Oceanographer Dr. Josh Willis is among four JPL researchers to be named winners of the 2009 Lew Allen Award for Excellence. Josh, from the Ocean Circulation Group (3244), was cited for fundamental contributions to the understanding of global ocean circulation and sea-level change from analysis of satellite and in-situ observations.

The Lew Allen Award is bestowed annually to recognize and encourage significant individual accomplishments or leadership in scientific research or technological innovation by JPL employees during the early years of their professional careers. The award consists of a wall plaque and an award of $25,000 from the JPL Research and Technology Development Fund to enhance the professional efforts of the awardee. The award is to be used at JPL in a manner consistent with the objectives and fiscal year constraints of the Research and Technology Development Fund.

Other recipients include Charles (Matt) Bradford of the Astronomical Instrumentation Group, Cory Hill of the Infrared Photonics Group, and Jeffrey Norris, supervisor of the Planning Software Systems Group.

Photo: From left, JPL Director Charles Elachi, Hill, Norris, Willis, Bradford and JPL Chief Scientist Daniel McCleese. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech