Dean R. Collings, Ph.D., is a Managing Member of DRC Consulting LLC, providing scientific and engineering consulting services to government, public and private entities. Representative disciplines include: electronics, semiconductors, photonics, MEMS, visible and IR sensors, energy sources, manufacturing technology, supply chain management, computer systems, quantum computing, Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and cybersecurity.
He previously was a chief scientist at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) where he served as Deputy Director of the DARPA Microsystems Technology Office (MTO). In this role, he was responsible for the monitoring, analysis, and evaluation of over 100 research projects directed by the MTO Program Managers. He also initiated and managed a unique major new office thrust in Supply Chain Cybersecurity, “TRUST in Integrated Circuits”, which was focused on evaluating potential threats from integrated circuits designed or fabricated offshore.
From 2000 to 2005 he was Director of the Advanced Research and Development Activity in Information Technology (ARDA) , a precursor to the present IARPA , supporting the entire US intelligence community. From 1996-2000 he worked as Chief of the High Performance Systems and Services Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). One of the highlights of the Division’s achievements was the development of an international standard for data exchange for electronic books. This standard allowed a common framework for both publishers and electronic book manufactures to use and enabled the present surge in the commercial sales of electronic books. From 1995 to 1996 he worked as the Director of the Electronics and Photonics Technology Office at NIST, where he was responsible for program direction in broad areas of electronic and optics technology. Duties included evaluation of high-risk technical proposals with high commercial economic benefits.
From 1966-1994 he worked as Director of the Systems Components Laboratory, Director of the Interface Technology Laboratory, and Director of the Charge Coupled Device Laboratory at Texas instruments. He is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and a member of Eta Kappa Nu, Tau Beta Pi, and the American Physical Society. Dr. Collins has an S.B. and S.M. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, where he held a Westinghouse Fellowship, all degrees are in electrical engineering.
Thomas M. Gallas is the Chief Executive Officer of a talented and award-winning urban planning and design firm. Under his leadership, Torti Gallas + Partners has gained international recognition as a firm dedicated to advancing the principles of the New Urbanism, Sustainability and Smart Growth to meet the challenges of our time. Gallas is a leader in designing residential, mixed-use, and transit-oriented communities throughout the United States and abroad.
Gallas and his firm’s focus on Neighborhood Revitalization has provided an important catalyst for transformation in numerous cities and suburbs around the world. He and his partners are passionate about designing buildings and neighborhoods that enhance the urban environment, and are committed to improving the physical, social and economic aspects of communities. In the District of Columbia, the firm has designed over 15,000 residential units, 5,000 of which are Affordable Housing, and have designed transformative projects in every Ward of the City. Many of these neighborhood transformations are built upon what Mr. Gallas calls “ADDification®” – designing quality affordable housing that ADDS to the quality housing stock and economic opportunities without displacing residents.
Gallas contributes a broad spectrum of design, financial and management skills to assist private and public clients and their stakeholders in creating valued places to live, work, shop and play. His financial background provides him with a deeply rooted appreciation and understanding of the complex decisions in realizing successful community transformations. His management expertise enhances his ability to coordinate the efforts of a broad cross-section of participants encompassing residents and community representatives, developers, planners, architects, engineers, financial, social, and other expert consultants brought together to ensure successful implementation of the firm’s visionary plans through a consensus-based approach.
Gallas is recognized as a national leader in the design and revitalization of communities throughout the United States. As testament to his leadership and expertise, President Barack Obama appointed Mr. Gallas to the National Capital Planning Commission in 2016. He served a six-year term as the Presidential appointee representing the State of Maryland.
Gallas serves on the University of the District of Columbia’s External Research Advisory Panel and the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation Board of Visitors. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland and is a LEED Accredited Professional.
Candi Hudson, Ph.D., is currently Senior Engineer Technical Advisor for the Emerging Technologies Branch in the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs for the US Department of the Interior Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement in Sterling, Virginia. Hudson provides expertise in identifying and overseeing rapid innovative research programs addressing emerging technologies and regulatory gaps ensuring the safety of offshore energy/renewable activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). She also conducts technical evaluations of requests to utilize innovative emerging technologies, and novel materials for energy activities on the OCS and supports forensic investigations of offshore incidents involving emerging technologies.
Hudson also served as the Response Research Branch Chief in the Oil Spill Preparedness Division (OSPD), Response Research Branch (RRB) for the US Department of the Interior (DOI) Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) in Sterling, Virginia. She has held this role since 2018. In this role, she oversees Oil Spill Response Research and manages the Ohmsett test facility where full-scale oil spill response research, testing, and training are conducted in a simulated, in-situ marine environment.
Hudson brings a diverse background in engineering, research, industry, and academia across numerous industries including defense, aerospace, aviation, intelligence, forensic investigations, energy, and alternative energy. Her extensive contributions encompass expert forensic identification of the root cause of failures as well as the development of emerging technologies utilizing novel materials for products and systems. Her innovative solutions ensure compliance with industry standards and federal regulations. She has conducted research, product development, and failure analysis in the following areas: coal-water slurry fuels, corrosion, nanotechnology, alloys, composites, elastomers, carbon, ceramics, high-temperature applications, microscopy characterization, and materials properties test methods.
Prior to her RRB role, Hudson was the Systems Reliability Section (SRS) Chief in the Emerging Technologies Branch in the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs. As the SRS Chief, she managed SRS/Quality Control-Failure Incident Team (QC-FIT) technical evaluations for offshore industry issues. QC-FIT technical evaluations focus on the identification of quality assurance/quality control concerns for equipment that may be insufficient for safe oil and gas operations and environmental protection on the Outer Continental Shelf. As SRS Chief, Hudson addressed a systemic global safety critical drilling equipment bolt failure which resulted in the replacement of 10,000 bolts globally.
Hudson’s experience includes roles in industry, not-for-profit-laboratory, federal and municipal government, and academia. As a Senior Materials Scientist for Schlumberger, a multi-national company Schlumberger she championed the research, testing, development, and investigation of oilfield/drilling products and tools. At Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory as Senior Materials Research Engineer, she developed high-temperature coatings for hypersonic ordnance defense applications and carbon nanotube composites for NASA spacecraft thermal load/payload reductions as well as wrote and procured grants for research. She was a Materials Research Engineer with Continental Carbon Company.
Anthony V. Junior, Ph.D., MBA, PMP, is President of Strategic Consulting Network, Inc., a business management consulting firm that provides services to small and medium-sized businesses in the areas of strategy, contracting, and proposal/business development. He is a DoD certified acquisition professional (Contracting Officer and Program Manager), a Project Management Professional (PMP), and executive coach. Junior currently serves on the advisory board for Howard University’s School of Business, Executive Education Program and has served on the Board of Trustees for Martin University, Indianapolis, IN. Junior is an adjunct instructor for Howard University’s Executive Education program, teaching business strategy and leadership development. He also instructs PMP exam prep courses for various organizations and has served as an external reviewer for research and education programs with the National Science Foundation and the Nuclear Regulatory
Previously, Junior was the Director of the Department of the Navy’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program Office ($45M annual budget) and the program manager for STEM education and outreach ($85M annual budget). Additionally, Junior was Deputy Director, Office of Naval Research (ONR) Small Business Office ($500M annual budget). He was the Deputy Director for the Systems Engineering Division and Director of Computer Security at the ONR. Junior earned his Ph.D. in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. He has a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a B.S. in Business Administration. Executive and leadership development courses/programs include Harvard University Law School – Contract Law; University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business – Business Strategy; Howard University’s School of Business – Executive Coaching Program’ Hampton University – Executive Leadership Development Program; Georgetown University’s Government Affairs Institute – Seminar for Executives on Legislative Operations; and the African American Board Leadership Institute’s – Foundations of Corporate Governance program.
Ramesh Kolluru, Ph.D., is the Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Development at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In this role, he establishes the strategic vision and plans, as well as leads initiatives that drive the transition of UL to a top-tier research university through research, scholarship, innovation, and economic development activities of its students, staff, and faculty. His efforts are focused on expanding UL's regional, national, and global impact through the discovery and dissemination of knowledge, embodied in its motto of being committed to "Research for a Reason."
