People Category: AIAA DEFENSE Forum 2022

Jay Meil is the chief data scientist for SAIC’s Artificial Intelligence Innovation Factory, where he directs AI strategy and solutions across multiple domains. In 2021, Meil was recognized with an SAIC research fellowship for his work in multi-modal data fusion.

Meil has 18 years of experience designing and implementing applied mathematical models to drive data-centric decision making at scale. He is passionate about developing AI solutions that facilitate the transformation of multi-INT data into actionable intelligence in support of a common operating picture across defense and national security agencies.

He has supported numerous federal government customers, including Department of Defense and National Intelligence Community, for whom he has defined innovative and impactful ways to predict and optimize outcomes. He recently managed an advanced technical operations unit in support of the Department of Homeland Security, leading a cross-functional team of highly skilled data scientists, data engineers and DevOps engineers to build and operationalize deep learning models. Meil also has extensive experience in Bayesian modeling and optimization, including 15 years of experience in spatiotemporal analysis, forecasting and mapping.

Meil, who is committed to lifelong learning, has numerous academic credentials in computer science, data science and artificial intelligence. He has completed a MicroMasters from MIT in data, economics, and development policy. He has certifications in quantitative analytics from the Wharton School (Aretsy School of Executive Education) and applied mathematics for deep learning from Imperial College of London. He holds certifications as a senior data scientist from the Data Science Council of America and data analytics from Six Sigma Global Institute. Additionally, Meil completed a 9-month intensive fellowship in data science and machine learning with Lambda Institute.

Meil is a frequent participant in research panels and think tank discussions on the impact of artificial intelligence on national security, including with CERN’s OpenLab and Quantum Technology Initiative, the European Geosciences Union and, most recently, the Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security.

Dr. Debra L. Emmons is vice president and chief technology officer at The Aerospace Corporation. In this role, she is responsible for providing vital leadership for determining and executing the company’s technology strategy and investments. Emmons leads four offices: Hubs, responsible for assessing promising new technologies; iLaB, responsible for developing investment strategies in innovative technologies and advanced concepts; xLab, responsible for building and operating prototypes; and the newly formed Commercial Space Futures (CSF) office, responsible for driving the harnessing of commercial solutions for government missions to advance U.S. space. She also manages the company’s internal R&D program and the Aerospace Technical Fellows program, with the company’s top engineers and scientists.

Previously, Emmons was vice president of special studies at Aerospace, responsible for promoting the use of corporate and government resources through horizontal and cross-program integrated planning and engineering. Prior to that, she served as general manager of Aerospace’s Communication Technologies and Engineering Division, where she oversaw the communications studies, analysis, and testing products of the division to serve the full range of corporate national security space, civil, and commercial customers, and managed a geographically distributed team of engineers and laboratories. Emmons was also the lead for the corporate strategic initiative in optical communications and its applications. Before that, she was the assistant general manager of the Strategic Assessment and Studies Division, where she led her team in providing objective technical analyses and assessments for space programs that serve the national interest. Emmons also managed the Programmatic and Technical Assessment Center of Excellence for strategic studies and analysis within her portfolio.

Emmons was integral in the establishment and growth of the NASA and civil space customer lines of business. In 2010, she relocated to the East coast offices to strengthen the customer-facing role and increase our value. Before joining Aerospace in 2003 as a project engineer, Emmons worked at Hughes Space and Communications Company as a system engineering project manager on commercial telecommunications satellite development.

An experienced aerospace leader with technical, management, and industry experience in the acquisition and development of advanced technology space systems, Emmons has more than 25 years of experience in systems engineering, technical and risk analysis, program management, and communications systems. She was a principal contributor on several key high-level studies and assessments that have informed strategic decisionmaking within the government.

EDUCATION

Emmons earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Cornell University with a concentration in signal processing and communications theory. She was awarded an MBA from Imperial College Management School, London, UK, with a concentration in entrepreneurship and finance. Emmons earned a Ph.D. in systems engineering from the George Washington University.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Emmons was awarded two Aerospace President’s Awards and named Aerospace Woman of the Year (2007). In 2006, she was honored for her contributions to the NASA Hubble Space Telescope Analysis of Alternatives. In 2010, she was honored for providing technical studies critical to the Augustine Commission’s recommendations for future U.S. human spaceflight.

