The "Oscars of public service" may not be until September, but the Partnership for Public Service has tapped a full slate of finalists for its 2017 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals.

The seven awards, which recognize federal employees who spotlight the best in civil service, enter their 16th year as the foremost showcase of the best in government.

This year's finalists represent 26 nominees from across the federal government who have achieved breakthroughs in law enforcement, national security, health advancements and innovation.

As part of Public Service Recognition Week, the finalists will be recognized on May 9 at a breakfast held by the Partnership for Public Service.

"If we are to get the best from our government, we must follow the example of top private-sector organizations by identifying and celebrating employee achievements," said Max Stier, Partnership for Public Service president and CEO, in a statement.

"Federal leaders must create a climate where talented people will want to serve in government and tap into the desire of young people to make a difference for our country. That starts by celebrating the many outstanding contributions that our nation's civil servants are making for society."

The awards come at a time where federal employees face a changing landscape, both with the increasing numbers of employees retiring and an ongoing agency reorganization being conducted by the Trump administration.  

Among the finalists are:

Career Achievement Medal Finalists

  • Jitender P. Dubey, Agricultural Research Service
  • Dr. Tedd V. Ellerbrock, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Joseph J. Seebode, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
  • Hanwant B. Singh, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center

Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Medal Finalists

  • Phillip A. Brooks and Byron Bunker, Environmental Protection Agency, and Joshua H. Van Eaton, Department of Justice
  • Timothy P. Camus and the IRS Impersonation Scam Team, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
  • Bryan Drake, Catherine Kuo Dick, Abhijit Dixit and Kevin Nalu, Federal Bureau of Investigation (Drake); Department of Justice (Dick); Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (Dixit); Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (Nalu)
  • Nat Wood and the IdentityTheft.gov Development Team, Federal Trade Commission

Management Excellence Medal Finalists

  • Elizabeth Angerman and the Unified Shared Services Management Team, General Services Administration
  • Courtney Lias, Stayce Beck and the FDA Artificial Pancreas Team, Food and Drug Administration
  • John Pilotte and Heather Grimsley, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
  • Brenda B. Smith and the Single Window Team, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
  • Thomas R. Davis and the Rental Assistance Demonstration Team, Department of Housing and Urban Development

National Security and International Affairs Medal Finalists

  • Alex Mahoney and the Middle East Crisis Humanitarian Response Team, U.S. Agency for International Development
  • Mark Skoog, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Armstrong Flight Research Center
  • Jon R. Smibert, Department of Justice, Criminal Division
  • Vincent Tang and the SIGMA Team, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

Promising Innovations Medal Finalists

  • Flora M. Jordan, Marine Corps Systems Command
  • Sarah Jovan and Geoffrey H. Donovan, U.S. Forest Service
  • Lisa Mazzuca, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Goddard Space Flight Center
  • Paul R. Ohodnicki, Jr., Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory
  • Pamela L. Sheehan, U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center

Science and Environment Medal Finalists

  • Rory A. Cooper, Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Dr. David J. Lipman and the National Center for Biotechnology Information Team, National Institutes of Health
  • Justin C. Sanchez, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
  • Surabhi Shah and the Urban Waters Team, Environmental Protection Agency

The winners will be announced on Sept. 27.

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