He provides leadership to the university's offices and functions related to research and sponsored programs, research integrity, innovation management, entrepreneurship, and economic development. Additionally, he oversees operations of the University Research Park, as well as various research centers and institutes at UL Lafayette. Under his leadership, the University continues to expand its research portfolio, growing its reported annual R&D expenditures from $62M in 2013 to over $100M in 2017. He has served as member of the team to help recruit several IT and biotech companies, helping create more than 2000 knowledge-economy jobs in the region. He is a tenured Professor in the School of Computing and Informatics. He is a recognized researcher in the field of computing and data science, with a distinguished record of applying research to solve societal challenges in the areas of health care, homeland security, cybersecurity, and emergency management, public-private partnerships, and big data analytics, among others. During his career as researcher, he founded and led three premier applied research centers – the Center for Business and Information Technologies with its focus on healthcare innovation; the National Incident Management Systems and Advanced Technologies Institute with its focus on public-private partnerships; and the Center for Visual and Decision Informatics, the nation's only National Science Foundation big data center of excellence. Through his research, he has generated more than $75 million in external funds from various federal and state agencies and the private sector, supporting the educational and scholarly pursuits of over 190 students.
He has been appointed by FEMA Administrator to the FEMA National Advisory Council to serve a three-year term from 2018 through 2021. In addition, Governor John Bel Edwards appointed him as a Commissioner of the Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission, chairing two of its 8 committees. He also serves as the Chair of Technology and Innovation Committee of the Louisiana Supply Chain and Transportation Council, established by the State Legislature in 2016. He has been nominated to the American Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) to the Executive Committee of its national Council for Research (COR). Lafayette Parish Mayor-President Joel Robideaux appointed Kolluru as a Trustee of the 5-member Lafayette Public Innovation Alliance. He represents the University as counselor of the Oak Ridge Associated Universities, trustee of the Southern Universities Research Alliance, and member of the Louisiana RESTORE Act Center of Excellence Executive Committee. Additionally, he serves on the executive committees and boards of OneAcadiana, Lafayette Economic Development Authority, Opportunity Machine, and as Chair of the United Way of Acadiana Education Committee.
Born and raised in India, Kolluru has lived in Lafayette for over 25 years. He is a recipient of the Governor's Technology Leader of the Year award in 2008.
With more than 55 years of experience, William A. Lester, Jr., Ph.D., has held positions in government, industry, and academia. He began his career with the National Bureau of Standards as Physical Chemist from 1961 to 1964. From 1964 to 1968, he held multiple posts at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, first as a Postdoctoral Associate, 1964 to 1965, followed by Assistant Director at Theoretical Chemistry Institute, 1965 to 1968, and Lecturer at the Department of Chemistry, 1966 to 1968.
Between 1968 and 1978, Lester was with the IBM Corporation, initially as a Staff Member, San Jose Research Laboratory, subsequently as a member of the Technical Planning staff at the T. J. Watson Research Center, followed by appointment as Manager at the San Jose Laboratory.
From 1978 to 1981, Lester held the positions concurrently of Director, National Resource for Computation in Chemistry, and Associate Director, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. In 1981, Dr. Lester was appointed Professor in the Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, and Faculty Senior Scientist, at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. From 1991 to 1995, he also served as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs, College of Chemistry, UC Berkeley. For 1995-1996, he served the National Science Foundation as Senior Fellow for Science and Engineering and Assistant to the Director for Human Resource Development.
Over the course of his career, Lester has received recognition and a number of awards. These include the Percy L. Julian Award in 1979 from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE). the Alumni Award in Science in 1983 from the Catholic University of America, the Outstanding Teacher Award from NOBCChE in 1986, and the Outstanding Service Award from the National Science Foundation in 1996.
He is a Fellow of the American Chemical Society, the American Physical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the California Academy of Sciences. In 2006, he became a member of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science and a Fellow of the African Science Institute.
In 2018, Lester was honored with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received the International Association of Top Professionals Lifetime Achievement Award for 2019.
Darryl W. Lunon, II is an accomplished civil engineer, attorney, and commissioned military officer with transactional and litigation experience. He currently works at The Pennsylvania State University as Associate General Counsel and Director of Compliance. Prior to joining Penn State’s Office of General Counsel, he was Assistant Counsel for the U.S. Navy’s Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Mid-Atlantic in Norfolk, VA. While at NAVFAC, Lunon’s practice included procurement, federal real estate, fiscal law, and ethics. Before joining NAVFAC, Lunon was Associate District Counsel for The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in Louisville, KY. While at USACE, his practice included procurement and federal real estate, as well as protecting the Government’s interests in litigation before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals and the Government Accountability Office. Lunon is also a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Reserve’s Judge Advocate Corps, and was mobilized to Fort Bragg as a member of the XVIII Airborne Corp’s Office of the Staff Judge Advocate to support Operation Enduring Freedom. Currently, he serves as the International Law Officer for the 404th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne).
