DoD Innovator Awardees

Meet Awardees From Across the Defense Enterprise in the DoD Innovator Spotlight Series

The DoD Innovators Spotlight Series is an opportunity for the public to meet and learn from exceptional scientists, engineers and other STEM professionals working across the DoD. The Office of the Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Science and Technology, located within the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, awards individuals and teams within the DoD civilian workforce in the fields of Research and Development, Technology Transfer and Transition, and STEM Advocacy with the following awards:

George F. Linsteadt Award For Excellence in Technology Transfer

Laboratory Scientist of the Quarter

SMART Scholars and Mentors of the Year

STEM Advocate of the Quarter

Technology Transfer Advocate of the Quarter

Upcoming Webinars

Meet the awardees and learn about their cutting-edge work and best practices.

Oct, 2022

Nov, 2022

Register for the webinars

Watch Previous Webinars

Recent Innovator Awardees

STEM Advocate of the Quarter

Jonathan D. Stroud

Space Systems Command Deputy Director for STEM Outreach
Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, CA

Mr. Jonathan D. Stroud currently serves as the Space Systems Command Deputy Director for STEM Outreach at the Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, CA. Before joining the United States Space Force as a civilian Guardian, Stroud earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Space Systems from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He has over four years of service as a Phase 2 Scholar for the Department of Defense’s Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation Scholarship-for-Service Program.

Learn more about Jonathan D. Stroud

Laboratory Scientist of the Quarter

Dr. Gregory Yandek

Senior Chemical Engineer, Rocket Propulsion Division
Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command

Dr. Gregory Yandek currently serves as co-technical advisor and chief engineer for the Propellants Branch in the Rocket Propulsion Division of AFRL, located at Edwards AFB, CA. After receiving both a B.S. in chemical engineering and Ph.D. in polymer engineering from the University of Akron (OH), his career began as an NRC postdoctoral fellow at Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, CA, then joining AFRL where he has been a civil servant for 15 years. Dr. Yandek also leads an R&D group that focuses on high performance rocket component design, fabrication, and testing, as well as development of new manufacturing techniques for solid rocket motors.

Learn more about Dr. Gregory Yandek