PRESS RELEASES

JDG Completes Search for AFRL’s Chief Scientist, Materials & Manufacturing

(Sept. 29, 2020) JDG and the Air Force Research Lab are pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Richard Vaia as the new Chief Scientist for Materials & Manufacturing. Prior to this, Dr. Vaia was the Senior Scientist for Emergent Materials Systems in the Air Force Research Laboratory.

In this role, he was the principal science and technology adviser to the commander in matters of formulation, planning, managing and integration of new concepts impacting the Aerospace Materials Enterprise. The goal was to accelerate R&D at the convergence of biotechnology, nanotechnology, quantum science and informatics to deliver critical component technologies to address National Defense Strategy focus areas, including warfighter-machine teaming, resilient sensing and communication and futuristic warfighting concepts by empowering Department of Defense-academia-industry partnerships to expedite risk assessment.

Dr. Vaia is also a member of the AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate’s Technology Council where he advises on the strategies and programs for the Air Force’s $400M annual R&D investment in materials discovery, manufacturing and sustainment technologies. Dr. Vaia received his PhD in Materials Science from Cornell University.

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