Prior to becoming an attorney, Lunon practiced as a civil engineer/construction manager for multi-billion dollar airport capital improvement projects both at Washington Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, GA. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in General Science from Morehouse College. Lunon earned his Juris Doctorate and Certificate of Legal Writing from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. Lunon’s education and career have given him significant experience negotiating, structuring, reviewing, and litigating complex contracts for the DOD and private clients. His experience also enables him to both develop effective organization-wide policies, as well as provide legal advice and counsel on a wide variety of issues.
Victor R. McCrary is the Vice President for Research and Graduate Programs at the University of the District of Columbia. Prior to this position, he was Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and before that the first Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. He is a change agent and serial innovator responsible for developing a comprehensive research strategy, fostering cross-disciplinary research, expanding research programs via engagement with federal and state agencies ($32M in FY16), increasing the University’s intellectual property portfolio, and positioning Morgan State as Maryland’s Public, Urban Research University. Previously, he was the Business Area Executive for Science & Technology at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), where he directed investments totaling over $60M for basic and applied research projects targeted for national security and space applications. In 2005, Dr. McCrary was selected to the rank of Principal Professional Staff at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He is a former national president of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), and a Fellow of the American Chemical Society.
McCrary has serves on numerous committees including; the Intelligence Science and Technology Experts Group of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine; the advisory board for electrical and computer engineering at The Citadel, and the advisory board of the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State. He served on the subcommittee for the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) the board of the Maryland Innovation Initiative of the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO); and the PubMed Central National Advisory Committee for the National Institutes of Health. He has authored or co-authored over 60 technical papers and co-edited two books in his career at AT&T Bell Laboratories and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He is blessed to have received a number of honors and awards during his career including: Most Promising Black Engineer in 1990; co-recipient of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Gold Medal in 2000; the 2002 NOBCChE Percy Julian Award; in 2005, he was featured in Science Spectrum Magazine as one of the Top 50 Minorities in Science, and elected to the 2007 DVD Association’s Hall of Fame. In 2011, he was honored as Scientist of the Year by the Annual Black Engineer of the Year Award-STEM Conference. In 2015 he received the Alumni Award for Research Excellence from The Catholic University of America, and Distinguished Alumni Award by Howard University in 2017.
McCrary was appointed by President Barack Obama to the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation, in October 2016.
Charles D. Milligan, Ph.D., has over 30 years experience in management of programs focused on technologies for areas that include countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, Counter Terrorism, and Counter Intelligence. Milligan has a broad technical background in explosive blast phenomena, cyber security, image and data processing techniques, numerical modeling and artificial intelligence. His assignments at JHU/APL have included Program Area Manager for Military WMD Defeat, Program Manager for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Programs, and Chief Technology Officer for Program Executive Office-Aircraft Carriers.
Prior to joining JHU/APL, Milligan managed the Submarine Combat Protection Exploratory Development Project for the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He also managed the DARPA Intelligent Shock Mitigation and Isolation Project where he led the effort to develop semi-active shock control systems for both surface ship and submarine structures. Milligan has also worked as a Mechanical Engineer for Martin Marietta Aero and Naval Systems and for General Dynamics where he performed stress analysis in support of efforts to retrofit and/or repair F-111 bombers.
Milligan is currently the Chief Scientist for APL’s Homeland Protection Mission Area. In this role, He promotes innovation and incubation of new programs, coordinates Internal Research and Development Initiatives (IRAD) focused on domestic security issues and capability gaps.
He also established APL’s Integrated Information and Intelligence Systems program leading an elite team of scientists and engineers focused on developing cutting edge, AI-Driven solutions to National Security Problems in cyber, counterintelligence and critical infrastructure protection. He holds a Ph.D, M.S., and B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland.
Joanne C. Murphy’s unique combination of business, technical and leadership acumen, combined with a 20+ year proven track record and entrepreneurial passion, enables her to craft, share and execute on the vision of what’s possible to create new business models and revenue streams.
