Dugan to run DARPA

The Department of Defense (DoD) today announced the appointment of Regina E. Dugan as the new director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

DARPA is the principal agency within the DoD for high risk research and development.

“Regina Dugan is precisely the dynamic leader DARPA needs to open new technology frontiers and transition revolutionary technologies to serve our nation’s interests,” said Zachary J. Lemnios, director, Defense Research and Engineering. “I am delighted she will be leading this agency and look forward to working closely with her.”

Prior to this appointment, Dugan was president and chief executive officer of RedXDefense, LLC—which she co-founded in 2005—a company that develops defense against explosive threats. She worked at DARPA as a program manager between 1996 and 2000.

She is also the recipient of the deFleury Medal, the office of the secretary of defense award for exceptional service, and the award for outstanding achievement. She has participated in wide-ranging studies for the Defense Science Board, the Army Science Board, the National Research Council and Science Foundation, and currently sits on the Naval Research Advisory Committee and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency Science and Technology Panel.

Dugan earned her doctorate in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology and her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Virginia Tech. She is the co-author of “Engineering Thermodynamics,” 1996, sole inventor on one issued patent and inventor or co-inventor on nine additional pending patents.