AFFILIATIONS

Past and present affiliations include the Aerospace Executive Diversity Council; Space Communications and Navigation committee; Advanced Space Communications and Navigation Systems Session, International Astronautical Federation; a subcommittee of the National Science Foundation Business and Operations Advisory Committee; and National Space Club and Foundation, Washington, D.C.

Official Bio

Dr. Chad Bieber is a Senior Research Engineer at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, currently supporting the Joint AI Center as the Director, AI Assurance Operations.  JAIC AI Assurance combines test and evaluation (T&E) and Responsible AI (RAI) to provide the DoD justified confidence that its AI-enabled systems (AIES) work.

Before coming to the JAIC, Dr. Bieber served as the Director of Test and Evaluation for Project Maven, leading development of highly automated testing of AI algorithms.  Under his direction, the T&E team developed new metrics that better reflected operational user needs, completed an automation pipeline that delivered algorithm test results in minutes instead of months, and created methods of test set curation to build balanced and optimized test sets.

Dr. Bieber has been working in the DoD ecosystem for over 20 years.  He started his career as an Air Force Pilot and Instructor Pilot, flying the T-1 and C-5.  After flying the very large C-5, he taught very small UAVs to fly themselves during grad school, working on single-user control of systems of UAVs.  Following grad school, Dr. Bieber worked at Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) supporting the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation.    At IDA, he lead teams and provided technical expertise for heavy airlift, tanker, and autonomous aircraft, as well as human factors engineering, survey design, and cybersecurity.

Dr. Bieber holds a Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science in aerospace engineering from North Carolina State University and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Colorado School of Mines.

Mr. Scott Shifrin brings more than 37 years of government service with a focus on the development and acquisition of Missile Defense weapon programs and technology. Mr. Shifrin currently serves as the Deputy Program Executive for Innovation, Science and Technology. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as Program Manager for the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) within the Ground Based Midcourse Defense Program Office at the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). Prior to that, he served as Program Director for Advanced Technology Development and as the MDA Science & Technical Director (Acting). As Program Director, he led a process for assessing foreign country technology and gaining synergy and partnerships in key technology areas. He spearheaded innovative technology efforts with the DoD, National Laboratories and Congressional Staffers, and Industry ensuring mission and budgets remained on track.

As Science & Technology Program Director, he led both the advanced technology Hypersonic Defense initiatives and Space Based Sensor development for MDA utilizing the Broad Agency Announcements. He also served as Program Director for the US-Israeli Cooperative Program, where he was responsible for the development of the Arrow Weapon System, David’s Sling Weapon System, and Iron Dome all with an annual budget of more than $400M. Preceding that, he served for six years in MDA’s Targets and Countermeasures Directorate, the last four years as the Deputy Program Director. In that position, he oversaw and provided strategic direction for a program with an annual budget of over $425M and achieved 37 consecutive successful target launches. During his tenure with Strategic Targets, he was responsible for the successful maiden launch and flight of the target missile system in support of the Missile Defense Agency testing. Mr. Shifrin’s civilian career began with MDA in 2004 in the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Program Office, first as the Director, Program Integration & Assessments and subsequently as the Deputy Project Manager for Manufacturing, Fielding, and Transition in 2005.

Mr. Shifrin had a highly distinguished Army military career spanning 20 years, culminating in his retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel. His final three military assignments were instrumental in laying the groundwork for his civilian career. In 2002, Mr. Shifrin assumed responsibility as the Product Manager, Surface Launched Advanced Medium Range Air- to-Air Missile (SLAMRAAM) System of Systems, PEO Air, Space & Missile Defense. In this role, he was responsible for successfully initiating the SLAMRAAM weapon system program, while simultaneously managing the evolution and development of all maneuver Air & Missile Defense (AMD) Short Range Missiles (Stinger/Avenger) and Platforms programs for the U.S. Army. He was also selected to serve as the Department of the Army System Coordinator in the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology). In that capacity, he was responsible for coordination, oversight, and management of the HELLFIRE/LONGBOW missile, 2.75 Rockets, and Common Missile programs on the Army staff. In 1999, he served as the Executive Officer to the two-star Army General in charge of the National Missile Defense (NMD) Joint Program Officer (JPO), one of the nation’s largest and most ambitious programs.

