Natalie Wilson Crawford is an American

operations research Operations research () (U.S. Air Force Specialty Code: Operations Analysis), often shortened to the initialism OR, is a branch of applied mathematics that deals with the development and application of analytical methods to improve management and ...

er and military strategist specializing in

air defense Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...

and military aircraft force planning, affiliated with the

RAND Corporation The RAND Corporation, doing business as RAND, is an American nonprofit global policy think tank, research institute, and public sector consulting firm. RAND engages in research and development (R&D) in several fields and industries. Since the ...

Education and career

Crawford is originally from

Boonville, Indiana Boonville is a city in Boon Township, Warrick County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,246 at the 2010 census. The city is the largest community in and the county seat of Warrick County. History Boonville was founded in 1818 and ...

. Her mother, the daughter of a local banker, had degrees in teaching and laboratory technology; her grandmother was a schoolteacher. Her father was a coal miner, farmer, and dry cleaning shop owner. She moved to

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

with her family as a teenager, and majored in mathematics at the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

, supporting her studies through part-time work. After graduating, she immediately applied to work for the

, but was not hired. Instead, she obtained a position as a computer programmer at

North American Aviation North American Aviation (NAA) was a major American aerospace manufacturer that designed and built several notable aircraft and spacecraft. Its products included the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F- ...

, through a connection with an executive there for whom she had worked as a babysitter. She finally joined the

in 1964, at first working there as a computer programmer in the aeronautics/astronautics department's armament group. She has been a vice president of the corporation, and director of its Project Air Force from 1997 to 2006. On stepping down from this directorship, she became a senior fellow, distinguished chair in air and space policy, and professor in the Frederick S. Pardee RAND Graduate School.

Recognition

Crawford was elected to the

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American Nonprofit organization, nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. It is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), along with the National Academ ...

in 2001, "for outstanding engineering, development, and analytical contributions to planning for the U.S. Air Force". She was named as a 2017 Honorary Fellow of the

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a professional society for the field of aerospace engineering Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecra ...

, the highest distinction of the institute. She was the recipient of the 2003 Vance R. Wanner Memorial Award of the

Military Operations Research Society The Military Operations Research Society (MORS) is a society for professionals active within defense applications of operations research (OR) in the United States. Memberships include analysts, researchers, consultants and officers in the United S ...

, of the 2003 Lt. Gen. Glenn A. Kent Leadership Award, of the 2006

Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...

, of the Combat Survivability Lifetime Achievement Award of the

National Defense Industrial Association The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) is a trade association for the United States government and defense industrial base. It is an 501(c)(3) educational organization. Its headquarters are in Arlington, Virginia. NDIA was establi ...

, of a 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award of the

Air Force Association The Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit, professional military association for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, its declared mission is " ...

, and of the 2012 Thomas D. White National Defense Award.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crawford, Natalie Year of birth missing (living people) Living people People from Boonville, Indiana University of California, Los Angeles alumni American aerospace engineers American operations researchers 21st-century American women engineers 21st-century American engineers Fellows of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering