The Honorable Heidi Shyu is the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E))

In this role, she serves as the Chief Technology Officer for the Department of Defense (DoD), mandated with ensuring the technological superiority of the U.S. military, and is responsible for the research, development, and prototyping activities across the DoD enterprise. She also oversees the activities of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the Space Development Agency (SDA), the DoD Laboratory and Engineering Center enterprise, and the Under Secretariat staff focused on developing advanced technology and capability for the U.S. military.

Previously, she served as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)), from September 2012 to January 2016. Prior to this, she was Acting ASA(ALT) beginning in June 2011 and appointed the Principal Deputy in November 2010. As the ASA(ALT), she served as the Army Acquisition Executive, the Senior Procurement Executive, the Science Advisor to the Secretary of the Army, and the Army’s Senior Research and Development official. She had principal responsibility for all Department of the Army matters related to logistics. Ms. Shyu also led the execution of the Army’s acquisition function and the acquisition management system. Her responsibilities included providing oversight for the life cycle management and sustainment of Army weapons systems and equipment from research and development through test and evaluation, acquisition, logistics, fielding, and disposition. Prior to her government service, Ms. Shyu was the Vice President of Technology Strategy for Raytheon Company’s Space and Airborne Systems.

Ms. Shyu holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Canada, a Master of Science Degree in Mathematics from the University of Toronto, Master of Science Degree in System Science (Electrical Engineering) from UCLA, and the Engineer Degree from UCLA. She received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the UNB. She is also a graduate of the UCLA Executive Management Course Program.

A member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board from 2000 to 2010, she served as the Vice Chairman from 2003 to 2005 and Chairman from 2005 to 2008. Ms. Shyu is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and AIAA Honorary Fellow.

Dr. Jagadeesh Pamulapati
Director for the Science and Technology Foundations Office

Dr. Jagadeesh Pamulapati is the Director for the Science and Technology (S&T) Foundations Office in the  Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) at the Pentagon. He is responsible for championing the Department of Defense (DoD) S&T Enterprise, establishing and implementing the S&T strategic vision and DoD imperatives by identifying strategic investment areas  and influencing the DoD-wide S&T Strategy and Planning Guidance across the Department’s  laboratories.

Dr. Pamulapati is responsible for all matters associated with the DoD research and development (R&D) enterprise consisting of the Defense Laboratories, the Departments ten Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and the fourteen University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), and provides oversight and management of DoD's basic research investments. In addition to policy and oversight of the R&D enterprise, Dr. Pamulapati is also responsible for the more than 60,000 scientists and engineers that work in the more than 60 DoD laboratories, warfare centers, and engineering centers across 22 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to R&D enterprise matters, Dr. Pamulapati also leads the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education and Outreach Office within the DoD and ensures interchange with the FVEY nations.

Dr. Pamulapati was selected for the Senior Executive Service in January 2016. Prior to this, Dr. Pamulapati was in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) from June 2006. In this position, he was responsible for developing and implementing policy initiatives for the Army’s laboratories. He also fulfilled the role of the Executive Director for Strategic Plans and Program Planning, a Senior Executive Service position, where he was responsible for the Basic Research, Innovation Enablers, Manufacturing Technologies, Technology Wargaming, and International Portfolios.

During his time with the Army, Dr. Pamulapati also served as a senior policy analyst within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, responsible for a broad portfolio of national security
interest items; the Chief Scientist and Chief Technical Officer responsible for technology integration for the Army’s Future Combat Systems (FCS) program the Army’s leading transformational initiative consisting of soldiers, manned and unmanned systems within a unifying network; and a scientific liaison to the Army Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8 where he provided technical expertise on science and technology issues.

Dr. Pamulapati began his distinguished career at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) where he developed advance ultra-submicron high speed devices for next generation optoelectronic integrated circuits and monolithic millimeter wave integrated circuits, infrared materials for forward looking infrared imagers as well as high power infrared laser sources for countermeasure applications.

Dr. Pamulapati received his B.S.E., M.S.E. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He holds eleven patents and has contributed to more than 40 archival journal publications and three books. On numerous occasions, he has been invited to lecture at national and international fora for industry and academia. Besides the Army War College in Carlisle, PA, he has been a visiting lecturer at the University of Maryland, College Park, and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway.

Dr. Pamulapati has a myriad of talents and interests outside of science and technology. Besides being a single digit handicap golfer, he is also a pastry arts and design chef holding a degree in Pastry Arts from L’Academie de Cuisine, Gaithersburg, MD.

Dr. Shery Welsh, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Director, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), Arlington, Virginia. In this role, she leads the management of the Department of the Air Force’s global basic research investment. AFOSR has a staff of 200 scientists, engineers and administrators in Arlington and foreign technology offices in London, Tokyo, Santiago, Chile and Melbourne, Australia. Dr. Welsh ensures the success of a nearly $500 million a year basic research investment portfolio and the transition of resulting discoveries to other components of the Air Force Research Laboratory, defense industries and other Defense Department components. The AFOSR’s annual investment in basic research is distributed among roughly 300 academic institutions worldwide, 100 industry-based contracts, and more than 250 internal AFRL research efforts.

Dr. Welsh brings over 35 years of experience from the DoD as a federal employee for the Department of the Air Force and the Missile Defense Agency. In her previous role, she served as the Director, Science & Technology, for the Missile Defense Agency. She sought out cutting-edge technology from across the world within industry, DoD, and the National Laboratories to advance state-of-the-art technologies to benefit the warfighter. Other assignments in the Missile Defense Agency include Chief Engineer for the Airborne Laser Program, Director of Target and Countermeasure Requirements, Chief Scientist for the Interceptor Knowledge Center and Chief Engineer for the Advanced Technology Program Office. Dr. Welsh’s 20 years working for the Air Force afforded her the opportunity to work many programs such as the C-130U Gunship, C-17, Joint Strike Fighter, F-16, B-2, F-22, Airborne Laser, and the Wide-body Aerial Sensor Platform.

Her accomplishments include published articles in major scientific journals, two Rising Star Awards from the Missile Defense Agency, and Engineer of the Year from the Air Force as well as serving as a part-time professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, Materials Science and Engineering, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
2000 Master of Science, Materials Science and Engineering, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
2007 Air War College, U.S. Air Force Civilian, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2014 Ph.D., Materials Science, University of Alabama (Tri-Campus Program), Tuscaloosa
2018 Federal Executive Institute, Leading in a Democratic Society, Charlottesville, Va.

CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. April 2001–May 2005, U.S. Air Force F-22 Structures Engineer, F-22 Program Office, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2. May 2005–February 2007, Joint U.S. Air Force and Missile Defense Agency Structural Integrity Technical Advisor, Airborne Laser Program, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
3. February 2007–July 2008, Missile Defense Agency Chief Engineer, Airborne Laser Program, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
4. July 2008–August 2010, Missile Defense Agency Director, Target and Countermeasure Requirements, Engineering Directorate, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
5. July 2014–April 2017, Missile Defense Agency Chief Scientist, Interceptor Knowledge Center, Engineering Directorate, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
6. April 2017–October 2018, Missile Defense Agency Hypersonics Analysis of Alternatives Study, Engineering Directorate, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
7. October 2018–February 2019, Missile Defense Agency Acting Chief Engineer and STEM Co-Lead, Advanced Technology Program Office, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
8. November 2018–April 2020, Missile Defense Agency Director, Science & Technology, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
9. April 2020–present, Director, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, Va.

AWARDS AND HONORS
2006 Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Rising Star Award
2008 Missile Defense Agency Ballistic Missile Defense Program Conference Speaker
2008 Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Rising Star Award
2012-2014 National Science Foundation Research Project Lead at the University of Alabama in Huntsville
2016-2017 Naval Postgraduate School Master's Capstone Project Board Member
2018 Missile Defense Agency Redesigned Kill Vehicle Alternate Guidance Unit Module coin presentation
2019 Keynote Speaker for University of Alabama in Huntsville engineering graduation
2019 Keynote Speaker, Suits for Scholars Program
2019 Moderator/Speaker at the National Space and Missile Materials Symposium and Commercial and Government Responsive Access to Space Technology Exchange conference
2020 Missile Defense Agency Ground-based Midcourse Weapon System SBIR/STTR Certificate of Appreciation
2020 Missile Defense Agency Advanced Technology Program Office “Duckie” Award

PUBLICATIONS
Air Force Aircraft Structural Integrity Program Conference Speaker (3X)
June 2014, Atomic Scale Study of the Influence of Grain Boundary Character on Segregation and Oxidation in Commercially Pure Nickel, Doctoral Thesis
January 2015, Understanding the Evolution of Grain Boundary Character During Abnormal Grain Growth in Low Strain Nickel 200, Co-Author, Conference Poster, Ninth Technical Post-Doctoral Technical Showcase, Sandia National Laboratory
Atom Probe Grain Boundary Characterization in Ni200, First Author and Presenter, Microscopy and Microanalysis Conference
June 2016, An Examination of Abnormal Grain Growth in Low Strain Nickel-200, Co-Author, Metallography, Microstructure, and Analysis
February 2016, Influence of Grain Boundary Character and Annealing Time on Segregation in Commercially Pure Nickel, First Author, Journal of Materials
November 2016, Influence of Anneal Time on Σ3 Boundary Segregation in Commercially Pure Nickel, First Author, Metallography, Microstructure, and Analysis
2000, Published Modeling & Simulation article, Wright-Patterson AFB OH Major Shared Resource Center Journal

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MEMBERSHIPS
DAWIA certifications: Systems Planning, Research, Development & Engineering, Level III; Acquisition Corps Certified; Program Management Level III
OSD-level Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Process Improvement Certification
Million Women Mentors, Member
Society for Women Engineers, Member
Participant and Support of STEMJourneys.org
Naval Postgraduate School Master's Capstone Project Board Member

Colonel Daniel A. Gallton is the Head of the Operations and Coordination Division in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Science and Technology Organization (STO) Collaboration Support Office (CSO), Paris, France. He provides executive support to 7 Technical Committees
and supervision of 21 international personnel to support the planning, co-ordination, implementation, and maintenance of the NATO Collaborative Science & Technology (S&T) Program of Work which conducts more than 350 annual activities with NATO and partner nations.

