The above headline appeared on the FCC home page yesterday. This was the first time that FCC has given such attention to the near annual Excellence in Engineering Awards that started in the Powell Chairmanship. As we have written previously, these awards have been a mystery — perhaps almost an embarrassment to the FCC where commissioners regularly lavish public praise on interns who have been around for just a few months - even minutes after voting to terminate the jobs of dozens of FCC field employees.

In past years there has usually been more than one award, but this year the only award was:

Mark Colombo and Barbara Pavon of the Office of Engineering and Technology and Sasha Javidof the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau are the winners of the 2015 EIE Award for theirwork on development of the analytical tools and software that are the engine “under the hood”powering the TV incentive auction.

Our congratulations to Mr. Colombo, Ms. Pavon, and Mr. Javid for their excellent work and this public recognition. Let's hope that such excellence in engineering work at FCC continues and that FCC continues to recognize it publicly!

The awards are at 36:53 in the video of the Commission meeting