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Cynthia M. O'Carroll                 May 1, 2003
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone: 301-614-5563)
Cynthia.m.ocarroll{at}nasa.gov

RELEASE: 03-45

NASA SCIENTIST AWARDED DISTINCTION BY FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BOARD

Dr. Chester Koblinsky, an oceanographer and branch head at NASA's 
Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is a Silver Award 
recipient of an Excellence in Federal Career Award presented by the 
Baltimore Federal Executive Board for being an
Outstanding Supervisor.

Koblinsky will be recognized as an outstanding Federal employee at 
the 36th Excellence in Federal Career Awards Ceremony and Luncheon to 
be held on May 2 at Martin's West, in Baltimore, Md. This regional 
program will be held in conjunction with national Public Service 
Recognition Week, May 5-11.

According to Richard H. Howell, Executive Director of the Federal 
Executive Board, 239 Gold, Silver and Bronze awards will be awarded 
to Maryland federal employees and military service members who have 
performed exceptional and meritorious work.

The awards will be presented by Captain Micheal J. Mangan, U.S. Coast 
Guard, Chairman, Baltimore Federal Executive Board and Commanding 
Officer of the USCG Engineering Logistics Center in Baltimore. 
Performances at the ceremony include musical selections by the United 
States Naval Academy Ceremonial Band and the presentation of the 
Colors and Honors by the Joint Service Color Guard Defense 
Information School Fort Meade.

Koblinsky leads the Oceans and Ice Branch that concentrates efforts 
on science activities ranging from studies of the polar regions, 
ocean biology, and physical oceanography. In addition to making break 
through discoveries of the earth system with satellite observations, 
branch scientists conduct laboratory studies of ocean biology and 
polar science, field programs on the ice at both poles, as well as at 
sea around the world, and computer modeling studies of various 
aspects of the ocean and polar regions. Branch members provide 
project science leadership for NASA's Aqua and Ice, Cloud, and land 
Elevation Satellite missions and the NASA Seasonal-to-Interannual 
Prediction Project. The branch hosts several visiting scientists 
during the year, as well as graduate and undergraduate students in 
the summer.

""Chet has the ability to think without limits, share his ideas 
without arrogance and inspire others," remarked Robert Bindschadler, 
Acting Branch Head of the Oceans and Ice Branch. "Chet's leadership, 
has not only influenced research on oceans and ice within NASA's 
Earth Science Enterprise, but satellite based research in 
oceanography and glaciology has extended to ever larger areas of 
Earth science in other federal agencies, at universities across the 
country and to countries throughout the world

Koblinsky's most recent achievement was the leadership of a 
successful proposal for a new NASA Earth explorer satellite to 
measure global patterns of sea surface salinity for the first time. 
This new satellite, named Aquarius/SAC-D, will explore the 
relationship between the global water cycle, climate and the ocean 
circulation. The mission is a partnership between Goddard, the Jet 
Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and the National Space 
Commission of the Republic of Argentina. It is scheduled for launch 
in the fall of 2008.

Koblinsky, a Connecticut native, received a BA with in physics in 
1971 from Reed College, Portland, Oregon, and a PhD in oceanography 
from Oregon State University in 1979. This was followed by a 
post-doctoral and research position at Scripps Institution of 
Oceanography in LaJolla, California. In 1983, Koblinsky became a NASA 
employee in the Geodynamics Branch at Goddard. In 1991, he was 
appointed head of the Oceans and Ice Branch.

Koblinsky's honors and awards include a NASA Exceptional Scientific 
Achievement Medal and a Goddard Outstanding Management Award. He has 
authored more than 60 articles in scientific journals and books.

Koblinsky lives in Bethesda, Maryland with his wife, Sally.  Their 
son, John, attends Mary Washington College

*****************************
Mark S. Hess
Chief, Office of Public Affairs
NASA/GSFC, Code 130

E-Mail:  Mark.S.Hess{at}nasa.gov
Phone:  301 286-6255
Fax:  301 286-1707
*************

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