John Ernsting Award
James T. Webb, Ph.D.
James T. Webb, Ph.D., was the winner of the 2011 John Ernsting Award. Dr. Webb represents a unique blend of outstanding scientific
accomplishment, academic productivity, operational experience, and service to education and AsMA. He has had a terrific impact as
a core member of the former altitude physiology and altitude decompression sickness laboratory at Brooks City-
Base, TX, providing the specialty with a wealth of answers to many operational questions that have plagued
military and civilian aerospace activities.
He has been instrumental in implementing and growing the Aerospace Physiology Certification Program at AsMA and
has worked tirelessly to support and work in our Association as VP of Education and Research, served on the Executive Committee,
Council, as chairman of the Aerospace Physiology Certification Board, and on the editorial board of Aviation, Space, and
Environmental Medicine. In 2010, he received the President’s Award for his efforts as Chair of the Editor-in-Chief Selection
Committee. He is a member of SMA, LSBEB (President 1995-96), Resolutions Committee, Bylaws Committee, Aerospace Human Factors
Committee, History and Archives Committee, Awards Committee, Science and Technology Committee, Associate and Fellows Group, and
many more.
Dr. Webb has lived the life of an operational aviator in theater with all the rigors, training, and
environmental exposures that go hand in hand with his extensive flying experience, which spans a multitude of different
aircraft and a grand total of over 4315 hours. He is rated as an ATPL single engine and multi-engine prop
and jet pilot, scuba dive master, certified in Aerospace Physiology, and has the USAF Space Badge, Command
Pilot and Parachutist.
Jim Webb entered the U. S. Air Force (USAF) in 1965. Following receipt of his pilot wings in 1966, he became
an F-4D Aircraft Commander (1100 hours) and terminated active duty in 1970 after a tour in Vietnam, logging 175 combat missions,
to pursue graduate degrees from the University of Washington in Seattle. For his efforts in Vietnam, he received the Distinguished
Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 8 oak leaf clusters. During graduate work for his Ph.D. in Fisheries (Biochemical Ecology) at
the University of Washington in Seattle, he flew C-141A heavy transport jets as a pilot and aircraft commander with the 97th MAS,
USAF Reserve (ASSOC), at McChord AFB, WA. After completing graduate work and 2800 hours of C-141A flying time, he resumed extended
active duty with the USAF in the Department of Biology faculty, USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, in 1979. He taught biology,
aerospace physiology, and comparative animal physiology and served as Director of Research. In 1984, he was assigned
to the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM) at Brooks AFB, TX, as a research physiologist.
At USAFSAM, Dr. Webb worked with crewmembers of Space Shuttle mission 51C in an attempt to quantify
fluid shifts during Space Shuttle launch and early phases of adaptation to weightlessness. He served as one of the subjects in a
protocol on the USAFSAM human centrifuge during this research project. In 1987, he joined KRUG Life Sciences as a senior research
scientist on contract with USAFSAM. For his 1991 article in Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine,
“Unpredictability of fighter pilot G tolerance using anthropometric and physiologic variables” (ASEM 1991;
62:128-35), he received the 1992 Harold V. Ellingson Literary Award from the Associate Fellows Group of the Aerospace Medical
Association (AsMA). His later research on DCS led to receipt of the Sidney D. Leverett, Jr., Environmental Science Award in 1999
for his article in Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, “An abrupt zero-preoxygenation altitude threshold
for decompression sickness symptoms” (ASEM 1998; 69:335-40).
One of Dr. Webb's research projects demonstrated increased efficiency of preoxygenation by employing exercise
to enhance perfusion and ventilation. This research led to receipt of the Fred A. Hitchcock Award for Excellence in Aerospace
Physiology from the Aerospace Physiology Society (AsPS) in 1996. The exercise during prebreathe technique was incorporated with
NASA findings to enhance denitrogenation prior to the extravehicular activity beginning in 2001. He received the
Silver Snoopy award from the NASA astronauts in 2002 for this work. In 2003, he received the Paul Bert Award
for Physiologic Research from AsPS and the Professional Excellence Award from the Life Science and Biomedical Engineering Branch
(LSBEB) in 2004.
After retirement from the USAF, Dr. Webb continued aerospace physiology research as a scientist with Wyle
Laboratories. In 2006, Dr. Webb began employment with Eagle Applied Sciences, LLC, in a curriculum development
role aimed at compiling a “Handbook of Aerospace and Operational Physiology” to replace a
1976 Air Force Pamphlet on the same subject. He coordinated the efforts of 28 USAF subject matter experts
who contributed to its completion. As part of that effort, he reviewed the decompression sickness research
at Brooks AFB from 1960-2010, published in May 2011 as a supplement to Aviation, Space, and Environmental
Medicine. Throughout his 26 years of altitude and acceleration physiology research at Brooks, he published 20
first-author, peer-reviewed research papers in ASEM and co-authored 15 more.
He is also a member of the International Association of Aviation and Space Medicine, Sigma Xi (The
Scientific Research Society), and a life member of the Order of Daedalians (The National Fraternity of
Military Pilots). He is board certified in Aerospace Physiology by the AsMA and holds an Airline
Transport Pilot certificate from the FAA. Currently retired in San Antonio, TX, he continues efforts to investigate
DCS risk and consult with the USAF via his consulting firm, Scientific Aerospace Research Consulting (SARC), LLC.
Established and sponsored by Environmental Tectonics Corporation in memory of John Ernsting, senior British
military commander, renowned researcher, and professor of Aviation Medicine. It is given annually for outstanding research in
altitude physiology, and/or longstanding exceptional performance in the education, development, and administration of Aerospace
Medicine and related specialties.
