The Ames Office of the Chief Scientist is accepting nominations for the 2026 Ames Associate Fellow. Nominations are due no later than 11:59 p.m. (PDT), Friday, June 19. Late submissions will not be considered.

The Ames Associate Fellow is an honorary designation that recognizes exceptional scientific/engineering research by Ames staff members. The appointment is for a single two-year term. Associate Fellows are selected based on their outstanding contributions to their fields over the last five years.

Nomination Process:

All nominations must be made by someone other than the nominee. Each nomination must be accompanied by:

1. A succinct memorandum addressing the following criteria:
   • Sustained innovation and creative contributions to progress in the nominee’s field activity; 
   • Recognition by nominee’s peers of the quality and significance of his/her work; 
   • Reasonable expectation of continued high-quality work by the nominee.
2. A curriculum vitae, which should include: 
   • A comprehensive list of publications; 
   • A comprehensive list of all invited talks; 
   • Other supporting material.
3. Two letters of recommendation of which at least one must be from outside of Ames.

Eligibility:

To be eligible, Associate Fellow nominees: 

1. Must be a current civil servant at Ames with no less than 5 years of service; 
2. May not hold a non-research discipline or be in a management position.

Selection:

Only one Associate Fellow will be selected in 2026. The awardee will be required to give a lecture to the center and will receive: 

1. The title of Ames Associate Fellow for a single two-year period.
2. Ames Research Center Associate Fellow award certificate.
3. A personal award of $8,000. 
4. A budget of $2,500 for travel to technical meetings over the two-year period of the award.
5. A research stipend of $75,000 that can be spent on procurement, FTE, or a combination of the two.
   • Funds must be obligated and used within a one-year period. The one-year period will start no later than

October 2026 and will be determined by funding availability and awardee preference.

Please submit an electronic copy (PDF format) of the nomination packet to jacob.cohen-1@nasa.gov. All nominations will be evaluated by a review committee established by the Chief Scientist. For more information regarding the Ames Associate Fellow, please visit: www.nasa.gov/ames/ocs/associatefellow

2022 Ames Associate Fellow

Tori Hoehler

Tori Hoehler has been at Ames since 1998, first as a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow and, since 2001, as a staff scientist in the Exobiology Branch.  With a background in chemistry and oceanography, he studies microbial ecosystems on Earth to inform how we will seek evidence of life beyond Earth.  His research combines geochemical and biochemical perspectives to understand how energy availability shapes habitability and impacts the nature, abundance, and quality of evidence for life.  He has served in multiple roles in program planning, concept development, and science payload definition for missions that would seek evidence of life on Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. He founded and leads The Center for Life Detection, an Ames-based group dedicated to conducting the science and science-enabling work needed to advance our readiness for such missions.  Tori is a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences, a Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow, and recipient of NASA’s Exceptional Scientific Achievement and Outstanding Leadership Medals.

Past Ames Associate Fellows

2020

Thomas Greene
Eleanor Rieffel

2016

David Blake
Mark S. Marley

2014

Ethiraj Venkatapathy
Ramakrishna Nemani

2007

Jack Lissauer
Chris Potter

2006

Dale Cruikshank
Ruth Globus

2003

Roger Remington
Daniel Reda

2002

David Des Marais
Dochan Kwak

2001

Banavar Sridhar
Kevin Zahnle

2000

John Greenleaf
Mark Tischler

For more information about the Ames Associate Fellow Award, visit the Ames History Office at: http://history.arc.nasa.gov/awards_amesfelw.htm