Colonel Gallton graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 1994 with a BS in physics. He completed an MS in Physics in1998, an MS in Strategic Security Studies in 2012 at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), and a PhD in space physics in 2018 from the University of Kansas.

Colonel Gallton completed previous assignments as an analyst in the Air Force Research Labs, Predator UAV flight test analyst, and an exchange officer with the European Space Agency. He then served as branch chief in the Space Superiority Systems Wing at Los Angeles AFB CA before moving to the National Reconnaissance Office as a Payload Systems Engineer. Following his NPS education, he then moved to Ramstein AFB, Germany as a country desk officer and then Deputy Political Advisor to the Commander of USAFE. Following completion of this assignment, he moved to the Air Staff as the Program Element Monitor for the Air Force Research Lab’s Science and Technology portfolio, and was the lead for the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Close Air Support experimentation tasker. This led to an assignment as the Deputy Technical Director, and then Rapid Concept and Prototyping Division Chief, in the Space Security and Defense Program (SSDP), Reston, VA.

EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Science in Physics, Penn State University, University Park, PA
1998 Master of Science in Physics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
2004 Basic German Language Course, Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB AL
2011 Master of Science in International Relations, Troy University, Troy AL
2012 Master of Science in Strategic Security Studies, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
2013 Air War College (Correspondence)
2018 Doctor of Philosophy in Physics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

ASSIGNMENTS
1. Nov 1998 - May 2002, Analyst, Human Effectiveness Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory
(AFRL/HE), Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
2. Jun 2002 - Jan 2004, Flight Test Analyst, Detachment 4, 53rd Test and Evaluation Group (53rd TEG/Det
4), Indian Springs AAF, NV
3. Jun 2004 - Jun 2006, Visiting Scientist, Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program (ESEP), European
Astronaut Center, Cologne, Germany
4. Jun 2006 – Mar 2008, Branch Chief, Technologies Division, Space Superiority Systems Wing
(SYSW/ENT), Los Angeles AFB, CA
5. Apr 2008 - Aug 2009, Staff Director, Program Integration Office, Space and Missile Systems Center
(SMC/PI), Los Angeles AFB, CA
6. Aug 2009 - Dec 2010, Payload Systems Engineer, Special Advanced Projects, National Reconnaissance
Office, Chantilly, VA
7. Jan 2011 – Apr 2012, IDE Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
8. May 2012 – May 2014, Country Desk Officer and Deputy Political Advisor, USAFE HQ, Ramstein AFB
Germany
9. Jun 2014 – Oct 2016, Deputy Division Chief Science Management Division, Air Staff (SAF/AQR),
Pentagon, Washington DC
10. Oct 2016 – Jun 2019, Deputy Technical Director, Rapid Concept and Prototyping Division Chief, Space
Security & Defense Program, Reston, VA
11. June 2019 – present, [Joint] Head, Operations and Coordination Division, NATO Science and
Technology Organization Collaboration Support Office, Paris, France

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medals (4)
Joint Service Commendation Medal (2)
Air Force Commendation Medal (2)
Army Commendation
Air Force Recognition Ribbon (2)
OTHER AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
2009 Air Force Mid-grade Scientist of the Year
2018 Air Force Senior Scientist/Engineer of the Year

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant – Nov 13, 1998
First Lieutenant – Nov 13, 2000
Captain – Nov 13, 2002
Major – Jul 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel – Nov 1, 2013
Colonel – Dec 1, 2019
(Current as of May 2021)

Dr. Stepp received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from Duke University in 1998, where he investigated the high-strain rate deformation and damage accumulation mechanisms governing tantalum and developed a novel, statistically-based, computational algorithm to enhance positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy under the guidance of Dr. Phillip Jones. Dr. Stepp has published research in the areas of smart materials, structural ceramics, and polymer degradation and failure mechanisms. Dr. Stepp has served as the U.S. Army Research Office (ARO) Chief Scientist since January 2019. In this role, he: functions as the ambassador and lead interface between ARO and the scientific community; provides technical direction, advice and guidance on basic research plans and programs ensuring an innovative and future focused scientific effort; and serves as principal scientific/technical advisor and principal for ensuring technical excellence of the scientific portfolio. Previously, he was selected to serve as the Acting Director of ARO from June 2018 until April 2019. He served as the Director of Engineering Sciences (overseeing the Electronics, Materials Science and Mechanics Divisions at ARO) from 2016 to 2018 (and April 2019 until January 2019), and as the program manager for the Mechanical Behavior of Materials extramural basic research program since 1999. Dr. Stepp also served as the Chief of the Materials Science Division at ARO from 2004 until 2017, and led a team to extend the frontiers of materials science in order to realize unprecedented material properties and provide new foundations and paradigms to enhance future war fighter and battle systems capabilities. Dr. Stepp has also served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Duke University in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science since 1999, where he is conducting research exploring fundamental microstructure-property relationships in transparent polymers and fragmentation in transparent engineering materials.

Dr. Abbie T. Watnik is Head of the Optical Physics Branch in the Optical Sciences Division at the Naval Research Laboratory. Dr. Watnik manages personnel and programs within a diverse research portfolio of basic and applied optical physics, with topics in optical nanomaterials, laser-based imaging and sensing, quantum optics and semiconductor optoelectronics. Dr. Watnik is recipient of several Navy awards including: 2019 Sigma Xi Young Investigator Award, 2017 and 2018 ARPAD awards and the 2016 Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers Award for Emergent Scientist Investigators, an award recognizing the Department of the Navy’s scientists who have made significant contributions to their field.

https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/2324024/william-p-roach/

ELLEN M. ROBINSON
Ellen M. Robinson is a Senior General Engineer in the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Science and Engineering Division, Science and Engineering Collaboration Branch, Arlington, VA. Mrs. Robinson has served over eight years as a Program Manager for AFOSR STEM workforce development initiatives within the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) enterprise. She manages the AFRL Science and Technology Fellowship Program (STFP), the AFOSR Young Investigators Research Program (YIP), and the AFOSR Presidential Early Career Award in Science and
Engineering (PECASE). Mrs. Robinson also serves as the AFRL Program Manager and the Department of Defense (DoD) Program Manager for the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program. She currently serves as the Contracting Officer Representative for two STEM fellowship program contracts. These programs are crucial in developing and bolstering the DoD STEM future pipeline for scientists and engineers (S&Es) in DoD relevant research areas and shaping future DoD research needs. These programs also support post-docs and
senior researchers whose research aligns and supports the DoD and Department of the Air Force (DAF), including the United States Space Force, missions In these roles, she develops STEM workflow development policies in innovative, high risk high reward research, plans and executes
budgets totaling over $200M annually for early career scientists and engineers and STEM graduate scholars.

Since joining the Air Force as a civilian in November 1989, Mrs. Robinson has served in several roles in the Aeronautical Systems Center and the Air Force Research Laboratory including avionics design and laser optical communications design engineer, business and financial management, strategic development planning and programming. Prior to her current assignment, Mrs. Robinson was Deputy Program Manager in the STEM development office where she developed an AF wide K-12 AF STEM Outreach education program establishing policies and programs to interest K-12 students in STEM academic studies and careers of AF mission needs. She was instrumental in establishing the AF blueprint in the DoD STEM portfolio. She also co-authored with her DoD sister services STEM workforce development initiatives for near, mid, and far term.

She has used her depth of experience in strategic planning, budgeting, and execution in forecasting specific STEM needs vital for the future workforce as it relates to DoD and DAF missions.

EDUCATION
1989 BS, Electrical Engineering, Hampton University, Hampton, VA

CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. 1989 – 1993, Avionics Design Engineer, Technology Exploitation Directorate, Wright Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), OH
2. 1993 – 1998, Electronics Engineer, Strategic Planning Division, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
3. 1998 – 2001, Business Manager, Electro-Optics Sensor Technology Division, Sensors Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
4. 2002 – 2006, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Headquarters Plans and Programs Division, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
5. 2006 – 2007, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Headquarters Requirements Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
6. 2007 – 2011, AFSO21 Program Manager, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
7. 2011 – 2011, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Sensors Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
8. 2011 – 2013, Deputy Program Manager, AF Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Outreach Division, Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Arlington, VA
9. 2013 – Present, Program Manager, Science and Engineering Division, Air Force Office of Scientific Research Directorate, Arlington, VA

AWARDS AND HONORS
Technology All Star Award, Women of Color STEM, 2021
Department of Defense Award of Appreciation, Aug 2019
Department of Defense Award of Appreciation, Jun 2019
Modern Technology Leader Award, Black Engineer of the Year, 2004

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
DoD Level A, Contracting Officer Representative
DoD Level III, Science and Technology Management
DoD Level III, Systems, Planning, Research, Development & Engineering
DoD Level I, Program Management
DoD Level I, Test and Evaluation
Black Belt, Six Sigma Certified
Green Belt, Six Sigma Certified

Reginald G. Williams, PhD

Program Officer
Office of Naval Research

Dr. Reginald Williams is the program officer for the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Young Investigator Program (YIP), Research Opportunities for Program Officers (ROPO), In-house Laboratory Independent Research (ILIR), Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP) for undergraduate and graduate students, and the Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) for high school students.

Previously he managed programs in the Propulsion and Power Engineering competency at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Patuxent River, MD. His assignments included managing the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) programs, high-speed engine technology demonstrators, and turbine engine analysis.

