The Nominations Committee has named the following seven candidates for the three DEPS Director positions to be filled by election this summer. The slate emphasizes technical, organizational, and geographic diversity. Write in candidates are also be accepted. You may cast your ballot electronically by completing this form. Member login is required; see our Members Page for details on account information.
Bill Decker Background: Bill Decker’s 38 year career includes active duty, industry, university and now DAU
experience. He received a BS in Engineering from Cornell University (1970) and a MS in Physics from the Naval
Postgraduate School (1980) and performed additional graduate work at the University of Arizona Optical Sciences
Center(1981-3). Bill’s Army 20 year Army career included assignments Assistant Professor of Physics at the US
Military Academy and Research and Development Coordinator at the Army’s Center for Night Vision and Electro-Optics.
After retirement from the Army, he spent three years with ITT Night Vision as the Manager of Advanced Technology
Programs; two years as a program manager with the University of Texas Applied Research Laboratory; and eleven
years with Brashear, a Division of L-3 Communications where he was a program manager, product line manager and
business developer. At Brashear, Bill was intimately involved with the AirBorne Laser, Advanced Tactical Laser,
Tactical High Energy Laser and the High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator. Over the past 25 years, Bill has
been deeply involved in research and development in optics, lasers and directed energy systems. He holds two
patents for optical devices. His experience in developing and fielding technology resulted in his recent
selection to serve as the director of DAU’s Technology Transition Learning Center of Excellence.
Bill Decker has been a member of DEPS since its inception in 1999. While with Brashear, Bill participated
as an exhibitor and attendee, supporting three or more DEPS conferences a year. Since joining DAU, he has taught
twelve short courses (Beam Directors; Technology Transition; Systems Engineering and Windows, Coatings and
Substrates) with consistently positive reviews. He has presented several papers, including an invited paper
on Transitioning DE Technology to the Warfighter at last year’s Annual Symposium. Bill has assisted in the
organization of the annual symposium held in Huntsville in 2007 and the past two DE Programs and Capabilities
conferences.
Mark Henderson
I believe that the DE community and DEPS in particular need to be paying more attention to our
educational and manpower needs. As I have attended both DEPS and ITEA/DEPS meetings and served as
chair for multiple sessions, I see mostly senior professionals. With my experience as Head of the
RF and Materials Science & Technology Branch at the Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, I
can provide guidance to the Board in the areas of research, development, test and evaluation of
complex system engineering and integration initiatives in the areas of radio-frequency systems,
advanced antenna systems, pulsed-power technologies, advanced sensor systems and directed energy
applications. My other collateral duties include serving as the Naval Deputy Program Manager for
the Directed Energy Test & Evaluation Capability (DETEC), Directed Energy Test S&T and Tri-Service
Study programs, the High Power RF Science & Technology lead for the NAVAIR Directed Energy Weapons
Enterprise Office and the Lead for T&E on the ONR Free Electron Laser Innovative Naval Prototype
program. I have served as the Science & Technology Advisor for the Maritime Warfare Systems /Surface
Strike Branch (OPNAV N764) and the Sea Strike Future Naval Capabilities Program Officer for the Office
of Naval Research, Naval Expeditionary Warfare S&T Department, Weapons/Strike Technology (ONR 351).
Background: I have been recognized with numerous letters of commendation and performance
awards during my Government career and have received the Department of the Army Superior Civilian
Service Achievement Medal, for excellence in advancing T&E of Directed Energy applications with USA
CECOM. I have over 25 years experience as a Science & Technology professional with over 15 years in
Test & Evaluation of Directed Energy systems.
Education Stephanie Miller
It is an honor to serve the community through my participation with DEPS. My bioeffects background
and work experience in the offices of the Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) and the Director,
Defense Research & Engineering helps me bring a unique perspective to DEPS. I will also continue to
support efforts aimed at education and mentorship.
Background: I am a Senior Research Physiologist and Deputy Chief of the Radio Frequency
Radiation Branch, 711 Human Performance Wing, AF Research Laboratory at Brooks City-Base San Antonio, TX.
As the technical lead for the Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation branch, I am responsible for charting the course
of bioeffects research for the near term and the future. Previously, I headed the bioeffects efforts that led
to the transition of the Active Denial System. I led teams that conducted three Joint Military Utility Assessments,
including the first ever live-fire, force on force DE assessment. As a result of my work in the area of RF
bioeffects, I was elected to the IEEE’s Committee on Man & Radiation. In 2008, I was also inducted as a DEPS
Fellow. I have developed and taught three short courses and chaired conferences and numerous technical
sessions for DEPS. Currently, I sit on the DEPS Board of Scientific & Engineering Advisors.
I have been recognized with the AFRL/RH Senior Leadership Award in 2007 & 2009, the 711 HPW Scientific and
Technical Achievement Award, the Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, the David M. Clark Award for
Technology Transition, Air Force Outstanding Science Team Award, and DoD’s Advanced Concept Technology
Demonstration Team of the Year. Most recently I completed the Senior Executive Fellows’ program at Harvard’s
Kennedy School of Government and am detailed to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Director, Defense
Research & Engineering where I am the Acting Assistant Director, Human Systems Integration.