Throughout his military career, Mr. Shifrin was selected to serve in a variety of critical Acquisition positions, including Assistant Product Manager PATRIOT PAC 3, Threat Systems Test and Evaluation Director, Missile and Space Intelligence Center, and Assistant Product Manager TOW Missile System, adding both depth and breadth to his technical and program management capability. Mr. Shifrin spent 10 years commanding Army operations at the Platoon through Battery level and led a combat arms organization of over 200 personnel through extended Joint Operation deployments. Mr. Shifrin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Texas Tech University and a Master’s Degree in Business Management from Texas State University. He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, a Senior Service College Fellowship selectee, and a member of the Department of Defense Acquisition Corps since 1995.

Lt Col Raven LeClair is an F-35 Test Instructor Pilot, Command Chief Pilot and the Assistant Director of Operations, 461 Flight Test Squadron and the Test Flight Commander for the 370^th Flight Test Squadron in the USAF Reserves supporting the 412^th Test Wing, Air Force Material Command, Edwards Air Force Base, California.  He leads a team of 20 military, civilian, and contractor engineers and pilots conducting Developmental Test and Evaluation of the F-35A/B/C.  His team conducts test planning, flight test execution, & reporting on aircraft performance, propulsion, structures, avionics and subsystems for the USAF, USMC, USN and partner nations.

Lt Col LeClair was born in San Jose, California on 16 February 1980. He attended Harbor High School in Santa Cruz, California.  He commissioned in 2003 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program after completing studies at the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Physics. Maj LeClair was selected to attend SUPT at Sheppard AFB, TX, and earned a follow on F-16 assignment. While he was an operational F-16 pilot, Maj LeClair completed a Master of Science degree in International Relations, focusing on strategic energy policy and battlefield tactical energy solutions.

Maj LeClair served three operational F-16 tours and an assignment as an F-16 Operational Test Instructor Pilot. He has two combat deployments in support of OIF and one deployment in support of OEF. He won Squadron and Group Wingman, CGO, FGO, IP, and Flight Commander, and Test Aircrew quarterly and annual awards multiple times. Following operational F-16 assignments, Maj LeClair was selected to attend USAF Test Pilot School and subsequently was selected to become an F-35 test pilot in the 461^st Flight Test Squadron, Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Prior to his current position, Lt Col LeClair served as 416 FLTS Assistant Director of Operations and F-16 Instructor and Test Pilot. In the 461 FLTS, Lt Col LeClair served as interim DO during pre-IOC weapons surge planning and execution, achieved the first F-35 A-A kill during a dual shot missile test. Lt Col LeClair was instrumental in the accelerated development and fielding of F-35 Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS) by 7 years, saving countless lives and aircraft, and culminating in the team winning the 2018 Robert J. Collier Trophy, the benchmark of aerospace achievement.

With over 3,000 hours in military aircraft and 5,000 total flight hours, Lt Col LeClair continues to champion the F-35 follow-on modernization effort shaping the F-35 for the next 50 years, specifically focusing on agile software and hardware development, automated collision avoidance technology, combat autopilot and integrated combat autonomy through Project FOX (Fast Open X-Platform). Autonomy assurance is a critical part of future combat capability and Lt Col LeClair continues to refine testing methodologies to verify, certify, and build trust in AI enabled combat tools, piloted and unpiloted battlefield combat mosaics, and other tools to augment human capabilities.

Dr. Brian Pierce is a Visiting Research Scientist at the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS), a University-Affiliated Research Center (UARC) at the University of Maryland. Pierce serves on the advisory board for sparks & honey, and was a mediaX Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Stanford University for 2019-2022.

Prior to joining ARLIS, Dr. Pierce was a member of the DARPA leadership team as Director of the Information Innovation Office. Additional DARPA experience includes serving as the Deputy Director of the Strategic Technology Office. He also has held leadership roles in the aerospace and defense industry, which include Technical Director for Advanced Concepts and Technology at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, and Executive Director for the Electronics Division at Rockwell Scientific Company. He has published 40 technical articles and produced 28 U.S. Patents. Dr. Pierce holds a PhD and MS in Chemistry, and a BS in Chemistry and Mathematics (Summa Cum Laude), from the University of California at Riverside.

Kathleen Cooper, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Associate Director, Capability and Resource Integration Directorate, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.  Ms. Cooper is responsible for conducting force management and analysis to include integrating, coordinating, prioritizing and advocating U.S. Strategic Command future concepts, mission capability needs, weapons system development, support for emerging technologies, and command and control architecture across the mission   areas. She is also responsible for the articulation and development of all command requirement processes to ensure U.S. Strategic Command has the tools to accomplish its mission, and ensures appropriate decision support tools and assessment processes are in place to enhance operational capabilities.

