Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division inducted 11 more technical experts into the Fellows Program in ceremonies June 13 in China Lake and June 29 in Point Mugu, California.

The Fellows Program was first launched in the 1980s and expanded to become a Naval Air Systems Command program in the 2000s. NAWCWD re-launched its program in 2021, after a three-year hiatus in Fellows inductions.

The NAWCWD Fellows peer-recognition program is arranged in three levels: Associate Fellow, Fellow and Esteemed Fellow. Associate Fellows represent the top 3% of NAWCWD scientists and engineers. Fellows, in turn, represent the top three-quarters of a percent; an Esteemed Fellow is in the top one-quarter of a percent. Each higher tier pulls candidates from the tier below it and candidates are inducted by a majority vote of existing Fellows, although anyone can nominate their teammates for induction.

The fact that it’s a peer-recognition program with no senior leadership input makes the NAWCWD program special, said NAWCWD Executive Director Dan Carreño.

“This really is an elite group; why would their selections have to be filtered through me? This is peer recognition, and that expertise comes from those of you who know each other best,” he said.

Carreño praised the fellows as the “technical experts who give us the technical acumen we need to really move the needle” and get needed technology and capabilities to the warfighter. He also noted that NAWCWD’s Strategic Plan relies on that expertise.

“As we were developing the strategic plan, we settled on four focus areas. Those focus areas really came from this group of fellows. We set the direction, but they lead the way.”

This year’s Associate Fellows are Richard Albro, John Allred, Scott Burkholder, Dr. Andrew Chen, Loren Davis, Marty Krammer, Dr. Gregory Ostrom, and Dr. Ephraim Washburn.

This year’s Fellows inductees are Richard Busse and Frank Modlinski.

And the Esteemed Fellow inductee is Michael Wirtz.