In private industry, Dr. Williams managed technology programs and conducted experimental and computational research in advanced propulsion integration for industrial, commercial, and military applications.

Dr. Williams received his PhD, MS, and BS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park.

KATIE A. H. WISECARVER

Katie A. H. Wisecarver is a Senior Research Psychologist in the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Science and Engineering Collaboration Branch, Arlington, VA. She has over 12 years of civilian service as a Program Manager in the Air Force Research Laboratory enterprise. Ms. Wisecarver works directly with a multi-agency, multi-service team to execute basic research and technology transition efforts on behalf of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of the Air Force (DAF). Ms. Wisecarver serves as the AFOSR Program Manager and the Department of Defense (DoD) Program Manager for the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP), building capacity across the DAF (including US Space Force) in areas of importance to DoD strategic basic science and technology goals. She also manages the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) for AFOSR, bringing multidisciplinary research teams together to tackle the critical basic research needs facing the DAF and DoD through very-high risk, high-reward research projects. In these roles, she helps shape the future force and meet the technology needs of tomorrow’s Air Force and Space Force by growing the DoD research base, providing big-win research capacity, and stimulating the growth of emerging technologies via accelerated transition of findings to practical applications. She is also a certified Master Resiliency Trainer for the AF Comprehensive Airmen Fitness program and a nationally certified victim advocate with the AF Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Program.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Wisecarver served in several roles at AFOSR including: Program Manager for the Defense Enterprise Science Initiative (DESI) pilot program, bringing together industry and university teams for rapid innovation; Program Manager for the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) Small Grants Program, supporting research for AFIT faculty and students; and Program Manager for the Awards to Stimulate and Support Undergraduate Research Experiences (ASSURE) program, a collaborative effort between DoD and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Ms. Wisecarver also served as an Assistant Program Manager for life sciences portfolios and a contracting officer’s representative. She is also experienced in STEM outreach, business management, and strategic planning.

Prior to entering public service, Ms. Wisecarver served as a Resource Analyst in the toxicology division at a clinical research organization in Virginia. Preceding that position, she worked in both in-patient and out-patient psychology in South Carolina. 

EDUCATION

2001 B.S. Psychology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
2021 M.A. Forensic and Legal Psychology with Intelligence Studies Specialization, Marymount University, Arlington, VA

CAREER CHRONOLOGY

1. July 2009 – August 2010, Assistant Program Manager, Life Sciences Division, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, VA
   August 2010 - Present, Program Coordinator, Physical and Biological Sciences Division, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, VA

AWARDS AND HONORS

2016 – SAPR Victim Advocate of the Year
2014 – AFOSR Civilian of the Year

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS

Order of the Sword and Shield – National Honor Society for all Homeland Security Disciplines
Psi Chi – International Honor Society in Psychology
Phi Kappa Phi – National Honor Society

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

1) Goldstein, F. L. (Ed.). (2021) Psychological Profiling: An Evolved Forensic Science (2nd ed.). Precision Influence Technologies Publications.

William "Will" Creech is a Lead Contract Specialist and is a warranted Grants, Contracting, and Agreements Officer with the Army Contracting Command and performs a wide variety of pre-award, award, and post-award functions for the past 14 year.  Will believes that early and often communication are key to any successful award, whether large or small. Will has a MBA with concentrations in Management and Marketing and a BBA in Computer Information Systems from Campbell University.  In his free time, you will find him either in the gym or his garage working on one of his Mustangs.

DANIEL P. SMITH, DO-02, Department of the Air Force—Civilian

Mr. Daniel P. Smith, Procurement Analyst, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), a direct reporting unit to Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. 

As a Warranted Contracting and Grants Officer, Mr. Smith is responsible for Training, Policy Review, Contracting Systems Administration and Grants.gov Admin for 45 civilian personnel throughout AFOSR's Contracting/Grant divisions, as well as, Grants Lead to the Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (AOARD) in Tokyo, Japan.

Formerly, Mr. Smith was an Air Force Copper Cap intern for AFOSR Specialized Acquisition division, Policy unit and Advisory & Assistance Services Contracting at the Air Force District of Washington (AFDW).  Prior to this, Mr. Smith was a Staff Sergeant (SSgt) for the 94^th Aircraft Maintenance Unit (AMU), Langley AFB, VA. SSgt Smith was a Weapons Load Crew Chief on the F-15 and then the F-22 Raptors and performed weapons support for IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, NORTHERN WATCH & NOBLE EAGLE.

Dr. Laura Hiatt is a research scientist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, where she leads a group that works on a variety of AI research topics. She received her B.S. in Symbolic Systems from Stanford University and her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Hiatt’s work has primarily focused on ways in which humans and robots can effectively work together as teammates. The research involves issues of planning and execution, adjustable autonomy,  computational cognitive modeling, and team-based task coordination strategies. Dr. Hiatt is also a member of the AAAI executive council, where she leads the Education Committee.

Jim Burgess serves as the Program Manager for the Physical Science UARCs.  In this role, Jim works with the ISN Technology Transfer Officer to coordinate and executes the ISN portfolio in support the Army Science Core Competencies.  Jim has been awarded the Army Civilian Service Commendation Medal and he served as Chair of the Organic and Biological Electrochemistry Division of the Electrochemical Society.  Prior to joining the Army Research Office, Jim was Professor and Chair of the Medical Laboratory, Imaging, and Radiologic Sciences Department at Augusta University after serving as Assistant Professor and then Associate Professor at Case Western Reserve University where he led a federally funded graduate research program.  Jim graduated from Longwood College with a BA degree Chemistry and from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry.  Jim worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the DOE Ames Laboratory at Iowa State University. 

Mr. John R. McConville

Executive Fellow to the Army Research Office Director, DEVCOM ARL

Technology Transfer Officer, Army’s Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies at MIT, DEVCOM ARL

John McConville serves as the Executive Fellow to the Army Research Office Director.  In this role, John leads, coordinates, and executes Army Research Office extramural research mission focused initiatives to support the future Army. John also serves as the Army’s Technology Transfer Officer and Liaison at the Army’s Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN) at MIT.  In this role, John seeks to exploit collaborative nanotechnology focused science discoveries that protect the Soldier and support the future Army.

John has been awarded the Army Civilian Achievement Medal, the Army Civilian Commendation Medal, and two Navy Civilian Commendations.

Prior to this assignment, John has served as a Navy Engineering Program Manager, a Navy Design Project Engineer and as a Navy Nuclear Engineer. John has also served as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve.

John has a Master's degree from Boston College and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. 

Ms. Claudia Quigley serves as the Regional Lead for the Us Army/Army Futures Command/Development and Engineering Command (DEVCOM)/ Army Research Laboratory – Northeast (ARL NE), headquartered at the Kostas Research institute in Burlington, MA.   ARL NE hosts thirty Army scientists and engineers who work at local universities, research centers, and industry.  Its mission includes engagement with trusted strategic partners and talent management to identify and align transformational research against ARL strategic priorities while maturing the next generation workforce.  ARL NE also identifies and pursues high risk innovation approaches to operationalize science and accelerate technology transition to our Soldiers. Ms. Quigley serves as the Program Manager for the Army Capability Acceleration via Commercialization program and as the ARL liaison for the MIT Industrial Liaison Program.  She works closely with DoD partners in the Northeast Region, including the DEVCOM Soldier Center, state innovation offices, multiple university and industry partners, the National Security Innovation Network, and the Massachusetts National Guard.

Ms. Quigley began her research career at the ARL Mechanics of Materials Branch using computational mechanics to develop physics based constitutive models of elastomeric materials for fracture mechanics applications.  Ms. Quigley successfully transitioned knowledge research to identify the onset of fracture and crack growth in thick elastomers, such as those found in Army tank track pads.

Starting in 2012, Ms. Quigley was a project engineer at the DEVCOM Soldier Center (SC) in Natick, MA, developing and maturing technology  in inflatable composites and their DoD applications, ballistic shelter applications, and operational energy. Technology transitions included contributions to the Expeditionary Shelter Protection System Program and air beam structures. She later served as the Deputy for TECD 4A/STO which reduced operational energy needs in expeditionary base camps.

Prior to her current position as the ARL NE Regional  Lead, Ms. Quigley served as the Director of the Expeditionary Maneuver Support Directorate at the SC.  Her organization was responsible for the development of Mission Command supporting technologies, including rapidly deployable Tactical Operation Centers, and the camouflage and concealment of high value assets. She established the SC Engineering Innovation Center, providing access and training to advanced/additive manufacturing technologies to Natick Soldier System Center scientists and engineers. In her role as the Executive Secretary for the Joint Standardization Board for Expeditionary Shelters and Base Camp Equipment, Ms. Quigley broadened DoD membership and had oversight over a new organizational charter.

Ms. Quigley received her Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Delaware and her Masters degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She holds nine patents.

Dr. Halpern was appointed to the rank of Senior Executive Service (SES) in April 2019 and assigned as the Director of the Army Research Office (ARO), at Research Triangle Park, Durham, North Carolina. In this role, Dr. Halpern is responsible for setting and executing the nationwide extramural research agenda and programs on Army focused basic research in the engineering, physical, life, mathematical, computer, and information, and social sciences to provide critical enhancements to current warfighter needs and revolutionary advances required for technological dominance of the future force with emphasis on the Army's Modernization Priorities. The ARO research portfolio exceeds over $500 million, including single investigator research (1,700 active projects performed by approximately 3,500 researchers both nationally and internationally). The research is conducted at over 250 universities, in collaboration with the Army laboratory community.

