Meet the Sammies Honorees • Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals

John P. Wagner

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

John P. Wagner

Implemented facial recognition systems that simplify and fortify airport security, helping travelers reach their destinations faster while stopping suspected terrorists and others attempting to enter and leave the U.S. using false documents

Kurt Yankaskas

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Kurt Yankaskas

Identified and implemented solutions to combat noise-induced hearing loss, which affects hundreds of thousands of sailors and Marines, and costs taxpayers billions of dollars each year in treatments for veterans

W. Marston Linehan, M.D.

2019 Finalist

Science, Technology and Environment

W. Marston Linehan, M.D.

Discovered six different genetic origins of kidney cancer and provided the foundation for the development of targeted therapies that have saved thousands of lives

Osama El-Lissy

2019 Finalist

Management Excellence

Osama El-Lissy

Created a highly effective plan that led the United States to become the first and only country to eradicate the pink bollworm, saving cotton growers tens of millions of dollars annually

Shannon Sartin and Team

2019 Finalist

Management Excellence

Shannon Sartin and Team

Led the development of digital tools to make it easier for Medicare patients to access their electronic health records and for doctors to receive payment for the quality, not the quantity, of the care they provide

William K. Boyes, Ph.D

2019 Finalist

Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement

William K. Boyes, Ph.D

Conducted important research on the harm that commonly used chemicals have on eyesight and the central nervous system, leading to new standards to protect the public from overexposure to these toxic substances

Emily Joy Haas, Ph.D.

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Emily Joy Haas, Ph.D.

Improved the health and safety of our nation’s mine workers by using behavioral science to influence the adoption of new technologies and practices that reduce their exposure to known hazards

Venkatachalam “Ram” Ramaswamy, Ph.D.

2019 Finalist

Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement

Venkatachalam “Ram” Ramaswamy, Ph.D.

Developed a state-of-the-art modeling system to enhance understanding and prediction of global climate and provide earlier and more accurate forecasts of severe weather events, helping save lives and property

Paul Shute, Christopher Aragao and David Enright

2019 Finalist

Management Excellence

Paul Shute, Christopher Aragao and David Enright

Dramatically cut the time and manpower needed to make decisions on service-related mental health claims for veterans, helping tens of thousands of individuals each year receive their benefits faster

Emily Banuelos and the Taxiway Tango Tiger Team

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Emily Banuelos and the Taxiway Tango Tiger Team

Designed and implemented enhanced surveillance technology that warns when commercial aircraft are lined up to land on a taxiway instead of the intended runway, averting the potential for catastrophic accidents

McMahan “Mac” Louis Gray

2019 Finalist

Science, Technology and Environment

McMahan “Mac” Louis Gray

Created a game-changing technology that removes carbon dioxide from power plant emissions and absorbs heavy metals, such as lead, from municipal water supplies

Michael G. Kozak

2019 Finalist

Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement

Michael G. Kozak

For nearly five decades, helped shape foreign policy to protect U.S. interests abroad and advance democracy and human rights around the world

Othmane Benafan, Ph.D.

2019 Finalist

Science, Technology and Environment

Othmane Benafan, Ph.D.

Advanced the science and use of a special alloy that returns to its original shape after being heated, leading to groundbreaking technologies that enable safer, more efficient aviation and space exploration

Arthur A. Allen

2019 Finalist

Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement

Arthur A. Allen

Pioneered and perfected a modeling program that predicts where people lost at sea will be found, cutting search and rescue times and saving thousands of lives during a 35-year career

Christina A. Neal and the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Team

2019 Finalist

Science, Technology and Environment

Christina A. Neal and the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Team

Carefully monitored a large and sustained eruption of the Kīlauea Volcano in Hawaii and provided vital updates to protect residents, tourists and property from ash, lava and toxic fumes

James McWhirter, Mark W. Pletcher and the Navy Bribery Scandal Team

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

James McWhirter, Mark W. Pletcher and the Navy Bribery Scandal Team

Uncovered and prosecuted the largest bribery and corruption scandal in the history of the U.S. Navy, resulting in dozens of federal criminal convictions and sanctions against numerous Navy officers

Kara L. De Castro

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Kara L. De Castro

Led pivotal international programs to convert weapons-grade nuclear materials for civilian use and enhanced security cultures to guard against their mishandling and misuse

Leticia Pibida, Ph.D.

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Leticia Pibida, Ph.D.

Strengthened our nation’s defenses against nuclear and radioactive threats by developing performance standards and tests for detection systems that screen nearly 7 million cargo containers entering U.S. seaports every year

Kristen P. Finne

2019 Finalist

Safety, Security and International Affairs

Kristen P. Finne

Developed a system for first responders to quickly locate and assist 4.3 million Medicare beneficiaries who rely on electricity-dependent medical equipment and are at risk during prolonged power outages