Ellen M. Robinson is a Senior General Engineer in the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Science and Engineering Division, Science and Engineering Collaboration Branch, Arlington, VA. Mrs. Robinson has served over eight years as a Program Manager for AFOSR STEM workforce development initiatives within the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) enterprise. She manages the AFRL Science and Technology Fellowship Program (STFP), the AFOSR Young Investigators Research Program (YIP), and the AFOSR Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE). Mrs. Robinson also serves as the AFRL Program Manager and the Department of Defense (DoD) Program Manager for the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program. She currently serves as the Contracting Officer Representative for two STEM fellowship program contracts. These programs are crucial in developing and bolstering the DoD STEM future pipeline for scientists and engineers (S&Es) in DoD relevant research areas and shaping future DoD research needs. These programs also support post-docs and senior researchers whose research aligns and supports the DoD and Department of the Air Force (DAF), including the United States Space Force, missions. In these roles, she develops STEM workflow development policies in innovative, high risk high reward research, plans and executes budgets totaling over $200M annually for early career scientists and engineers and STEM graduate scholars.

Since joining the Air Force as a civilian in November 1989, Mrs. Robinson has served in several roles in the Aeronautical Systems Center and the Air Force Research Laboratory including avionics design and laser optical communications design engineer, business and financial management, strategic development planning and programming. Prior to her current assignment, Mrs. Robinson was Deputy Program Manager in the STEM development office where she developed an AF wide K-12 AF STEM Outreach education program establishing policies and programs to interest K-12 students in STEM academic studies and careers of AF mission needs. She was instrumental in establishing the AF blueprint in the DoD STEM portfolio. She also co-authored with her DoD sister services STEM workforce development initiatives for near, mid, and far term.

She has used her depth of experience in strategic planning, budgeting, and execution in forecasting specific STEM needs vital for the future workforce as it relates to DoD and DAF missions.

EDUCATION

1989 BS, Electrical Engineering, Hampton University, Hampton, VA

CAREER CHRONOLOGY

1. 1989 – 1993, Avionics Design Engineer, Technology Exploitation Directorate, Wright Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), OH
2. 1993 – 1998, Electronics Engineer, Strategic Planning Division, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
3. 1998 – 2001, Business Manager, Electro-Optics Sensor Technology Division, Sensors Directorate, AFRL, WrightPatterson AFB, OH
4. 2002 – 2006, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Headquarters Plans and Programs Division, AFRL, WrightPatterson AFB, OH
5. 006 – 2007, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Headquarters Requirements Directorate, AFRL, WrightPatterson AFB, OH
6. 2007 – 2011, AFSO21 Program Manager, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
7. 2011 – 2011, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Sensors Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
8. 2011 – 2013, Deputy Program Manager, AF Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Outreach Division, Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Arlington, VA
9. 2013 – Present, Program Coordinator, Science and Engineering Division, AFOSR, Arlington, VA

AWARDS AND HONORS

Modern Technology Leader Award, Black Engineer of the Year (2004)
Quarterly Team Award (2012)
Quarterly Team Award (2019)

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS

DoD Level III Science and Technology Management
DoD Level III Systems, Planning, Research, Development & Engineering
DoD Level I Program Management
DoD Level I Test and Evaluation
Green Belt, Six Sigma Certified
(Current as of Jul 20)