Career Chronology:

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Chairman for NATO Army Armaments Group (NAAG) – [2020- Present]
• Chief Technology Officer, Joint Service Small Arms Program, S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center [2009-2019]
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Chairman for System Analysis and Studies – 145, Soldier System Weapon & Equipment Assessment Tool [2017-2019]
• NATO Industrial Study Group Advisor, NIAG – 228, Examination of Networked Small Arm Weapons & Fire Control On the Battlefield [2018-2019]
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Chairman for the Land Capability Group Dismounted Soldier System, Weapons and Sensors Sub Group [2013-2019]
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Chairman for the Land Capability Group Dismounted Soldier System, Weapons and Sensors Sub Group [2013-2019] – Team of Experts SME – Sensors, Suppressors, D-14 Small Arms Testing, STANAG 4512, STANREC 4513, STANAG 4740, STANREC 4796
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Vice - Chairman for the Land Capability Group Dismounted Soldier System, Weapons and Sensors Sub Group [2012-2013]
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization, S. Head of Delegation for the Land Capability Group Dismounted Soldier System, Weapons and Sensors Sub Group [2011-2013]
• Business Transformation Chief, Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications Tactical [2008-2009]
• Deputy Project Manager, Project Manager Tactical Radio Communications Systems, Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications Tactical [2004-2008]
• Technical Management Division Chief, Project Manager, Tactical Radio Communications Systems, Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications Tactical [2003-2004]
• Branch Chief, Project Manager Warfighter Information Network - Tactical [2002-2003]
• Project Leader, Space & Terrestrial Communications Directorate, US Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center [2000-2002]
• Senior Systems Engineer, Scientific Research Corporation [1998-2000]
• Senior Project Leader, Boy Scouts of America, George Washington Council, San Gabriel Council and Orange County Council [1989-1998]
• Design Engineer, Northrop Corporation, B-2 Division [1988-1989]
• Test Engineer, Naval Weapons Handling Center, Air Launched Weapons, Naval Station Earle [1985-1988]
• Student Trainee, Satellite Communications Agency, Test and Evaluation Branch, Fort Monmouth [1981-1983]

College:

• Doctor of Philosophy, Organization and Management, Capella University, Minneapolis, Minnesota (2008)
• Master of Technology Management, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey (2000)
• Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, University of Hartford, West Hartford, Connecticut (1984)

Certifications:

• Army Acquisition Corps Program Management (DAWIA Level III)
• Army Acquisition Corps Systems Planning, Research Development & Engineering (DAWIA Level III)

• Army Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Awards and Honors:

• Commanders Award for Civilian Service, 2014
• Superior Civilian Service Award, 2008
• Superior Civilian Service Award, 2006
• Commanders Award for Civilian Service, 2004
• Achievement Medal for Civilian Service, 2002

 Professional memberships and associations:

• Army Acquisition Corps
• Academy of Management
• National Defense Industrial Association

Dr. Sidra Silton received a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from University of Southern California in 1995 and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1997 and 2001, respectively.  Upon graduation in 2001, she was hired as a federal employee in the Aerodynamic Branch at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, being promoted to a senior scientist in 2008.  In June 2017, she accepted the position of Chief, Ceramics and Transparent Materials Branch. Dr. Silton served as ARL Deputy Chief Scientist  from May 2021 through June 2022, prior to becoming Chief of the Mechanical Sciences Division. In addition to serving as Division Chief, she is the Mechanical Sciences Competency co-lead for intramural research. Throughout her career at ARL, Dr. Silton has continued her work in computational and experimental aerodynamics in all flight regimes (subsonic, transonic and supersonic).  She is considered a subject matter expert in the area of projectile aerodynamics.  Her scientific advances are evidenced by her numerous open literature publications.  Dr. Silton was appointed as the 2009-2010 ARL Visiting Scientist to the United States Military Academy and continues her interaction with that community, including advising for senior capstone projects and summer internships.  Dr. Silton has received numerous awards including the 2007 Department of the Army Research and Development Award for Technical Excellence.  Dr. Silton is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) serving as a member of the Associate Fellow Selection Committee and a previous member of the Applied Aerodynamics Technical Committee and previous chair of the Fluid Dynamics Technical Committee.  She also serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets.

Dr. Rasha Hammamieh is the director of the Medical Readiness Systems Biology Branch at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. She focuses on applying integrative biology approaches to diseases of military relevance such as Post-traumatic stress disorder, mTBI, coagulopathy, pain, nutrition, wounds and host responses to infectious and chemical agents as well as radiation. The majority her work aims to provide an understanding and develop countermeasures for diseases and injuries in support of soldier health.  She has authored and co-authored over 120 publications and two book chapters and is a co-inventor on 3 patent applications.

https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/2324024/william-p-roach/

Dr. Ramesh Bharadwaj is a Senior Systems Researcher at the Navy's Center of Excellence in High Assurance Systems. He conducts research in rigorous engineering methods and tools for the specification, design, and construction of mission-critical software-intensive systems to ensure their safety, reliability, and trustworthiness. Tools, methods, guidelines and standards being developed as part of this research will ensure dependability of fielded autonomous unmanned systems employing machine learning (ML), more specifically deep learning (DL), and provide better protection against adversarial attacks. Dr. Bharadwaj serves as an adviser to organizations such as DARPA, ONR, PEO-IWS and USC, to address future research challenges.

ELLEN M. ROBINSON
Ellen M. Robinson is a Senior General Engineer in the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Science and Engineering Division, Science and Engineering Collaboration Branch, Arlington, VA. Mrs. Robinson has served over eight years as a Program Manager for AFOSR STEM workforce development initiatives within the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) enterprise. She manages the AFRL Science and Technology Fellowship Program (STFP), the AFOSR Young Investigators Research Program (YIP), and the AFOSR Presidential Early Career Award in Science and
Engineering (PECASE). Mrs. Robinson also serves as the AFRL Program Manager and the Department of Defense (DoD) Program Manager for the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program. She currently serves as the Contracting Officer Representative for two STEM fellowship program contracts. These programs are crucial in developing and bolstering the DoD STEM future pipeline for scientists and engineers (S&Es) in DoD relevant research areas and shaping future DoD research needs. These programs also support post-docs and
senior researchers whose research aligns and supports the DoD and Department of the Air Force (DAF), including the United States Space Force, missions In these roles, she develops STEM workflow development policies in innovative, high risk high reward research, plans and executes
budgets totaling over $200M annually for early career scientists and engineers and STEM graduate scholars.

Since joining the Air Force as a civilian in November 1989, Mrs. Robinson has served in several roles in the Aeronautical Systems Center and the Air Force Research Laboratory including avionics design and laser optical communications design engineer, business and financial management, strategic development planning and programming. Prior to her current assignment, Mrs. Robinson was Deputy Program Manager in the STEM development office where she developed an AF wide K-12 AF STEM Outreach education program establishing policies and programs to interest K-12 students in STEM academic studies and careers of AF mission needs. She was instrumental in establishing the AF blueprint in the DoD STEM portfolio. She also co-authored with her DoD sister services STEM workforce development initiatives for near, mid, and far term.

She has used her depth of experience in strategic planning, budgeting, and execution in forecasting specific STEM needs vital for the future workforce as it relates to DoD and DAF missions.

EDUCATION
1989 BS, Electrical Engineering, Hampton University, Hampton, VA

CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. 1989 – 1993, Avionics Design Engineer, Technology Exploitation Directorate, Wright Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), OH
2. 1993 – 1998, Electronics Engineer, Strategic Planning Division, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
3. 1998 – 2001, Business Manager, Electro-Optics Sensor Technology Division, Sensors Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
4. 2002 – 2006, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Headquarters Plans and Programs Division, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
5. 2006 – 2007, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Headquarters Requirements Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
6. 2007 – 2011, AFSO21 Program Manager, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
7. 2011 – 2011, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Sensors Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
8. 2011 – 2013, Deputy Program Manager, AF Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Outreach Division, Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Arlington, VA
9. 2013 – Present, Program Manager, Science and Engineering Division, Air Force Office of Scientific Research Directorate, Arlington, VA

AWARDS AND HONORS
Technology All Star Award, Women of Color STEM, 2021
Department of Defense Award of Appreciation, Aug 2019
Department of Defense Award of Appreciation, Jun 2019
Modern Technology Leader Award, Black Engineer of the Year, 2004

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
DoD Level A, Contracting Officer Representative
DoD Level III, Science and Technology Management
DoD Level III, Systems, Planning, Research, Development & Engineering
DoD Level I, Program Management
DoD Level I, Test and Evaluation
Black Belt, Six Sigma Certified
Green Belt, Six Sigma Certified

Reginald G. Williams, PhD

Program Officer
Office of Naval Research

Dr. Reginald Williams is the program officer for the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Young Investigator Program (YIP), Research Opportunities for Program Officers (ROPO), In-house Laboratory Independent Research (ILIR), Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP) for undergraduate and graduate students, and the Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) for high school students.

Previously he managed programs in the Propulsion and Power Engineering competency at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Patuxent River, MD. His assignments included managing the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) programs, high-speed engine technology demonstrators, and turbine engine analysis.

In private industry, Dr. Williams managed technology programs and conducted experimental and computational research in advanced propulsion integration for industrial, commercial, and military applications.

Dr. Williams received his PhD, MS, and BS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park.

