Alexander Kott Chief Scientist and Senior Research Scientist – Cyber Resiliency DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory

Dr. Alexander Kott serves as the U.S. Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory’s Chief Scientist, reporting to the Director of ARL. In this role he provides leadership in development of ARL technical strategy, maintaining technical quality of ARL research, and representing ARL to the external technical community. Dr. Kott is also the Army Senior Research Scientist (ST) for Cyber Resilience, in which capacity he formulates the vision of future technologies critical to the Army cyber resilience, and advocates and shapes plans and programs leading to such technologies. 

Prior to becoming the Chief Scientist of ARL, Dr. Kott was the Chief of the Network Science Division at ARL, leading a division of over 140 scientists, engineers, technologists and analysts, both Government employees and on-site contractors; focusing on innovative basic and applied research, threat analysis, technology transition and security operations in computer, communications, information, and social networks; formulating and executing a broad range of internal and extramural research programs. 

Earlier, Dr. Kott served as a Program Manager at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where he was responsible for strategic research and technology planning, formulation, budgetary estimates, structuring, source selection, staffing, technical and operational management, and financial management of multiple, large-scale R&D projects. He planned, supervised and controlled the annual budget of up to $30M, and activities and contracts of over 100 scientists and engineers from over 20 organizations, Government, industry and academia. Kott’s earlier positions included Director of Research and Development at Carnegie Group, Pittsburgh, PA. There, his work focused on novel information technology approaches, such as Artificial Intelligence, to complex problems in engineering design, and planning and control in manufacturing, telecommunications and aviation industries.

Dr. Kott earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, in 1989, where he researched AI approaches to invention of complex systems. He received the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Public Service Award, in October 2008. He published over 100 technical papers and served as the co-author and editor of twelve books.