A Committee Biographies
Alan Berman (Co-Chair), private consultant, currently consults for the Applied Research Laboratory of Pennsylvania State University (ARL/PSU), where he provides general management support and program appraisal. He also consults for the Center for Naval Analyses, where he assists with analyses of Navy R&D investment programs, space operation capabilities, and information operations. Dr. Berman has an extensive background in defense research and technology, particularly in regard to advanced weapon and combat systems. He is regarded as a leading expert on combat systems. His previous positions include dean of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Miami and director of research at the Naval Research Laboratory. Dr. Berman has served on numerous government advisory and scientific boards. He is currently a member of the Naval Studies Board (NSB) and is serving on the National Research Council's (NRC's) Committee on Network-Centric Naval Forces. He is also a member of the Free Electron Laser (FEL) oversight board that advises the Jefferson National Laboratory of the Department of Energy on its FEL program.
George S. Sebestyen (Co-Chair) is chief executive officer and general manager of Systems Development, LLC. Dr. Sebestyen has an extensive background in defense tactical systems and is a leading authority on weapons and weapons issues. Prior to joining Systems Development, Dr. Sebestyen was president and CEO of CTA Space Systems, which was recently purchased by Orbital Sciences Corporation. At CTA, Dr. Sebestyen led numerous company efforts in areas of airborne avionics and command, control, and communications, as well as the development of exotic air and space platforms. Dr. Sebestyen's professional experience includes over 40 years in both military aircraft guidance and weapons systems. He has held senior positions at Boeing Aerospace Company, Sanders Associates, Litton Industries, and Melpar. In addition, Dr. Sebestyen once served as the assistant director for Tactical Systems Plans and Analysis for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He has served on numerous government advisory and scientific boards. He recently served as vice chair for the Panel on Weapons as part of the NRC's Technology for Future Naval Forces study.
Eugene E. Covert is the T. Wilson Professor of Aeronautics, Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Dr. Covert, a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), has an extensive background in aerodynamics, aeronautics, gas dynamics, and solid and air-breathing propulsion. He has been employed at MIT since 1952 and has held numerous positions, including department head of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Dr. Covert has also served while on sabbatical as the U.S. Air Force chief scientist. Dr. Covert has served on numerous government advisory and scientific boards, including the Defense Science Board, U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, and NASA Aeronautics Advisory Committee. In addition, he is former member of the NRC's Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB) and served on ASEB's Panel on Propulsion.
Jose B. Cruz, Jr., is the Howard D. Winbigler Chair in Engineering and professor of electrical engineering at Ohio State University (OSU). In addition to his teaching and research duties, Dr. Cruz serves as dean of the College of Engineering. Dr. Cruz, a member of the NAE, has an extensive background in guidance and control, particularly in regard to flight mechanics and aerospace electronic systems. Prior to joining OSU, he served as department chair for the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Cruz has held a number of teaching positions throughout his professional career, including positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois. His research interests include modeling and control of systems with multiple decision makers, as well as decentralized control of large-scale systems. Dr. Cruz is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. In addition, he has participated on numerous NRC studies, including most recently on the NIST Panel for the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory.
Victor C.D. Dawson recently retired as an analyst at the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA). Dr. Dawson has an extensive background in naval gun systems and launchers, particularly as they apply to submarine and antisubmarine warfare issues. At CNA, Dr. Dawson has directed numerous studies on naval gun and surface ship torpedo defense, as well as conventional strike warfare and future carrier studies. Dr. Dawson is a former professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland, where he taught courses in materials science, dynamics, and mechanical vibrations. Dr. Dawson is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He recently served on the Panel on Weapons as part of the NRC's Technology for Future Naval Forces study.
Roger E. Fisher is director for DOD Programs at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). In this capacity, Dr. Fisher coordinates market analyses and program development plans while at the same time enhancing LLNL's ability to support the DOD and ensure that the Laboratory is effectively trying to meet national security needs. Dr. Fisher has an extensive background in advanced weapon and strike systems, particularly in regard to maneuverability and penetration issues. From 1994 to 1996, Dr. Fisher served as deputy assistant secretary for Research and Development, in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs, Department of Energy (DOE). Prior to joining DOE, he was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he managed the DOD strategy for improving precision strike warfare. Dr. Fisher has held numerous senior government positions throughout his 30-plus-year career, including science advisor for the U.S. Third Fleet and advanced technical advisor for the Chief of Naval Operations. Dr. Fisher's interests include aerodynamics, and he is a Federal Aviation Agency (FAA)-certified commercial pilot.
Eliezer G. Gai is vice president of engineering at the Charles Strak Draper Laboratory. Dr. Gai has an extensive background in tactical systems. He joined Draper in 1975 as a staff engineer, where his work focused on control and flight dynamics. Today, Dr. Gai is heavily engaged in the development of micromechanical systems, particularly in regard to their application in munitions guidance, missile guidance, and theater missile defense technologies. Prior to joining Draper, he was a research assistant for the Department of Aeronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Gai is a fellow of
the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and recently served as a member of the Defense Science Board's Task Force on Joint Superiority for the 21st Century.
Daniel N. Held is director and chief scientist for Systems Technology and Systems Development at Northrop Grumman Corporation. Dr. Held has a background in guidance and control, particularly in regard to electronic sensors. He is the author of over 50 technical papers and has received numerous awards for his work involving sensor systems technology. The majority of his accomplishments over the last 20 years have focused on advancing concepts and applications for synthetic aperture radar. Prior to joining Grumman, Dr. Held served as vice president of Research, Development, and Advanced Systems at Westinghouse's Norden Systems Division where he was primarily responsible for solving many of the critical issues associated with the Multi-Mode Radar System. He also once served as deputy project manager at the NASA/CalTech Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Dr. Held has served on numerous government advisory and scientific boards. He recently chaired the Naval Research Advisory Committee on GPS Vulnerability.
Bernard H. Paiewonsky is an adjunct research staff member in the Science and Technology Division at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA). Dr. Paiewonsky has an extensive background in aerospace technology, flight dynamics, aircraft and spacecraft design, and hypersonics spacecraft propulsion. Prior to joining IDA, Dr. Paiewonsky served as deputy for technology in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Air Force for Acquisition. Dr. Paiewonsky's professional experience also includes assignments in the Department of Justice and the Executive Office of the President. In addition, he served as head of flight mechanics for Aeronautical Research Associates of Princeton, Incorporated. Dr. Paiewonsky has research interests ranging from national security issues to optimization theory and application. He has served on numerous scientific committees and advisory boards and was an associate editor of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Journal and the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets.
Robert F. Stengel is a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and director of the Laboratory for Control and Automation at Princeton University. Dr. Stengel's background is in advanced air vehicles. His current research focuses on failure-tolerant and robust control, neural networks, and air traffic control, all of which are supported by the FAA and NASA. While at Princeton, Dr. Stengel was director of the Flight Research Laboratory, where he conducted pioneering experimental research on digital flight control systems, flight computer networking via fiber optics, aircraft flying qualities, and aerodynamic system identification. This research used Princeton's two fly-by-wire, variable-stability aircraft and a specially instrumented sail plane. Prior to his coming to Princeton, Dr. Stengel worked at the Analytic Sciences Corporation, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, the U.S. Air Force, and NASA. He has served on numerous government advisory and scientific boards. He recently served on the NRC's Mobility Systems Panel for the Board on Army Science and Technology.
John F. Walter is program area manager for the Strike Warfare Program Office of the Power Projection Systems Department at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). Dr. Walter has a background in the development of precision strike weapons and associated support systems. While at JHU/APL, he also previously held positions as project manager for the Tomahawk Land-Attack Project and technical area manager for autonomous flight control systems for the harpoon missile. Dr. Walter's research interests include laser physics, laser propagation in the atmosphere, electro-optics, inertial navigation, and missile guidance. He is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and of the Precision Strike Association Board of Directors.
Jay B. Yakeley, a retired rear admiral, U.S. Navy, is a private consultant. Admiral Yakeley has an extensive background in naval operational and management issues. Admiral Yakeley's last duty assignment was director, Programming Division for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Resources, War-
