Ellen M. Robinson - Trailblazers - Purdue University

Ellen M. Robinson is a Program Manager/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 ten years as a Program Manager the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) enterprise. In the AFOSR, she directs STEM workforce development initiatives and basic research and technology funding programs for early career faculty. 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). These programs award funding to innovative and groundbreaking research and technology that align directly to DAF/DoD research. 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. Her other duties include Contracting Officer Representative for two service 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.

During her Air Force civilian career, 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 DAF mission needs. She was instrumental in establishing the DAF 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 in critical research technology areas and capacity building 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 Manager, Science and Engineering Division, AFOSR, Arlington, VA

AWARDS AND HONORS

Professional Achievement in Government Award, Becoming Everything You Are (BEYA), Feb 2025
Department of Defense Award of Appreciation, Aug 2022
Technology All Star Award, Women of Color STEM, 2021
Department of Defense Award of Appreciation, Aug 2019
Department of Defense Award of Appreciation, Jun 2019
Modern Technology Leader Award, Black Engineer of the Year, Feb 2004

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS

DoD Level A, Contracting Officer Representative
DoD Level Practitioner, Engineering and Technical Management
DoD Level Foundational, Program Management
DoD Level Foundational, Test and Evaluation
Black Belt, Six Sigma Certified
Green Belt, Six Sigma Certified
(Current as of Jan 25)