Adrienne Ephrem

Adrienne Ephrem serves as the Technical Point of Contact for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (AFRL/PZL), where she provides critical technical oversight for advanced propulsion, hypersonics, and high-performance materials research programs. In this role, she bridges scientific innovation with acquisition execution, ensuring that contracted R&D efforts align with mission-critical Air Force objectives in aerospace propulsion and adaptive flight systems. She is deeply involved in the planning, evaluation, and technical validation of solicitations under the FA8650 contract vehicle, primarily managing basic and applied research contracts that require rigorous scientific review and engineering validation. Adrienne maintains consistent working relationships with leading aerospace and propulsion contractors including UES Inc., General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships are characterized by long-term collaboration on complex, technically demanding projects involving combustion dynamics, thermal protection systems, and advanced composite materials. Her engagement with these vendors emphasizes technical rigor, iterative prototyping, and transition readiness, ensuring that laboratory innovations are effectively translated into fieldable propulsion technologies. Adrienne’s procurement portfolio reflects a strict focus on open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted under no set-aside provisions. While small business participation is not formally mandated in her portfolio, she actively encourages capable small firms to compete through technical outreach and transparent solicitation design, fostering a level playing field for innovation regardless of business size. Her primary procurement focus lies within NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she specializes in acquiring advanced propulsion system development, hypersonic flight control technologies, and high-temperature functional materials. Her domain expertise spans gas turbine systems, scramjet integration, and next-generation thermal management solutions, making her a pivotal technical authority in AFRL’s propulsion innovation pipeline.