WIREDGOV

Dr Deborah Fish, of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in Porton Down in Wiltshire, has been awarded an OBE in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her support to operations.

Deborah, age 41, from Salisbury in Wiltshire, has been recognised for her contribution to the safety and protection of UK troops in Iraq and Afghanistan through her delivery of life-saving advances in armour protection and her work as a scientific adviser in theatre.

She said it was wonderful to be recognised: “I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to serve as a scientific advisor in Iraq and Afghanistan – it’s by far the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. While it’s wonderful to be recognised in the Honours List, I am very conscious of the outstanding support I received from scientists and engineers across Dstl and from my friends and colleagues in the military.”

UK forces have benefited from advances made by Deborah during her two tours in theatre and as Dstl's lead for Support to Operations. One example of her work is when she identified the opportunity to improve protection of the logistic fleet. She designed and had fitted a protection kit that immediately saved the life of one soldier, and was subsequently used onthe rest of the fleet (around 60 vehicles).

She has twice deployed into operational theatres to provide immediate scientific support to UK forces engaged in hostilities. She served in Basra (Iraq), Helmand and Kandahar (Afghanistan), and was prepared to take personal risk in travelling around Basra to understand first-hand the issues facing British troops and thus give the best possible advice.

On returning to the UK, she has continued to use knowledge gained in theatre to lead the whole range of Dstl’s support to operations, including the integration aspects of Urgent Operational Requirements and on an accelerated armour programme, which enabled innovative new protection technologies to be rapidly pulled through into fieldable solutions.

For more information contact the Dstl press office on 01980 658666, 07901 892660, press@dstl.gov.uk.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) maximises the impact of science and technology (S&T) for the defence and security of the UK.

It supplies sensitive and specialist S&T services for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and wider government, saving lives in the UK, overseas and on the frontline.

Dstl leads and undertakes those activities that it would be inappropriate to lead or carry out in the private sector and undertakes those activities that must be done in government to sustain government's ability to be an intelligent customer and build productive relationships with the wider science and technology community.

Dstl acts as a trusted interface between MOD, wider government, the private sector, academia and allies to deliver battle-winning technologies.

Dstl is a trading fund of the MOD and is accountable to government, to the taxpayer and the troops it supports in the field every day.

Dstl is the largest scientific organisation within government, with around 3,500 of the nation’s most talented and creative scientists, technologists and engineers at its three main sites: Porton Down, near Salisbury, Portsdown West, near Portsmouth, and Fort Halstead, near Sevenoaks.