Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) students, faculty and staff were recognized for their outstanding research and academic excellence at the Spring 2009 Awards Ceremony June 9.
Officiated by NPS Dean of Students Capt. Janice Wynn, the ceremony recognized 35 graduating students, nine faculty members and one military staff member.
Also, in a special presentation, four students from the NPS Marksmanship Team were honored for their team’s first-place performance at the Fleet Forces Command (West) Rifle and Pistol Matches. Along with their coach, retired Navy Capt. Gordon Nakagawa, student members Navy Lt. Cmdr. Tariq Rashid, Marine Corps Capt. Daniel Hinkson, Navy Lt. Norman Overfield and Air Force Capt. Douglas Kisby were recognized for the team’s first-place pistol trophy, which they received during a joint-service competition at Camp Pendleton, Calif., in May.
For his outstanding academic accomplishments, Marine Corps Capt. Eric Rose received the Monterey Council Navy League Award for Highest Academic Achievement. The award is presented quarterly to a graduating Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) student who has maintained an outstanding academic record, exhibited not only by academic achievement and thesis research, but motivation and community involvement.
Rose, a physics student, said he was humbled by the recognition and credited his academic success to his family’s support. Rose said his experience as an NPS student has been professionally rewarding and added, “It’s a lot of work, but at the end you can really look back on the two years here and know you did something that you can apply for the betterment of your service, Department of Defense and country.”
Following graduation, Rose will report to the U.S. Naval Academy to serve as an instructor in the Weapons and Systems Engineering Department.
Rose’s thesis advisor, Physics Prof. Nancy Haegel, was also recognized at the ceremony as the recipient of the Rear Adm. John Jay Schieffelin Award for Teaching Excellence. It is the most prestigious teaching award at NPS, and the recipient is determined by students and alumni who are polled annually by an award committee.
“The Schieffelin Award is a great honor here in part because it’s campus-wide, but also in large part because it comes initially from the students,” said Haegel, who has been teaching at NPS since 2003. “That makes it especially meaningful, and I’m very proud to be a part of that tradition.”
As an educator, Haegel said the drive, experience and maturity of the students at NPS is incredibly motivating. “When you look at what all of our students – both U.S. and international – are doing for our country and their countries, I do believe very strongly that we owe them the best education we can give them,” she explained. “So I do make every attempt to do that the best I can.”
In addition to receiving the Schieffelin Award, Haegel has been named a Distinguished Professor for her scholarly accomplishments and outstanding contributions to the school. She and four other highly-accomplished NPS professors were formally recognized at the Spring 2009 Graduation Ceremony on June 19.
Full list of awardees:
Rear Admiral John Jay Schieffelin Award for Excellence in Teaching – Dr. Nancy Haegel, Physics
The Louis D. Liskin Award for Teaching Excellence in the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy – Dr. Aruna Apte
The Naval Postgraduate School Foundation Research Award for Excellence in Scientific Research – Dr. Patrick Harr, Meteorology
The Lieutenant Commander David L. Williams Outstanding Professor Award – Dr. Christopher Twomey, National Security Affairs
The Military Officers Association of America Joint Service Warfare Award – Navy Capt. Douglas E. Otte
The Northrop Grumman Faculty Award for Excellence in Systems Engineering and Analysis – Air Force Lt. Col. Terry Smith, Information Systems, and Mark Stevens, Systems Engineering
Meyer Award for Teaching Excellence in Systems Engineering (Distance Learning) – retired Army Col. David F. Matthews and David W. Meyer
First Command Military Leadership Award – Navy Lt. Cmdr. James McMullin, Program Officer
The Louis D. Liskin Award for Excellence in Business and Public Policy – Army Maj. Christian C. Ayers
The Army Acquisition Corps Award for Scholastic Achievement – Maj. Christian C. Ayers
The School of International Graduate Studies Outstanding International Student Award – German Air Force Lt. Col. Carsten Busch
The Louis D. Liskin Award for Excellence in Regional Security Studies – Navy Lt. Andres J. Aviles
The Hans Jones Award for Excellence in Thesis Research in Special Operations and Irregular Warfare or Security, Stabilization, Transition and Reconstruction – Army Maj. Stephen Schnell, Army Capt. Richard Hagner, Army Maj. Robert Pawlak and Army Maj. Rafael Rodriguez
Rear Admiral Donald R. Eaton Logistics Award for Outstanding Achievement – Navy Lt. Cmdr. Bobby B. Savanh
Monterey Council Navy League Award for Highest Academic Achievement – Marine Corps Capt. Eric Q. Rose
Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Award – Marine Corps Capt. Matthew Schroer and Mr. Joseph G. Crnkovich Jr., Naval Research Laboratory
The Northrop Grumman Student Award for Excellence in Systems Engineering and Analysis – Navy Lt. Christopher Gahl
Association of the United States Army, General Joseph W. Stilwell Chapter, Award for Outstanding Army Student – Maj. Christopher D. Pratt.