She has held positions in AT&T Labs Research and Development, Engineering, Sales and Marketing. Murphy has expertise translating business strategy into technology enablers, identifying and exploiting value and consumption chain subcomponents for emerging technologies, business opportunities availed by technology, Mobility, Security, Public Speaking, Business Analysis, Strategy and Business Continuity.
Murphy holds a Master of Science in Technology Management, co-sponsored from The Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst as well as CISSP, CCNA and an abundant number of Bellcore Certifications.
Murphy’s current role as AT&T Director of Strategy and Innovation, responsible for $1 Billion revenue stream, enables her to act as a trusted advisor to both business and technology Fortune 50 executive teams to translate and align corporate business strategic direction into technology accelerators. These technology enablers are used as a catalyst for strategic advantage to exceed global business goals and spearhead corporate global growth.
Murphy is the lead and charter member of two AT&T advisory councils; AT&T Outsourcing and Network Integration, and Mobility. Each council was established solely to accelerate and increase their respective managed services and mobility mulitbillion dollar ($xB) revenue streams and provide additional value to AT&T’s client base. She leads council initiatives to analyze both internal and external factors across the managed services and mobility continuum to address solution, process, technology evolution, and competitive forces and provide recommendations to address and capitalize on the aforementioned. Murphy develops strategy, strategy execution, sales team up-skilling, and leadership to enhance the relevance and value of AT&T. Tasked to transform revenue base and sales team behaviors while increasing and expanding revenue streams. She influences AT&T solution portfolios through the integration of disparate product portfolios, citing technology evolution and adoption, global economics, client trends, and uncertainties. Interwork with AT&T Research and Development, Product and Offer and Innovation Centers to provide best in class solutions.
Murphy, an avid cyclist, participates in community activities such as the MS NJ City to Shore two day 180-mile bikeathon to aid those living with MS today and fund MS research activities, holds non-profit board positions with the Family and Community Services of Somerset County to assist those with mental health needs and both Morgan State University and University of the District of Columbia’s External Research and Advisory Panels geared toward increasing the development of additional STEM and minority professionals.
Magdalena Navarro currently serves as Senior International Program Manager in the International and Academic Office (IAAO) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In that role, she is responsible for managing the international portfolios at NIST, including developing and implementing NIST international S&T policies, and serving as NIST liaison with foreign and U.S. government institutions and universities for research collaborations.
In 2012, Navarro served as Senior Policy Analyst at the Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) of the White House developing International S&T Policy and assisting the Science Advisor to the President on issues of critical importance for the Nation such as energy, climate, and cybersecurity. From 1992 to 1999, she served as physical scientist conducting research in Photometry and Radiometry in the Optical Technology Division of the NIST’s Physical Measurement Laboratory and from 1990 -1992 perform research as a research biologist in the fields of fire and toxicity of materials.
Prior to NIST, Navarro served from 1987 to 1990 as research biologist in clinical research at National Institute of Health’s Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism under the Institute of Mental Health
She has received numerous awards and most recently in 2021 and 2018, Navarro received NIST MML Accolades Award for Service in Professional Organizations, and in 2011 received the NIST Bronze Medal. In 2011, she was also inducted as a Distinguished Scientist to the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society. She has served in the selection committees for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)-Lemelson Invention Ambassadors and the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum.
Navarro was appointed in 2021 by Governor Hogan as Commissioner to the Maryland’s Civil Rights Commission for a six-year term. Ms. Navarro served on Morgan State University External Research Advisory Panel and currently serves on the University of the District of Columbia’s External Research Advisory Panel. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and minor in Chemistry from the University of Maryland and two Master’s in Science degrees in Engineering Management and IT from George Washington University.
Navarro was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and enjoys traveling, learning languages, running and bicycling.
Tom Rush, Ph.D., is the Regional Director for Africa and the Middle East at PASCO. Before joining PASCO, Tom started his career as a research scientist with AT&T Bell Laboratories in NJ, He was charged in 1993 with opening the AT&T Government Communications office in South Africa. As the managing director for AT&T in South Africa, he was successful in selling AT&T’s products and services into the African government market. When AT&T formed Lucent Technologies in 2007, Tom’s responsibility
included selling Lucent Technologies products in Africa as well as in the Middle East.
Rush holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken NJ, a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland College Park and a Master’s Degree in Chemistry from Howard University in Washington DC.