KATIE A. H. WISECARVER

Katie A. H. Wisecarver is a Senior Research Psychologist in the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Science and Engineering Collaboration Branch, Arlington, VA. She has over 12 years of civilian service as a Program Manager in the Air Force Research Laboratory enterprise. Ms. Wisecarver works directly with a multi-agency, multi-service team to execute basic research and technology transition efforts on behalf of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of the Air Force (DAF). Ms. Wisecarver serves as the AFOSR Program Manager and the Department of Defense (DoD) Program Manager for the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP), building capacity across the DAF (including US Space Force) in areas of importance to DoD strategic basic science and technology goals. She also manages the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) for AFOSR, bringing multidisciplinary research teams together to tackle the critical basic research needs facing the DAF and DoD through very-high risk, high-reward research projects. In these roles, she helps shape the future force and meet the technology needs of tomorrow’s Air Force and Space Force by growing the DoD research base, providing big-win research capacity, and stimulating the growth of emerging technologies via accelerated transition of findings to practical applications. She is also a certified Master Resiliency Trainer for the AF Comprehensive Airmen Fitness program and a nationally certified victim advocate with the AF Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Program.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Wisecarver served in several roles at AFOSR including: Program Manager for the Defense Enterprise Science Initiative (DESI) pilot program, bringing together industry and university teams for rapid innovation; Program Manager for the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) Small Grants Program, supporting research for AFIT faculty and students; and Program Manager for the Awards to Stimulate and Support Undergraduate Research Experiences (ASSURE) program, a collaborative effort between DoD and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Ms. Wisecarver also served as an Assistant Program Manager for life sciences portfolios and a contracting officer’s representative. She is also experienced in STEM outreach, business management, and strategic planning.

Prior to entering public service, Ms. Wisecarver served as a Resource Analyst in the toxicology division at a clinical research organization in Virginia. Preceding that position, she worked in both in-patient and out-patient psychology in South Carolina. 

EDUCATION

2001 B.S. Psychology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
2021 M.A. Forensic and Legal Psychology with Intelligence Studies Specialization, Marymount University, Arlington, VA

CAREER CHRONOLOGY

1. July 2009 – August 2010, Assistant Program Manager, Life Sciences Division, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, VA
   2. August 2010 - Present, Program Coordinator, Physical and Biological Sciences Division, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, VA

AWARDS AND HONORS

2016 – SAPR Victim Advocate of the Year
2014 – AFOSR Civilian of the Year

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS

Order of the Sword and Shield – National Honor Society for all Homeland Security Disciplines
Psi Chi – International Honor Society in Psychology
Phi Kappa Phi – National Honor Society

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

1) Goldstein, F. L. (Ed.). (2021) Psychological Profiling: An Evolved Forensic Science (2nd ed.). Precision Influence Technologies Publications.

William "Will" Creech is a Lead Contract Specialist and is a warranted Grants, Contracting, and Agreements Officer with the Army Contracting Command and performs a wide variety of pre-award, award, and post-award functions for the past 14 year.  Will believes that early and often communication are key to any successful award, whether large or small. Will has a MBA with concentrations in Management and Marketing and a BBA in Computer Information Systems from Campbell University.  In his free time, you will find him either in the gym or his garage working on one of his Mustangs.

DANIEL P. SMITH, DO-02, Department of the Air Force—Civilian

Mr. Daniel P. Smith, Procurement Analyst, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), a direct reporting unit to Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. 

As a Warranted Contracting and Grants Officer, Mr. Smith is responsible for Training, Policy Review, Contracting Systems Administration and Grants.gov Admin for 45 civilian personnel throughout AFOSR's Contracting/Grant divisions, as well as, Grants Lead to the Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (AOARD) in Tokyo, Japan.

Formerly, Mr. Smith was an Air Force Copper Cap intern for AFOSR Specialized Acquisition division, Policy unit and Advisory & Assistance Services Contracting at the Air Force District of Washington (AFDW).  Prior to this, Mr. Smith was a Staff Sergeant (SSgt) for the 94^th Aircraft Maintenance Unit (AMU), Langley AFB, VA. SSgt Smith was a Weapons Load Crew Chief on the F-15 and then the F-22 Raptors and performed weapons support for IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, NORTHERN WATCH & NOBLE EAGLE.

DR. DANA (KEOKI) JACKSON
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL MANAGER
MITRE NATIONAL SECURITY

Dana (Keoki) Jackson is senior vice president and general manager, MITRE National Security Sector. In this role, he is responsible for the strategic growth and execution of MITRE’s national security programs, including support to the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Intelligence Community, including leading the National Security Engineering Center Federally Funded Research and Development Center.

After more than two decades at Lockheed Martin, Dr. Jackson brings robust technical leadership and business experience, including directly contributing to the design, development, deployment, and flight operation of major national security spacecraft and programs. He also held management roles on the GPS III position, navigation, and timing program, and the Space-based Infrared System missile warning program. Dr. Jackson held several executive and senior management roles at Lockheed Martin, including chief technology officer and chief engineer, and vice president of engineering and program operations. He most recently served as vice president of supply chain and program performance and was responsible for program and supply chain management strategy, execution, and success across the enterprise. Before joining Lockheed Martin, Dr. Jackson was a NASA research fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the field of human adaptation to the space environment. Dr. Jackson is a fellow of the United Kingdom Royal Aeronautical Society and the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Sigma Xi, the International Academy of Astronautics, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

He previously served on the Sandia Corporation Board of Directors, the AIAA Foundation Board of Trustees, the Georgia Institute of Technology President’s Advisory Board, the University of Maryland Clark School of Engineering Board of Visitors, and the MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Visiting Committee.

Dr. Jackson received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT and completed the Stanford Executive Program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Dr. Robert G. Atkins is currently the Head of the Advanced Technology Division at MIT Lincoln Laboratory.  In this role he leads development of revolutionary component and subsystem technologies to enable new system-level solutions for critical national security challenges.

Dr. Atkins began working at the Laboratory as a cooperative-education student and research assistant in the Air Defense Techniques Group, where his work focused on the modeling of electromagnetic scattering and radar cross-section prediction.  From there, he expanded his career across multiple divisions and groups within the Laboratory while holding the following positions: Associate Head of the Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Tactical System Division; Assistant Head of the Homeland Protection and Tactical Systems Division; Group Leader of the Advanced Capabilities and Systems Group; Associate Group Leader of the Sensor Exploitation Group; and Assistant Group Leader of the Systems Analysis Group. 

Dr. Atkins has served as a member of the Army Science Board and as a consultant to both the Defense Science Board and Air Force Scientific Advisory Board.  He has also served as a special government employee supporting the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the area of microelectronics.

Dr. Michael Simpson is Director of Education & Workforce in the Department of Navy. Inspiring, developing, and connecting people able to make Naval-important discoveries and solve problems is a major purpose of the program, as is relating with other similar programs across DoD, governments, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and academe. The program began when Michael was selected as Director on 29 December 2014.

Dr. Simpson has mentored and continues to mentor National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellows. Michael looks forward to meeting his mentees and all the 2018 and 2019 Fellows in the NDSEG Conference in Boston in July 2022.   

Prior to DON Education & Workforce, Dr. Simpson directed the Science Technology Engineering Math program at the Computer Sciences Corporation, where he integrated CSC’s STEM work with their corporate social responsibility and workforce development and delivery programs, and Science Fellows program, to ensure that the 98,000 person global organization had the people it needed to make discoveries and solve problems of its clients, many of which were US Governmental including the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

Dr. Simpson was the American Association for the Advancement of Science US Congressional Research  Service Science Fellow in 1981. Michael was an analyst then headed the Life Sciences and Biomedical Policy Sections of CRS. Sound science advice to the US Congress was the result of this work.

Dr.  Simpson adjunct-taught fifty-nine semesters of upper-division undergraduate science policy to students from across the US interning in the Washington DC area, through The Washington Center.

Michael Simpson’s Doctorate in Environmental Sciences and Engineering was earned at the University of California at Los Angeles. UC Berkeley is where he earned his Master of Science in Energy and Resources. Michael earned his Master of Science in Biological Sciences at the University of San Francisco. UC Berkeley is where he earned his Artis Baccalaureate in Biological Sciences. Michael grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and where he was born, in Honolulu Hawaii.

Michael J. Caccuitto III serves as the branch chief for Technology Integration and Outreach of the Army Research Office (ARO). The outreach programs he oversees manage more than $100 million per year. Those programs, designed to encourage and advance science and technology transfer, include: programs for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI), Educational Outreach Programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program for ARO as well as an Army-wide STTR program. 

Prior to joining ARO in 2009, Mr. Caccuitto worked for ten years Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).  He began his career as an officer in the US Air Force in a variety of research & development, acquisition program management and staff roles, retiring from the AF Reserve in February 2017.  He received the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service and the Department of the Army Commander’s Award for Civilian Service.  He holds a master’s degree from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a bachelor’s degree in optics with high distinction from the University of Rochester.

ARO is an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command's Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL).

Dr. Peter Matic

Associate Director of Research, Materials Science and Component Technology Directorate

Naval Research Laboratory

Dr. Peter Matic is the Associate Director of Research for the Materials Science and Component Technology Directorate at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, DC. His responsibilities include the technical direction, financial management and administration of over 500 scientists, engineers and staff conducting multidisciplinary research and technology development in materials, chemistry, biomolecular science, plasma and laser physics, and electronics for the Navy, the Marine Corps and DoD agencies. He is also the Materials and Chemistry Focus Area Coordinator for the NRL Base Program. Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Matic served for five years as the Superintendent of the Materials Science and Technology Division at NRL. The Division focused on multidisciplinary research and development of fundamental materials physics, new materials-driven devices and system concepts, power and energy, materials in extreme environments, materials and biology, and materials imaging and simulation. Dr. Matic was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in August 2013 after 28 years of federal service at NRL. He earned a bachelor of science in Mechanical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a doctorate in Applied Mechanics from Lehigh University. His NRL career experience includes 13 years as the Branch Head for Multifunctional Materials, two years as the Section Head for Physical and Computational Analysis, six years as the Section Head for Fracture Mechanics and seven years as a Mechanical Engineer in the Fracture Mechanics Section at NRL. His focus in these positions was the conduct and management of multidisciplinary research with a focus on materials and sea, air, ground and space defense technologies; research program development; collaborations with industry, universities and government; and staff professional development. Dr. Matic has led or conducted programs at NRL on materials, components and systems including the biomechanics of dynamic response to blast and impact; body armor and infantry combat equipment; deformation, damage and fracture of materials and structures; mathematical and computational strategies to model complex materials and systems; integrated use of experimental data and computational simulations; and multifunctional structure-energy composite materials and components. Insert Photo Here Prior to joining NRL, Dr. Matic was a Senior Engineer at the Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation. His work there included computational modeling and the application of material damage and fracture principles to submarine structural analyses, material deformation studies to support fabrication process development, and finite element analyses supporting studies of submarine ice breakthrough scenarios. His awards include the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award, 2006; NRL Review Publication Award, 2004; NRL Technology Transfer Royalty Award for Innovation, 2003; American Society of Naval Engineers, Jimmie Hamilton Best Paper Award, 1989; and NRL Alan Berman Research Publication Award, 1989. Dr. Matic has over 45 refereed publications and proceedings, over 50 contributed conference proceedings, over 70 invited and contributed presentations, over 20 technical reports and four patents. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses as an adjunct faculty member at The George Washington University and is a member of Sigma Xi.

Dr. Ryan Johnson is an aerospace engineer from the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) with expertise in developing various computational tools for modeling transport phenomena and chemically reacting continuum-based physics. He is one of the lead maintainers heading the development and support for the Navy’s premier multi-physics solver, the JENRE® code. His current work at NRL focuses on the application and validation of computational tools for high-fidelity simulation of chemically reacting flows with detailed transport in various Navy relevant applications. He has extensive experience in assessing high fidelity models and exploring new numerical techniques that overcome the need for expensive and antiquated CFD methods for transport phenomenal and detailed chemistry. Since coming to NRL, Dr. Johnson has co-authored over 10 peer-reviewed articles, attended over 20 national and international conferences, and authored/co-authored over 50 conference proceedings. Dr. Johnson is a previous NDSEG fellow, awarded 2010-2013 through HPCMP.

Mark A. Tschopp, Ph.D.

Regional Lead, ARL Central, DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL) ARL Fellow, ASME Fellow, ASM Fellow,

I am the Regional Lead (SSTM) for ARL Central, the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory's regional site in the greater Chicago region. As a senior leader and research scientist at the Army Research Laboratory, my approach to leadership is at the intersection of (high) performance, (developing) people, and (organizational) process. I am an engineer, a scientist, a leader, a manager, a teacher, a mentor, and a lifelong learner. Education. I received my BS/MS degrees in Metallurgical Engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology. My DoE-funded manufacturing research uncovered the mechanisms of defect formation in the lost foam casting process, garnering the Best Paper Award at the American Foundry Society conference. During my PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, I was funded by NSF to shed light on atomic-scale mechanisms and solid mechanics related to grain boundaries in polycrystalline materials, recognized with the Best PhD dissertation award and the top Engineering Mechanics award. Prior Roles. Before joining ARL in 2012, I spent 4 years in manufacturing R&D at GM Powertrain, 2 years in high temperature material sustainability and mechanics at the Air Force Research Laboratory, and over 4 years as faculty in the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems at Mississippi State University, where I received the Mississippi StatePride Faculty Award for excellence in research, teaching, and service.

Research. My primary research focus is accelerated materials design using a combination of modeling and simulation, data science, machine learning, and design optimization. I have published over 180 journal papers, book chapters, conference papers, and technical reports with over 6000 citations for the 100+ peer reviewed journal papers in materials science, mechanics, computational science, and design (Google Scholar, h-factor of 42). I have presented over 280 presentations and seminars, including giving over 120 invited talks/seminars at national/international conferences, universities, and other venues. I received the Silver Medal Award from ASM International in 2016 (top mid-career ASM award), the distinction of Fellow of ASME (mechanical engineering) in 2017, the distinction of Fellow of ASM International (materials science) in 2018 and elected an ARL Fellow in 2021 (top 1.5% of ARL scientists).

In conclusion, I am driven by my passion for learning, for science, for mentorship, for working with others, and for making a broad impact for the Army. “Think differently” Part of this broad impact brought me to Chicago, to lead the Army Research Laboratory’s new regional site model within the Midwest—ARL Central—which has already resulted in an increased ARL presence with staff scientists, new collaborative research programs, and new partnerships like the Midwest Defense Innovation Group. “Engage differently” Parts of this broad impact is bringing everyone up to speed with the math, concepts, and application of AI and ML, where my recent “Machine Learning for Everyone: May The Fourth (Be With You)” course has been a huge success, with over 2000 participants (majority DoD). “Lead differently” I lead ARL employee enterprise efforts in workforce enrichment, recruitment, retention, diversity and inclusion within ARL, bringing diverse talent and ideas into an open and accepting environment for tackling challenging Army problems. As a generalist with breadth across many disciplines and roles, I bring a diverse Range of experience and perspective to opportunities. I am a learner, an achiever, a problem solver, an analytical thinker, and an activator – “let’s do it!”

Dr. Roberto Diener is a Program Officer at the Office of Naval Research who is currently managing the Atomic, Molecular and Quantum Physics portfolio and the Quantum Information Science portfolio. These portfolios support work in all areas of quantum science and technology, from quantum sensing and timekeeping to the generation, characterization and utilization of large-scale entangled states. Dr. Diener holds a Ph. D. in Physics from the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Ramesh Bharadwaj is a Senior Systems Researcher at the Navy's Center of Excellence in High Assurance Systems. He conducts research in rigorous engineering methods and tools for the specification, design, and construction of mission-critical software-intensive systems to ensure their safety, reliability, and trustworthiness. Tools, methods, guidelines and standards being developed as part of this research will ensure dependability of fielded autonomous unmanned systems employing machine learning (ML), more specifically deep learning (DL), and provide better protection against adversarial attacks. Dr. Bharadwaj serves as an adviser to organizations such as DARPA, ONR, PEO-IWS and USC, to address future research challenges.

Ali Sayir, PH. D.

Dr. Ali Sayir is currently the Program Manager for Materials with Extreme Properties portfolio within the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) in Arlington, VA. As a senior program officer Dr. Sayir has concerted effort on mathematic quantification of microstructures for DOD and leads major national programs in computational material science. He has responsibility for planning, directing, and securing long-term program support in extreme environment electronics and materials for quantum information sciences. As a Program Officer, Dr. Sayir proactively evaluates materials for extreme environments, and judiciously sponsors innovative scientific opportunities in materials that can be integrated in the ab-initio design process for far-from equilibrium effects, and extreme non-linearity’s, and ultra-fast control. He is in forefront in the development and execution of basic research on materials far from equilibrium for high-power systems and interested in new capabilities in materials that can adapt to external stimuli of electric-, magnetic-, acoustic-, thermal fields and combined loads. He is proactive member of DOD and scientific community, and coordinates research programs within the Air Force, DOD, and Army, Navy, DARPA, NASA and other national and international organizations.

Prior to joining AFOSR, Dr. Sayir managed materials and structures for NASA Hypersonic program at NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH. He coordinated materials and structures projects between NASA centers, Department of Defense, Industry and Academia. Since 2008 he has held a Professor Faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University in the Department of Materials Science of Engineering and has been founding member of a small company. Dr. Sayir conducted research in areas such as eutectic solidification, electron emitters, high temperature piezoelectric materials, and materials for thermoelectric and thermophotovoltaic energy conversion, and proton conducting ceramics. He published 137 peer reviewed publications, 2 book chapters, received 3 patents, have over 40 invited presentations, and was selected a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society since 2009 for his scientific contributions and fellow of AFRL since 2020.

Dr. Fredrik Fatemi is the Branch Chief for Quantum Science and Technology at the Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, MD. Within ARL, he oversees a portfolio of research in quantum sensing and networks. He received his PhD from the University of Virginia in molecular cluster physics, and then did an NRC postdoctoral fellowship at NIST-Gaithersburg on ultracold atom collisions. Dr. Fatemi joined ARL after working at the Naval Research Laboratory for 15 years, where he conducted research in atomic, molecular, and optical physics. He continues active research programs in nanophotonics, strong light-matter interactions, and atomic physics.

ELLEN M. ROBINSON
Ellen M. Robinson is a Senior General Engineer in the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Science and Engineering Division, Science and Engineering Collaboration Branch, Arlington, VA. Mrs. Robinson has served over eight years as a Program Manager for AFOSR STEM workforce development initiatives within the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) enterprise. She manages the AFRL Science and Technology Fellowship Program (STFP), the AFOSR Young Investigators Research Program (YIP), and the AFOSR Presidential Early Career Award in Science and
Engineering (PECASE). Mrs. Robinson also serves as the AFRL Program Manager and the Department of Defense (DoD) Program Manager for the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program. She currently serves as the Contracting Officer Representative for two STEM fellowship program contracts. These programs are crucial in developing and bolstering the DoD STEM future pipeline for scientists and engineers (S&Es) in DoD relevant research areas and shaping future DoD research needs. These programs also support post-docs and
senior researchers whose research aligns and supports the DoD and Department of the Air Force (DAF), including the United States Space Force, missions In these roles, she develops STEM workflow development policies in innovative, high risk high reward research, plans and executes
budgets totaling over $200M annually for early career scientists and engineers and STEM graduate scholars.

Since joining the Air Force as a civilian in November 1989, Mrs. Robinson has served in several roles in the Aeronautical Systems Center and the Air Force Research Laboratory including avionics design and laser optical communications design engineer, business and financial management, strategic development planning and programming. Prior to her current assignment, Mrs. Robinson was Deputy Program Manager in the STEM development office where she developed an AF wide K-12 AF STEM Outreach education program establishing policies and programs to interest K-12 students in STEM academic studies and careers of AF mission needs. She was instrumental in establishing the AF blueprint in the DoD STEM portfolio. She also co-authored with her DoD sister services STEM workforce development initiatives for near, mid, and far term.

