Knox Millsaps Director, Division of Aerospace Sciences Air Warfare and Weapons Department Office of Naval Research
Dr. Knox T. Millsaps is the Director of the Division of Aerospace Sciences Research in
the Air Warfare and Weapons Department at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) in
Arlington, Virginia. He serves as the senior focal point within ONR for basic and applied
research investments in air platform and weapons research that enable enhanced
performance, affordability and reliability for future Navy and Marine Corps air platforms
and weapon systems. Dr. Millsaps oversees research and development in the areas of
fixed and rotary wing aerodynamics, aeromechanics, flight mechanics, power, propulsion
and thermal management, advanced materials and structures, hypersonics, directed
energy weapons and counter directed energy technologies, energetic materials, combat
aircraft survivability, autonomous vehicles and carrier deck operations, as well as the
development of computational and experimental tools for future engineering design
efforts.
Dr. Millsaps entered the Senior Executive Service in August 2015. He is a Professor and
Chairman Emeritus at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, California.
From 1992 to 2015, he was a Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at
NPS, founded the Marine Propulsion Laboratory, and was Department Head from 2008-
2014. He also served as the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs (2005-2006) and the
Associate Provost for Institutional Development (2006-2008). He was the Program
Manager for the NPS Distance Learning Programs to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion
Program for Bettis Reactor School Engineering Graduates (2002-2014), started the NPS-DL Program for Navy Test Pilot School, and was the founding Executive Agent for the DoD Scholarship-for-Service, Science Mathematics and Research for Transformation
(SMART) Program. He was a Congressional Fellow (2000-2001) and Staff (2001-2002)
for Representative John Spratt on House Armed Services Committee. He worked as a
Junior Engineering at Pratt and Whitney (1983-1984) in the Military and Space Engines
Division in West Palm Beach, FL, and as a Staff and Senior Staff Engineer in the
Commercial Engines Division in East Hartford, CT (1985-1988).
the Air Warfare and Weapons Department at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) in
Arlington, Virginia. He serves as the senior focal point within ONR for basic and applied
research investments in air platform and weapons research that enable enhanced
performance, affordability and reliability for future Navy and Marine Corps air platforms
and weapon systems. Dr. Millsaps oversees research and development in the areas of
fixed and rotary wing aerodynamics, aeromechanics, flight mechanics, power, propulsion
and thermal management, advanced materials and structures, hypersonics, directed
energy weapons and counter directed energy technologies, energetic materials, combat
aircraft survivability, autonomous vehicles and carrier deck operations, as well as the
development of computational and experimental tools for future engineering design
efforts.
Dr. Millsaps entered the Senior Executive Service in August 2015. He is a Professor and
Chairman Emeritus at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, California.
From 1992 to 2015, he was a Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at
NPS, founded the Marine Propulsion Laboratory, and was Department Head from 2008-
2014. He also served as the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs (2005-2006) and the
Associate Provost for Institutional Development (2006-2008). He was the Program
Manager for the NPS Distance Learning Programs to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion
Program for Bettis Reactor School Engineering Graduates (2002-2014), started the NPS-DL Program for Navy Test Pilot School, and was the founding Executive Agent for the DoD Scholarship-for-Service, Science Mathematics and Research for Transformation
(SMART) Program. He was a Congressional Fellow (2000-2001) and Staff (2001-2002)
for Representative John Spratt on House Armed Services Committee. He worked as a
Junior Engineering at Pratt and Whitney (1983-1984) in the Military and Space Engines
Division in West Palm Beach, FL, and as a Staff and Senior Staff Engineer in the
Commercial Engines Division in East Hartford, CT (1985-1988).
Dr. Millsaps has conducted research and published in the areas of Turbomachinery
Aerodynamics, Heat Transfer, and Rotordynamics, diesel engine diagnostics, signal
processing, advanced energy and thermodynamic cycles, and synthetic- and bio- fuel
combustion He has worked on ship and other platform signature control programs. He is
and a member of ASME and AIAA and past Chairman of the Board of Directors for the
International Gas Turbine Institute (IGTI), where he serves as a member of the
Turbomachinery and Marine Committees.
Dr. Millsaps holds a Bachelor’s with High Honors in Engineering Science from the
University of Florida and a Master’s and Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from MIT.
He was named an Outstanding Alumnus by the University of Florida in 2007.
Aerodynamics, Heat Transfer, and Rotordynamics, diesel engine diagnostics, signal
processing, advanced energy and thermodynamic cycles, and synthetic- and bio- fuel
combustion He has worked on ship and other platform signature control programs. He is
and a member of ASME and AIAA and past Chairman of the Board of Directors for the
International Gas Turbine Institute (IGTI), where he serves as a member of the
Turbomachinery and Marine Committees.
Dr. Millsaps holds a Bachelor’s with High Honors in Engineering Science from the
University of Florida and a Master’s and Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from MIT.
He was named an Outstanding Alumnus by the University of Florida in 2007.