Ellen M. Robinson serves as Program Coordinator for the Air Force Office of Scientific Research’s (AFOSR) Science and Engineering Division, Physical and Biological Sciences Branch, Arlington, VA. Mrs. Robinson manages the Air Force Research Laboratory (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). She also serves as the Department of Defense (DoD) Program Manager for the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program. In these roles, she develops workflow development policies, plans and executes budgets totaling over $80M annually for early career scientists and researchers.

Since joining the Air Force as a civilian in November 1989, Mrs. Robinson has served in several roles in Aeronautical Systems Center and Air Force Research Laboratory including avionics design and laser optical communications design engineer, business management, strategic planning and programming. Prior to her current assignment, Mrs. Robinson was Deputy Program manager of 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 AF 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. 2006 – 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)