She has used her depth of experience in strategic planning, budgeting, and execution in forecasting specific STEM needs vital for the future workforce as it relates to DoD and DAF missions.

EDUCATION
1989 BS, Electrical Engineering, Hampton University, Hampton, VA

CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. 1989 – 1993, Avionics Design Engineer, Technology Exploitation Directorate, Wright Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), OH
2. 1993 – 1998, Electronics Engineer, Strategic Planning Division, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
3. 1998 – 2001, Business Manager, Electro-Optics Sensor Technology Division, Sensors Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
4. 2002 – 2006, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Headquarters Plans and Programs Division, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
5. 2006 – 2007, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Headquarters Requirements Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
6. 2007 – 2011, AFSO21 Program Manager, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
7. 2011 – 2011, Senior Plans and Programs Engineer, Sensors Directorate, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
8. 2011 – 2013, Deputy Program Manager, AF Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Outreach Division, Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Arlington, VA
9. 2013 – Present, Program Manager, Science and Engineering Division, Air Force Office of Scientific Research Directorate, Arlington, VA

AWARDS AND HONORS
Technology All Star Award, Women of Color STEM, 2021
Department of Defense Award of Appreciation, Aug 2019
Department of Defense Award of Appreciation, Jun 2019
Modern Technology Leader Award, Black Engineer of the Year, 2004

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
DoD Level A, Contracting Officer Representative
DoD Level III, Science and Technology Management
DoD Level III, Systems, Planning, Research, Development & Engineering
DoD Level I, Program Management
DoD Level I, Test and Evaluation
Black Belt, Six Sigma Certified
Green Belt, Six Sigma Certified

Reginald G. Williams, PhD

Program Officer
Office of Naval Research

Dr. Reginald Williams is the program officer for the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Young Investigator Program (YIP), Research Opportunities for Program Officers (ROPO), In-house Laboratory Independent Research (ILIR), Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP) for undergraduate and graduate students, and the Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) for high school students.

Previously he managed programs in the Propulsion and Power Engineering competency at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Patuxent River, MD. His assignments included managing the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) programs, high-speed engine technology demonstrators, and turbine engine analysis.

In private industry, Dr. Williams managed technology programs and conducted experimental and computational research in advanced propulsion integration for industrial, commercial, and military applications.

Dr. Williams received his PhD, MS, and BS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park.

KATIE A. H. WISECARVER

Katie A. H. Wisecarver is a Senior Research Psychologist in the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Science and Engineering Collaboration Branch, Arlington, VA. She has over 12 years of civilian service as a Program Manager in the Air Force Research Laboratory enterprise. Ms. Wisecarver works directly with a multi-agency, multi-service team to execute basic research and technology transition efforts on behalf of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of the Air Force (DAF). Ms. Wisecarver serves as the AFOSR Program Manager and the Department of Defense (DoD) Program Manager for the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP), building capacity across the DAF (including US Space Force) in areas of importance to DoD strategic basic science and technology goals. She also manages the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) for AFOSR, bringing multidisciplinary research teams together to tackle the critical basic research needs facing the DAF and DoD through very-high risk, high-reward research projects. In these roles, she helps shape the future force and meet the technology needs of tomorrow’s Air Force and Space Force by growing the DoD research base, providing big-win research capacity, and stimulating the growth of emerging technologies via accelerated transition of findings to practical applications. She is also a certified Master Resiliency Trainer for the AF Comprehensive Airmen Fitness program and a nationally certified victim advocate with the AF Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Program.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Wisecarver served in several roles at AFOSR including: Program Manager for the Defense Enterprise Science Initiative (DESI) pilot program, bringing together industry and university teams for rapid innovation; Program Manager for the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) Small Grants Program, supporting research for AFIT faculty and students; and Program Manager for the Awards to Stimulate and Support Undergraduate Research Experiences (ASSURE) program, a collaborative effort between DoD and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Ms. Wisecarver also served as an Assistant Program Manager for life sciences portfolios and a contracting officer’s representative. She is also experienced in STEM outreach, business management, and strategic planning.

Prior to entering public service, Ms. Wisecarver served as a Resource Analyst in the toxicology division at a clinical research organization in Virginia. Preceding that position, she worked in both in-patient and out-patient psychology in South Carolina. 

EDUCATION

2001 B.S. Psychology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
2021 M.A. Forensic and Legal Psychology with Intelligence Studies Specialization, Marymount University, Arlington, VA

CAREER CHRONOLOGY

1. July 2009 – August 2010, Assistant Program Manager, Life Sciences Division, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, VA
2. August 2010 - Present, Program Coordinator, Physical and Biological Sciences Division, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, VA

AWARDS AND HONORS

2016 – SAPR Victim Advocate of the Year
2014 – AFOSR Civilian of the Year

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS

Order of the Sword and Shield – National Honor Society for all Homeland Security Disciplines
Psi Chi – International Honor Society in Psychology
Phi Kappa Phi – National Honor Society

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

1) Goldstein, F. L. (Ed.). (2021) Psychological Profiling: An Evolved Forensic Science (2nd ed.). Precision Influence Technologies Publications.

William "Will" Creech is a Lead Contract Specialist and is a warranted Grants, Contracting, and Agreements Officer with the Army Contracting Command and performs a wide variety of pre-award, award, and post-award functions for the past 14 year.  Will believes that early and often communication are key to any successful award, whether large or small. Will has a MBA with concentrations in Management and Marketing and a BBA in Computer Information Systems from Campbell University.  In his free time, you will find him either in the gym or his garage working on one of his Mustangs.

DANIEL P. SMITH, DO-02, Department of the Air Force—Civilian

Mr. Daniel P. Smith, Procurement Analyst, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), a direct reporting unit to Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. 

As a Warranted Contracting and Grants Officer, Mr. Smith is responsible for Training, Policy Review, Contracting Systems Administration and Grants.gov Admin for 45 civilian personnel throughout AFOSR's Contracting/Grant divisions, as well as, Grants Lead to the Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (AOARD) in Tokyo, Japan.

Formerly, Mr. Smith was an Air Force Copper Cap intern for AFOSR Specialized Acquisition division, Policy unit and Advisory & Assistance Services Contracting at the Air Force District of Washington (AFDW).  Prior to this, Mr. Smith was a Staff Sergeant (SSgt) for the 94^th Aircraft Maintenance Unit (AMU), Langley AFB, VA. SSgt Smith was a Weapons Load Crew Chief on the F-15 and then the F-22 Raptors and performed weapons support for IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, NORTHERN WATCH & NOBLE EAGLE.

Dr. Laura Hiatt is a research scientist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, where she leads a group that works on a variety of AI research topics. She received her B.S. in Symbolic Systems from Stanford University and her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Hiatt’s work has primarily focused on ways in which humans and robots can effectively work together as teammates. The research involves issues of planning and execution, adjustable autonomy,  computational cognitive modeling, and team-based task coordination strategies. Dr. Hiatt is also a member of the AAAI executive council, where she leads the Education Committee.

Dr. Jennifer J. Becker is the Associate Director for Research, Policy, and Programs at the Army Research Office, DEVCOM ARL.  In this role, Dr. Becker communicates Army basic science research program objectives and activities to other DoD organizations to improve the integration of the Army's basic science research into the overall DoD basic science research program. Dr. Becker is also the ARO liaison to the OSD Basic Research Office where she serves as the University Research Initiative oversight lead and as the DEPSCoR Program Manager. 

Dr. Becker was previously the Basic and Applied Research Team lead at the DEVCOM-Atlantic office in London, serving as the senior technical scientist, developing and executing an international scientific program to identify unique R&D and new technical capabilities for the US Army. This work involved the identification and assessment of scientific and technological developments within European, African, Israel, and Middle Eastern countries with potential applicability to Army research and development (R&D) programs.                                

Dr. Becker’s previous position was as Chemical Sciences Division Chief and program manager of the Reactive Chemical Systems program at the U.S. Army Research Office.  In this role Dr. Becker managed extramural basic research in catalysis, surface chemistry, and multifunctional, responsive, and dynamic chemical systems for hazardous materials management and oversaw the entire Chemical Sciences Division.  Dr. Becker was a member of the team that received the Army’s Greatest Invention Award in 2007 for the FIDO Explosives Detector. She also received a 2009 Army Research and Development Award for End of Service Life Indicator Technology for Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Mask Filters. Dr. Becker received the Department of Army Commanders Award for Civilian Service in 2012 and the Department of Army Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 2019.  

Dr. Becker is also adjunct Professor of Chemistry at UNC-Chapel Hill, where her research is focused on carbon bond activation. She has authored over 15 open literature publications and written an invited book chapter on stereochemistry in dynamical combinatorial chemistry.  Dr. Becker was also a co-editor and author of a handbook on chemical and biological agent decontamination. 

Dr. Becker received a B.S. degree in Chemistry from Gettysburg College and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she investigated late transition metal catalysts for use in asymmetric catalysis and molecular imprinting. 

Dr. Leslie Blaha is a Senior Research Psychologist in the 711th Human Performance Wing at the Air Force Research laboratory. Since 2018, she has been embedded on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University building research partnerships and collaborations in the areas of cognitive modeling and cognitive science for human-autonomy teaming. Dr. Blaha has 12 years of experience in national security and defense fundamental research, emphasizing cognitive modeling for human-machine teaming in adaptive training, visual analytics, and decision-making systems. She has worked in the areas of streaming analytics for intelligence analysis, cybersecurity and insider threat, social network analysis, aircraft integrity analysis, and real-time operator state assessment. She obtained her joint Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Science from Indiana University in 2010. She served as a civilian scientist with AFRL from 2010-2016 in the 711th Human Performance Wing, Battlespace Visualization Branch. From 2016-2018 she was the Chief Scientist of the Analysis in Motion Initiative in interactive streaming analytics at scale for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.  Recently she served as the Acting Deputy Chief Scientist of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Dr. Blaha was awarded an Early Career Impact Award from the Federation of Associations for Brain and Behavioral Sciences in 2018 and has been recognized multiple times for her mentoring with the Daniel Repperger Mentor of the Year Award at AFRL. She serves as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Society for Mathematical Psychology and is a co-founder of the Women of Mathematical Psychology.

