image: Office of Naval Research (ONR) scientists, Dr. Thomas Swean, left, and Dr. Theresa Paluszkiewicz, received awards at the ONR Unmanned Systems Technology Review on Jan. 24, 2010. Swean received the ONR Arthur E. Bisson Prize for Naval Technology Achievement and Paluszkiewicz earned the Superior Civilian Service Award. Both scientists support ONR's Ocean Battlespace Sensing department. view more
Credit: U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams
ARLINGTON, Va. — Two Office of Naval Research (ONR) scientists received awards at the ONR Unmanned Systems Technology Review on Jan. 24 for their outstanding contributions to naval science and technology (S&T).
Dr. Thomas Franklin Swean Jr. received ONR's Arthur E. Bisson Prize for Naval Technology Achievement. Swean is the Ocean Engineering and Marine Systems S&T team leader and the Organic Mine Countermeasures Future Naval Capabilities team leader within ONR's Ocean Battlespace Sensing Department's Ocean Sensing and Systems Application Division. He was recognized for outstanding achievement in developing and transitioning game-changing warfighter capabilities from 1997 to 2010.
Dr. Theresa Paluszkiewicz earned the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award for leading two major programs over the past four years: the Physical Oceanography Team and Persistent Littoral Undersea Surveillance (PLUS) Innovative Naval Prototype (INP). Paluszkiewicz is an oceanographer in ONR's Ocean Battlespace Sensing S&T Department.
Swean leads a proven investment and transition program that creates and delivers technological capabilities, specifically unmanned and standoff Naval Special Warfare, explosive ordnance disposal and mine countermeasure systems to warfighters. In the past five years, he has supplied 20 technologies to acquisition programs of record, many of which represent first-time capabilities.
Dr. Frank Herr, who heads ONR's Ocean Battlespace Sensing Department, credited Swean's "practical and strategic management approach to this developing S&T area" for fostering a new and competitive industry in small Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) systems for defense applications. "The result has been an agile and responsive technology area … from both industry and academia to address military needs in undersea warfare," Herr said.
Paluszkiewicz, also in Herr’s group, leads ONR’s Physical Oceanography Team in developing seagoing basic and applied research projects to understand how to predict ocean environmental characteristics.
Herr cited Paluszkiewicz's ability to "select, assemble and motivate teams of high-performing investigators, mold their abilities to the larger science or technology goals and repeatedly deliver high-value products."
The Arthur E. Bisson Prize for Naval Technology Achievement is an ONR award recognizing individuals who have successfully translated research findings into substantive fleet programs that meet critical Navy requirements. The award is named in honor of the late Dr. Arthur E. Bisson, a former Director of Science and Technology for ONR, who provided a model of principled, effective leadership in transitioning S&T to naval capabilities.
The Navy Superior Civilian Service Award is the Navy's second-highest civilian honorary award. It is bestowed in recognition of superior civilian service or a contribution that has resulted in exceptional benefit and/or value to the Navy.
About the Office of Naval Research
The Department of the Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR) provides the science and technology necessary to maintain the Navy and Marine Corps' technological advantage. Through its affiliates, ONR is a leader in science and technology with engagement in 50 states, 70 countries, 1,035 institutions of higher learning and 914 industry partners. ONR employs approximately 1,400 people, comprising uniformed, civilian and contract personnel, with additional employees at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C.