Naval Postgraduate School Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for Department of Defense Student – Air Force Capt. Heather R. Crooks.
Air Force Association Award for Outstanding U.S. Air Force Student – Maj. Christopher McClernon
Naval Postgraduate School Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for International Students – Turkish Army 1st Lt. Kursad Simsek
Naval Postgraduate School Superior Service Award – Navy Lt. Sean M. Welch.
The Surface Navy Association’s Award for Excellence in Surface Warfare Research – Lt. Sean M. Welch.
Marine Corps Association Superior Service Award for Outstanding U.S. Marine –Maj. Ryan Crais.
Military Operations Research Society Stephen A. Tisdale Graduate Research Award – Marine Corps Capt. Paul J. Nicholas
Joint Chiefs of Staff Command, Control and Communications Award for Academic Achievement – Marine Corps Capt. Derek A. Filipe
Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper Information Technology Management Award – Marine Corps Maj. Tyrone Ferrel
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Award in Electronic Systems Engineering ) – Ens. Gerald E. Vineyard.
Naval Sea Systems Command Award for Excellence in Combat Systems – Lt. Cmdr. Scott Gardner
Rear Admiral Thomas R. McClellan Award for Academic Excellence in the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy – Navy Cmdr. Carlos Iglesias
Naval Supply Systems Command Award for Academic Excellence in Management – Lt. Cmdr. John M. Armstrong.
Department of the Navy Award for Academic Excellence in Financial Management – Lt. Anthony M. Wilson
Conrad Scholar Award for Distinguished Academic Achievement in Financial Management – Lt. Anthony M. Wilson
American Society of Military Comptrollers Award for Excellence in Research – Lt. Anthony M. Wilson
The Graduate School of Business and Public Policy Faculty Outstanding International Student Award – Hellenic Navy Lt. Cmdr. Konstantinos Tourkantonis and Turkish Air Force 1st Lt. Hamdi Kara
Meyer Award for Outstanding Student in Systems Engineering (Distance Learning) – Mr. Richard W. Jack and Mr. Joshua W. Pepper
Oceanographer of the Navy Award for Outstanding Academic Performance in Meteorology and Oceanography – Navy Lt. Andrea C. O’Neill
The Outstanding United States Air Force Graduate Award, Department of National Security Affairs – Maj Kevin V. Minor
Air Force Association Award for Outstanding U.S. Air Force Student – Maj. Kevin V. Minor
The Army Acquisition Corps Award for Scholastic Achievement – Ms. Alicia B. Baldauf and Capt. Stanley Florkowski
Army Chief of Staff Award for Excellence in Operations Research – Maj. Patrick E. Workman
Fleet Forces Command (West) Rifle and Pistol Matches First Place Trophy for Team Pistol – (Student Team Members) Navy Lt. Cmdr. Tariq Rashid, Marine Corps Capt. Daniel Hinkson, Navy Lt. Norman Overfield and Air Force Capt. Douglas Kisby
