My colleague and friend, Peter Etnoyer, was awarded the NOAA David Johnson Award for excellence in oceanographic research.  That’s Peter seated at the table with Neil Armstrong (above).

At the awards ceremony he was surround by some of our planet’s top space explorers and researchers.  He humbly and humorously described the event in detail on his blog, DEEP SEA NEWS.  And he kindly included those of us who supported his work in small ways.

Here’s a bit of it:

One reason I am posting this is because a colleague wanted to see a picture of me in a tuxedo. Admittedly, I would wear one everyday if I could. Another reason I am writing this is because I had no opportunity to give a thank you speech at the dinner, so permit me to say here a very special thank you to the National Space Club, to NOAA, to the award committee, to Barbara Brooks and Marian Katz, and to Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher and his staff (some of whom I was delighted to meet). I also want to send warm thanks and appreciation to my advisors Drs. Tom Shirley and Wes Tunnell at Harte Research Institute for nominating me, to my colleagues Drs. Bruce Mate, Joel Ortega-Ortiz at Oregon State University, Wallace J. Nichols at Ocean Conservancy, Lance Morgan at Marine Conservation Biology Institute, and to my friend David Canny, and to the good folks at Conservation International and North Pacific Marine Sciences Organization for their kind letters of support.”

Click HERE for the pdf of the paper Peter was honored for.