/Mr. Nateri Madavan

Deputy Director/Mr. James Heidmann

Integrated Aviation Systems Program Office 

Director/Mr. Lee Noble

Deputy Director/Ms. Kate McMurtry

Portfolio Analysis & Management Office 

Director/Mr. William Harrison

Resources Lead/Ms. Cathy Delaney 

Strategy Lead/ Mr. Naseem Saiyed

Aerosciences Evaluation and Test Capabilities Portfolio Office 

Director/Mr. Renato Colantonio

Deputy Director/Mr. Chris Mouring
Center Directors and Deputies 

ARC/Director/Dr. Eugene Tu 

ARC/Deputy/Mr. David Korsmeyer (Acting)

AFRC/Director/Mr. Bradley Flick 

AFRC/Deputy/ Ms. Laurie Grindle

GRC /Director/ Dr. James Kenyon 

GRC/Deputy/Ms. Dawn M. Schaible 

LaRC/Director/ Mr. Clayton Turner

LaRC/Deputy/Ms. Lisa Zeihmann

Aeronautics Research Directors and Deputies

ARC/Ms. Huy K. Tran 

ARC/Mr. Leighton Quon

AFRC/Mr. Steve Jensen

AFRC/Mr. Eddie Zavala

GRC/Mr. Timothy McCartney 

GRC/Mr. Chris Williams

LaRC/Mr. John Koelling

LaRC/Dr. Sharon Jones

Center Award POCs 

ARC/AFRC/Ms. Lynette Forsman 

GRC/Ms. Krasynthia Murphy 

LaRC/Ms. Laura Eure