Laura Itle is the recipient of the 2024 Andrew J. Goodpaster Award for Excellence in Research. The award is named for retired Army Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster, IDA’s president from 1983 to 1985. Each year, the award is given to a research staff member who demonstrates research excellence, exceptional analytical achievement and intellectual leadership in support of SAC or STPI missions.

After joining IDA in 2005, Laura quickly distinguished herself with her performance on the Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act of 2002 project for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), one of IDA's largest and most visible continuing projects. In 2017, she became the overall project leader and continues to serve in that role.

IDA’s contributions to the program and Laura’s outstanding leadership have been repeatedly recognized with the DHS Under Secretary Award for Special Achievement and Outstanding Contractor for 2007, 2012, 2014, 2019 and 2023.

Laura led or contributed to other projects on chemical demilitarization and biological detection. She served as executive secretary for the National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Resilience Science and Technology, and she designed, developed and executed a first-of-its-kind civilian-military tabletop training exercise with a foreign partner.

Laura earned her doctorate in chemical engineering from Pennsylvania State University. She also completed the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Seminar XXI Program in foreign politics, international relations and the national interest and earned a certificate in national security studies from Syracuse University.