WASHINGTON - Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) recognized a team of scientists and engineers from Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Corona Division during the second annual V.B. (Kisan) Pandit Innovation Awards for Metrology and Calibration (METCAL) at NAVSEA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., May 21.
Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona's Measurement Reliability Team received the inaugural "Innovation Team Award" for developing a process and set of tools to significantly improve the reliability management of the Navy's inventory of test, measurement and diagnostic equipment. The new process allows a small team of analysts and engineers to measure and maintain the reliability of nearly 9,000 models of test equipment that are critical to maintaining the capability of weapon systems, assets and equipment.
NAVSEA Commander, Vice Adm. Tom Moore, presented the award to the team led by Dr. Dennis Jackson, comprised of Dr. Steve Dwyer, Russ Greenhalge, Vartan Nazarian, Sharon Nicholas, Tim Nguyen and Nam Phan from Corona's Measurement Science and Engineering Department.
The award's namesake, V.B. "Kisan" Pandit, was a former employee of NAVSEA and close friend of several employees at Corona. On Sept. 16, 2013, Pandit lost his life during the mass shooting that killed 12 at the Washington Navy Yard where the ceremony was held. Pandit was a METCAL program manager, worked with Corona employees on several projects and was highly respected in his field.
"It's a real honor for Corona to receive the first Kisan Pandit Innovation Team Award," said Richard Schumacher, Measurement Science and Engineering Department head. "He was a champion of our measurement science and calibration mission, a good man and a good friend. And because of the close cooperation and integration Kisan had with Mike Norman in multiple capacities throughout the years, from SUBPAC to his current position at SURFMEP, it's especially fitting that Mike received this year's individual award."
The U.S. Navy's METCAL program plays a critical role in assuring weapon systems and equipment perform properly when called upon - from detecting and defeating incoming threats to safely transporting Sailors to their mission and home. The METCAL program provides a system of calibration intervals to optimize measurement and maintain the reliability of equipment. METCAL is one of NSWC Corona's primary missions for the Navy and Marine Corps team.
As one of the largest employers in Riverside County, Calif., headquartered in Norco, NSWC Corona employs more than 3,100 worldwide supporting warfighters to train, fight and win using measurement, analysis and independent assessment.
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