Carol Schutte, Ph.D.'s career focused on federal research and development programs at NIST, DOC, DOE, and DOD. She retired as Branch Chief for Physical, Chemical and Biological Sciences at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, DOD, where she provided leadership for the annual execution of $244M in Basic Research and Development Programs, She managed a staff of 18 experts who led Quantum Information Science, Atomic and Molecular Science, Space Science, Physics of Remote Sensing, Electromagnetics, Directed Energy programs including Plasma and High Energy Electromagnetics, Lasers and Optical Physics, and Ultrashort Pulsed Laser Matter Interactions, Optoelectronics, Theoretical Chemistry and Molecular Dynamics, Organic Materials, BioPhysics, Natural Materials and Human Performance. Her team also managed the Young Investigator Research Program, Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientist and Engineers, the AFRL Science and Technology Fellowship Program, the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Program, SBIR/STTR, Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions Program, Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, DepSCoR, Multi University Research Initiative, MURI, and DURIP, the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program. She received a “recognition coin” award for exceptional achievement by the Air Force Research Laboratory Nov 2019 Science Advisory Board.
Previously she served as team lead for Materials at the Vehicles Technology Office, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy, Schutte led materials development for lightweight and propulsion materials. Under her leadership, the team developed a long-term strategy based on requirements and science gaps for lightweighting and propulsion materials through a joint light and heavy-duty vehicle workshop engaging supplier base. She managed the development of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Carbon Fiber Manufacturing Facility – a 25 T per year facility for research and evaluation of nontraditional fiber precursors on the cost and performance of low-cost carbon fiber that could be used in lightweighting on-highway vehicles. Her team developed and transitioned technology on plasma oxidation of carbon fiber precursors– the first step in carbon fiber manufacturing which traditionally is the slow step (expensive) in the process. This successful innovation enabled increasing the speed and output of the fiber by a factor of 3. The impact on overall cost was a reduction of at least 10% with excellent properties.
At NIST, Department of Commerce,Schutte managed the Advanced Technology Program’s Manufacturing Composite Structures Focal Program, a $138M program addressing affordable, lightweight structures for surface transportation, offshore oil, and civil infrastructure.
Schutte has a Ph.D. from MIT in Material Science and Engineering and a B.S. in Chemistry from RPI. She achieved DOD certification as a level 3 S&T Manager.
Dr. Varshneya received both his Ph. D. and M.S. in Physics from The Catholic University of America, Washington DC. He is an accomplished and results oriented visionary scientist with demonstrated track record in innovating, developing, managing and manufacturing advanced systems using cutting edge technologies. Dr. Varshneya has over 38 years of technical experience that covers a wide spectrum of technologies, products and electro-optical systems combined with experiences in leadership, management and profit and loss. After retiring from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), he founded XeroWind, LLC, a small business, focused at developing challenging technologies for the Department of Defense (DOD). While serving at DARPA for 8 years, he was accountable for managing a total budget of approximately $200 million in the execution of high-risk high pay-off programs. He has proven track record in the investigation of complex problems with innovative solutions, preparing and presenting briefs with strategic execution plans to top leadership in the Government. He is a visionary leader with the ability to lead change, identify and capitalize on strengths of individuals in the management of multiple teams of scientist, engineers and professors in the execution and transition of advanced technologies. He is talented in negotiating and executing multi-million-dollar programs of major importance and high security classification.
Varshneya has demonstrated his skills by bringing many novel products to markets; some of which are currently deployed by the DOD around the world. He has advised commercial industry in launching new products, analysis of market caps, defining competitive edge, market demands with cost bogies to first enter market. His core technical competencies include: Multi-disciplinary and unconventional domain knowledge in Optical Sensors, Free Space and Fiber Optical Communications, Signal processing, Imaging, Spectroscopy, Fibers, Lasers, Detectors, Cameras, GPS, High Strength Materials with Systems Analysis, System Design to cost, environment qualification, field testing.
Varshneya is a recipient of over 22 US Patents with Gold awards in the development and delivery of UK Ministry of Defense Live Maneuver Training Range, Silver and Bronze awards for the development of Fiber Optic Flight Controls. He has been an invited speaker at the SPIE, GOMAC, MSS and ITS and has published 6 papers in professional journals and presented over numerous papers in conferences.