Dr. Eric O. Hartwig, associate
director of the Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL's) Ocean
and Atmospheric Science and Technology (OAST) Directorate,
is the recipient of the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive
in the Senior Executive Service (SES). This award recognizes
the prolonged high-quality accomplishments of career members
of the SES.
A letter of citation from John
H. Dalton, Secretary of the Navy, to Dr. Hartwig reads, "A
Presidential Rank Award is among the highest honors a public
employee may receive. It is a recognition of your sustained,
outstanding achievements which have brought great credit, not
only upon yourself, but the entire Department of the Navy. Your
accomplishments have contributed in large measure to our ability
to provide for the national security in the most efficient and
effective manner."
The award nomination notes that
as head of the largest U.S. research organization dedicated to
understanding the maritime environment, Dr. Hartwig is instrumental
in ensuring that research programs conducted by NRL and the Office
of Naval Research (ONR) are meeting the needs of the Navy, DoD
and the Nation. NRL's OAST Directorate is the sole Navy organization
chartered to perform research and development in the ocean, atmospheric
and space sciences. Uniting three previously separate research
activities to create the OAST Directorate in 1992, Dr. Hartwig
has developed a fully integrated process to coordinate basic
scientific research with technological development to deliver
an operational capability to the Fleet.
Since 1986, Dr. Hartwig has been
the key person for the Department of the Navy's research programs
in ocean sciences, states the nomination. Under his direct supervision
as the Director of the Ocean Sciences Directorate at ONR from
1986 to 1992, the Navy's investment in basic research in the
ocean sciences increased by over 64% to fund over 800 research
projects in universities and industry. Major operational capabilities
that have emerged from these programs include the first operational
ocean forecast capability, underwater robotics, environmentally
safe antifouling compounds for ships and improvements in atmospheric
forecasting. These improvements are expected to save the Navy
tens of millions of dollars every year in reduced operating and
maintenance costs.
The nomination also notes that
Dr. Hartwig is responsible for "reinvigorating" the
Navy's oceanographic research vessel program, establishing new
ONR programs in ocean optics, remote sensing and coastal oceanography,
and for initiating NRL research in space-based remote sensing
of the environment, marine aerosols and high-frequency acoustics.
He also established ship and aircraft support funding at NRL
to provide necessary field programs for observational data collection
efforts.
A national leader in ocean sciences,
the nomination credits Dr. Hartwig with setting the course for
national ocean sciences programs. His guidance, efforts, initiative
and interactions with
senior academic, industry and other government officials are
instrumental in setting the direction of the Nation's research
efforts in the ocean sciences. More than any other national leader,
Dr. Hartwig has been directly responsible for an agency that
ensures the continued strength of the United States ocean science
program. These efforts include long-range programs in marine
science education, research ship construction and utilization,
graduate student support and global ocean monitoring.
Fully supportive of opportunities
for professional growth, Dr. Hartwig is personally and continually
involved in the professional development of both research and
administrative staffs to ensure that the OAST Directorate maintains
its scientific leadership and managerial expertise. Dr. Hartwig
actively supports programs such as NRL's Edison Advanced Education
Program and the NRL Mentor Program, participating as a mentor
for an NRL branch head. He has instituted an innovative postdoctoral
program to attract and retain the best new environmental scientists
at NRL. Dr. Hartwig has also fostered employee participation
in activities such as Federally Employed Women.
Dr. Hartwig received his B.S.
in biological sciences from the University of Texas, and his
Ph.D. from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, San Diego,
California. During his career, Dr. Hartwig has served as: higher
scientific officer of the Scottish Marine Biological Association
(1974-75); associate research scientist at Johns Hopkins University
(1975-1978); president of Chem-Data (1978-1982); senior scientist
for microbiological, physical and chemical programs at Marine
Ecological Consultants (1978-1980); and as program manager, OTEC
biological oceanographic studies at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
(1980-1982). Prior to joining NRL in 1992, Dr. Hartwig worked
at ONR for ten years. There, he served as program manager for
oceanic biology and later as the director of ONR's Ocean Sciences
Directorate.
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