Ms. Cooper began her civilian government service as a Strategic Planner and Analyst in the Plans and Policy Directorate at U.S. Strategic Command.  She then served as the Deputy Director of the Commander’s Action Group, providing guidance and support to an elite group of specially selected joint warfighters directly supporting the Commander of U.S. Strategic Command’s vision and strategy.

During her 24-year military career in the Air Force, Ms. Cooper was as a Space and Missile Operations officer serving in various operational and staff positions.  Prior to receiving her commission through Officer Training School, she enlisted in the Air Force and served in the medical career field.

She holds master’s degrees from King’s College London, United Kingdom (War in the Modern World), the Air Force School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (Military Strategy), Air Command and Staff College (Military Operational Art and Science), and University of Phoenix (Master of Business Administration).  Ms. Cooper received her bachelor’s degree from Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, Texas.  She was awarded a certificate of completion for the Senior Executive Fellows Program from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Executive Education.

Dr. George J. Foster is the Distinguished Engineer for Combat Control, resident at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division.  Entering the Senior Professional (ST) cadre of the Federal Executive Service in June 2018, he serves as the Navy’s national and international leader in the development of technologies and applications for Combat Control, especially the areas of Intelligent Automation and Networked Warfare. He also serves as the expert for Combat Systems at the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

Dr. Foster has 30 years of engineering and leadership experience in the research, development, test, and evaluation of System Architecture, Combat Control and Electronic Warfare Systems, both in government and private industry.  Starting his career with the U.S. Navy in 1992 as an engineer implementing functional upgrades to the Aegis Weapons Control System (WCS) and conducting research in new tracking and missile guidance algorithms for Aegis Anti-Air Warfare and Ballistic Missile Defense mission areas, he became the Chief Engineer for WCS and was instrumental in fielding of the Aegis Leap Interceptor program and the transition to open system architecture using commercial computing plants.

In 2003, he joined Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) to work as a Fellow and Chief Scientist for CSC where he developed radar, weapons control, system architecture and display system solutions to counter advanced threats.  After the successful demonstration of the Aegis Open Architecture program, Dr. Foster returned to the Navy in 2010 to facilitate the integration of the SM-6 missile into Aegis.

In 2013, Dr. Foster led efforts to integrate Electronic Warfare into the combat system through the re-architecture of the AN/SLQ-32(V)6 Electronic Warfare System, leveraging the efforts of multiple Future Naval Capability research programs to develop an open system that allows for easier integration of new decoys and effectors.  He advanced this effort further in 2016 when he took leadership of the Surface Navy’s effort in force-level engagement coordination.

Dr. Foster earned a Bachelor and Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech).  He earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering from The Catholic University of America.  He has dozens of technical publications to his credit.  Dr. Foster’s professional activities include membership in the Association of Old Crows and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, where he has served as Technical Co-Chair of the International Systems Conference.  He maintains his academic ties by serving on doctoral committees at Catholic University and Old Dominion University and teaching at Virginia Tech, University of Mary Washington and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Dr. Foster is DAWIA SPRDE Level 3 certified and a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps.

Dr. Lael Rudd joined DARPA in March 2020 as a program manager in the Tactical Technology Office. His expertise is in advanced autonomy systems for space and air domains.

Rudd joined DARPA after serving as chief scientist for BAE Systems’ FAST Labs, where he worked to advance autonomy open architecture and technical strategy. Previously, Rudd was at Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, where he was technical director for the Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic program, advanced the autonomy technical strategy, and worked alternative positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) efforts. He has held positions at Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratory, as a research area lead for autonomy and human-machine interactions; and Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, where he worked on multiple satellite and aircraft programs, was the sector’s autonomy technical area lead, and oversaw the technology development portfolio for autonomy and flight controls. Rudd began his post-graduate career as a member of the technical staff at the Aerospace Corporation.

Rudd has supported a variety of DARPA programs throughout his time in industry, including a team that competed in the DARPA Grand Challenge. Rudd has taught undergraduate and graduate classes at both University of California, Los Angeles and University of Southern California.

Rudd holds a Doctor of Philosophy in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland; a Master of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of Southern California; and a Master of Science as well as a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering, both from the University of Maryland. He is an AIAA associate fellow, currently serving on the Intelligent Systems Technical Committee, and an IEEE senior member. Rudd is also certified as a project management professional.