Dr. Joel B. Mozer, a Senior Level Executive, is the United States Space Force Director of Science, Technology and Research, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He serves as the central lead for all science and technology matters for an organization that comprises approximately 11,000 space professionals worldwide and manages a global network of satellite command and control, communications, missile warning and launch facilities. In this role, he develops long-term military requirements for the Space Force and interacts with other principals, operational commanders, combatant commands, acquisition, and international communities to address cross-organizational science and technical issues and solutions. Dr. Mozer represents U.S. Space Force science and technology on decisions, high-level planning, and policy, building coalitions and alliances throughout the U.S. government, industry, academia, the international community, and other scientific and technology organizations.

Dr. Mozer entered government service in 1992 with the U.S. Air Force. Prior to this assignment, he was Chief Space Experimentalist of the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicle Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. In that role, he was responsible for managing AFRL’s $40 million-per-year investment in research and development related to the development of experimental satellites and payloads and conducted a team of 100 engineers and scientists at Kirtland and Holloman AFB, N.M. — all working to develop cost effective ways to assemble, integrate, test and fly novel spacecraft and systems and to demonstrate new concepts for Defense Department systems and missions. His area of specialization relates to space control and remote sensing — understanding the natural and man-made space environment and developing forecast tools for warfighters, theater battle commanders and other decision-makers to mitigate risks.

Dr. Mozer has more than 30 years of space science, engineering, management, and financial experience working space and ground systems for the DoD. In addition to the Integrated Experiments Division, he served as Chief of the Battlespace Environment Division and led the laboratory’s Space Weather Center of Excellence and was a scientist at the National Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak. Before arriving to AFRL, Dr. Mozer worked at the Air Force’s Radar Attenuation and Scattering facility at Holloman AFB, N.M. where he developed measurement and analysis techniques to study the radar cross section of low-observable aircraft and technology. Prior to that, he worked for the Army’s Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory where he developed techniques to quantify the effects of natural and man-made battlefield obscurants on electro-optical sensors.

EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science, Physics, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces1990 Master of Science, Atmospheric Science, University of Arizona, Tucson
1992 Doctorate of Philosophy, Physics, University of Arizona, Tucson
2008 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. 1985–1989, Scientist, Army Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. 1989–1992, Data Scientist, Radar Attenuation and Scattering, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.
3. 1992–2001, Principal Scientist, Air Force Research Laboratory Geophysics Directorate, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
4. 2001–2006, Senior Solar Astronomer, Sunspot, N.M.
5. 2006–2011, Chief, Space Weather Center of Excellence, AFRL, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
6. 2011–2013, Chief, Battlespace Environment Division, AFRL, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
7. 2013–2016, Chief, Integrated Experiments Division, AFRL, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
8. 2016–2018, Chief Experimentalist, Space Vehicles Directorate, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
9. 2018–2019, Chief Scientist of Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
10. 2019–present, Director, Science, Technology and Research, U.S. Space Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Senior member, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Senior member, American Geophysical Union
Senior member, American Meteorological Society

Dr. Jason Stack is the Director for the Ocean, Atmosphere, and Space Research Division of the Office of Naval Research (ONR). In this role, he is responsible for planning, execution, and management of integrated basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development for Science and Technology programs in the ocean sciences. This Division includes ocean acoustics, physical oceanography, marine meteorology & space, coastal geosciences, Arctic & global prediction, and marine mammals & biology. It also provides advanced environmental observational and prediction capabilities in support of warfare areas including anti-submarine, mine, and naval special warfare. Dr. Stack is also appointed as the US Voting Member to the Systems, Concepts, and Integration (SCI) Panel within the NATO Science & Technology Organization.

Dr. Stack entered the Senior Executive Service in Jan. 2019 and from Jan. 2021 to Feb. 2022 served as the ONR Technical Director. In that role, he advised the Chief of Naval Research on corporate level strategy, policy, and ONR’s investment portfolio. He also coordinated the strategic management and oversight of ONR’s technical investments, governance procedures, and policies.

He joined the Civil Service in 2003 as a researcher in the Signal & Image Processing branch of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, Florida where he conducted basic research in machine learning and applied research in signal processing, automatic target recognition, and autonomy. He joined ONR in 2008 as a Program Officer leading investments in machine learning, autonomy, and sensor development for the underwater domain. He became the Team Lead for the Mine Warfare and Ocean Engineering Programs in 2015 where he coordinated ONR’s overall portfolio in mine countermeasures, naval mining, explosive ordnance disposal, naval special warfare, and ocean engineering. He is a former US National Lead for TTCP, Maritime Group, TP-13 (Mine Warfare);

has led multiple NATO Joint Research Projects; and is a co‐founder of the Mine Warfare Community of Interest focusing on data standards, systems interoperability, and modular open architectures. In Jan. 2018, Dr. Stack became ONR's Portfolio Manager for Autonomy where he led ONR’s corporate strategy; managed the corresponding investment portfolio; and provided focus on transition, operationalization, and fielding for autonomy and autonomous unmanned systems. He also served as the NATO SCI Panel the Member-at-Large for Autonomy. Prior to joining Civil Service and his graduate studies, Dr. Stack was employed in industry in Raleigh, NC as a design engineer developing power electronics and hydraulic control systems.

Dr. Stack holds the MSE and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the BSE degree in electrical engineering from Mercer University. He was a Georgia Tech President’s Fellow, an MIT Seminar XXI Fellow, a registered Professional Engineer, and holds over 45 publications and 2 patents in the fields of signature recognition and autonomous systems. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE.

Dr. Abbie T. Watnik is Head of the Optical Physics Branch in the Optical Sciences Division at the Naval Research Laboratory. Dr. Watnik manages personnel and programs within a diverse research portfolio of basic and applied optical physics, with topics in optical nanomaterials, laser-based imaging and sensing, quantum optics and semiconductor optoelectronics. Dr. Watnik is recipient of several Navy awards including: 2019 Sigma Xi Young Investigator Award, 2017 and 2018 ARPAD awards and the 2016 Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers Award for Emergent Scientist Investigators, an award recognizing the Department of the Navy’s scientists who have made significant contributions to their field.

Dr. Cochenour is the Program Manager for the DoD SMART Scholarship Program. The SMART Scholarship Program is the DoD's largest STEM workforce development program, awarding over 4,000 scholarships since its inception in 2006. Prior to this role, he spent 16 years as a DoD civilian engineer with the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Patuxent River, MD, where he led reserach in underwater optical communications, underwater laser imaging, and oceanographic remote sensing.  In 2019, he received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding early-career scientists and engineers. He was named a DoD Scientist of the Quarter in 2019 by the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, a Top Navy Scientist of the Year in 2018, 2012, and 2006, and a Maryland Academy of Sciences Outstanding Young Engineer in 2009.

Dr. Eric Basques is a Program Administrator in the Fellowships Office of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Research Associateship Programs and has been with the program for over 10 years. He has responsibility for over 240 postdoctoral Research Associates/Fellows on tenure at any given time through 14 federal agencies including the Air Force Research Laboratory, Naval Research Laboratory, Army Research Laboratory, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Energy Technology Laboratory. His duties include dealing with Associate/Fellow issues, interacting with Research Advisers and Laboratory Program Representatives, approving the appointment of new Research Advisers, and organizing and performing Site Visits to bring new labs into the program. Dr. Basques also runs the three Review Panels for Physical Sciences, Engineering and Applied Math, and Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, and organizes and makes staff visits to the labs under his responsibility. He also performs program promotion functions at scientific meetings and universities. He received a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University with an emphasis in Thermosciences. He received his B.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park with an emphasis in energy systems and automatic controls. Previous experience includes work with the private sector and federal government in commercial and classified satellite systems.

Ms. Ward holds an MPS in Human Resources and is currently serving as a Recruiter at the Oak Ridge Associated Universities.  She has over 30 years of administrative service in government contracting and enjoys each role that she has held. She appreciates the opportunity to connect Fellows with available opportunities in some of science's most current and exciting fields.

Dr. Bindu R. Nair is the Director of Basic Research within the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).  In this role, she is responsible for oversight and coordination of the Department’s $2.5 billion investment in basic science. This investment supports high risk and high pay-off basic research projects in fields including physical science, life science, environmental science, applied mathematics, and others that probe the limits of today’s technologies and discover new phenomena and know‐how that may ultimately lead to future technologies for the Department.  

From 2012-2017, Dr. Nair served in various roles including Acting Director and Deputy Director in the Human Performance, Training and Biosystems (HPT&B) Directorate within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.  In this role, Dr. Nair was involved in overseeing a broad range of DoD’s science and technology programs that support Warfighter effectiveness.  Her specific areas of responsibilities in the office were in environmental technologies, bio-assist technologies (for exoskeletons and prosthetics), human machine teaming, and social behavioral modeling in the information environment. 

Prior to her assignment to OSD, Dr. Nair worked for the Department of the Army with oversight responsibilities over the science and technology program in power and energy.  She has worked in the DoD laboratory system at Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center as well as in private industry at Foster Miller (Waltham, MA). 

Her research expertise is in the field of Material Science and Engineering including nanomaterials, polymers, and organic electronic materials, and she has taught graduate level courses in Polymer Synthesis.  She has published primarily in membrane and materials development fields and holds patents in fuel cell technologies.  Dr. Nair holds a B.Sc. from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Materials Science and Engineering.