Camille D’Annunzio was manager of the Automated Sensor Exploitation Technology Center for Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems when she was selected to receive the 2013 Technologist of the Year Award. She joined Northrop Grumman in 2003.

D’Annunzio was recognized for her innovation. Among her many achievements, she has received a U.S. patent, a Northrop Grumman invention disclosure, and has presented more than 17 papers and 36 technical reports. At Northrop Grumman, she has contributed to advancements in chemical/biological threat situational awareness, force protection, and target recognition.

While working to improve an existing product, and in the process of trying to understand how the software worked, she realized they were working on the wrong mathematical problem. It was a related problem, but the wrong one nevertheless. In the end, she recognized and fixed the issue, which significantly improved performance. She remembers feeling a real sense of accomplishment.

"The oldest of seven children, I escaped into books whenever I could," she told Women of Color magazine. "I loved to solve problems and was good at mathematics. When I was in seventh grade, much to my father's dismay as he wanted me to follow in his footsteps as an engineer, I decided I would get a Ph.D. in mathematics even though I didn't really know what that meant at the time."

She did go on to earn a Ph.D. in applied mathematics with the support of her parents. In spite of skeptical and sometimes prejudiced teachers and professors with attitudes toward women in mathematics, she recalled.

D'Annunzio served as a leader and advisor for girl scout troops from 1997 through 2013, as her last girl scout graduated and headed to college.