Prior employment Education Harold Schall
Background: I have twenty-five years of experience in High Energy Laser (HEL) system technology
development, beam control, and integration and test. For the past six years I have served as chief engineer
for integration and test for the Airborne Laser Testbed (ALTB) program. I am also a member of ALTB’s technical
coordination panel, providing guidance to ALTB’s program office and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) on key
technical issues. Prior to my current position, I was a member of ALTB’s beam control/fire control senior
technical staff and IPT lead for ALTB’s wavefront control system. I was selected as a DEPS Fellow in 2008
and currently serve on the DEPS board of scientific and engineering advisors. In 2009 I was co-recipient of
MDA’s Technology Pioneer Award for contributions to the development and integration of the Airborne Laser’s
critical technologies.
Employment Education Don Sullivan
However, in an era of decreasing Defense Budgets it will be imperative for DEPS to become active in
educating Congressional Representatives and Staffers, as well as DoD policy makers, on the critical role
that DE will play in future conflicts. It is not sufficient to leave this crucial role to the media.
Nor is it adequate to have individual companies be responsible, since everyone in the DE community will
be affected if the task is approached from a narrow perspective. As a Board Member, I will make it my
responsibility to work with the DEPS Board and staff to develop clear, concise brochures and video
presentations that present the advantages and attributes of DE systems and their role in the nation’s
defense. These will be disseminated at appropriate policy maker levels to educate and create the
opportunity for dialogue on the role of DE and the options that it presents for the warfighter.
Background: Dr. Donald Sullivan is a corporate Vice President and head of Ktech’s Directed
Energy Division. Dr. Sullivan is responsible for technical oversight of both DoD and DoE programs in
the areas of pulsed power development and Directed Energy. He has over 30 years experience on active
duty with the Air Force and in industry. His areas of expertise are high power microwave (HPM)
generation and systems design. His research includes work on the vircator, MILO, the Airborne
Counter-Electronics Source (ACES) and ultra wideband (UWB) sources, and their applications. He is
currently developing compact, tunable HPM sources for airborne missions. Dr. Sullivan has played a
crucial role in the development of the Scorpion Counter-IED system, and the all of the Narrow Band
Test Systems designed, built, and tested for the DETEC Program. He is also Ktech’s Chief Scientist
for the CHAMP JCTD HPM payload.
Prior Employment Education John Wachs
As part of the educational focus of DEPS, more involvement of the military academies and additional scholarships
should also be pursued to encourage our young officers and students to consider DE as a career to help meet
continuously evolving mission needs.
With my experience in research, development and field testing of Army DE systems, and in working with the
other services on joint projects, I can provide guidance to the Board on involving the user more to garner his
interest and improve his understanding of the unique capabilities that DE weapon systems can deliver to help
save lives in the conflicts of today and the future.
Background: I have over forty years of pertinent experience working on Army DE technologies and
systems, primarily high energy lasers. I have field testing experience with >100 kilowatt class gas dynamic
lasers, repetitive pulse electric CO2 lasers, and chemical lasers. I was deputy program manager of the
Tactical High Energy Laser Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration, and oversaw the deployment of a laser
mine neutralization system. I have also been involved in the management of ground based free electron laser
and space based particle beam programs.
My service to the DE community includes serving on the DEPS Board of Directors for the last three years,
DEPS symposia program committees, and as chair of sessions. In addition, I served two years as chair of the
Technology Panel for Directed Energy Weapons (TPDEW), a sub-panel of the Weapons Panel of the Technical Area
Review and Assessment (TARA) process.
My employer since 1983 has been the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command, where I have served as
Chief of the Directed Energy Division, Technology Directorate, Space and Missile Defense Technical Center,
USASMDC, since Jan 2003. I look for opportunities to collaborate with the other services and agencies
developing DE technologies, and was a co-manager of the Joint High Power Solid State Laser program with
the High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office (HEL JTO) and other services. In addition, one of my employees
serves as the Army representative to the HEL JTO.
Prior employment Education Gary Wood
The opportunities for DE requires DEPS to maintain a broad perspective, engage with other professional
societies, increase its educational outreach, offer appropriate forums for standard as well as emerging
technologies and to familiarize decision makers with realistic DE capabilities and expectations. I have
attended DEPS meetings and conferences, served on DEPS boards and served as chair for sessions. I currently
serve as the Chief of the Electro-Optics and Photonics Division within the Army Research Laboratory with
responsibility for research and development in advanced detectors, laser sources, photonic devices, flexible
displays and biotechnology. I also serve as the Chair of the Joint Technology Office’s high energy laser
technical area working group in solid state lasers. In addition, I serve as the Army representative for
laser protection. These positions give me a broad perspective of directed energy and in depth knowledge of
various technology areas. It also allows me to regularly interface with industry and academia as well as
senior Government managers and directors.
Background: I have worked in the laser and nonlinear optics area for nearly 30 years. My early
research involved the exploitation of nonlinear optics for sensor and eye protection from laser sources.
My particular research areas involved nonlinear transmission, photorefraction, phase conjugation, optical
processing and infrared imaging. I have been awarded two Army Achievement Awards, ARL’s 10 year Science,
Technology and Analysis Award, numerous Special Act Awards, and served in various leadership roles on
numerous professional societies.
My current employer is the Army Research Laboratory where I have been a staff scientist, Branch Chief
and, since 2004, the Chief of the Electro-Optics and Photonics Division. As Division Chief I am responsible
for directing research, providing and allocating resources, transitioning technology and managing personnel
and projects. The Division has the ability to fabricate EO devices with state-of-the-art materials growth
facilities, specialized characterization tools and device integration and packaging capabilities.
Prior employment Education | ||||||||||||||
