Department: Georgia Tech Research Institute - GTRI
Position: Security Operations Manager
Years at Tech: 7
Previous Occupations: Special Agent in the U.S. Air Force
What are your responsibilities at Tech?
I manage highly classified program security requirements for sensitive acquisition and research programs. In this role, I interact with government security officers to ensure consistent security execution and Department of Defense compliance.
Why do you like working at Tech?
Early in my career, I was involved in the development of future weapon systems and the inherit challenges of completing these programs within the confines of national security. Many of the programs I worked on started with the innovative ideas of bright engineers and scientists. Coming to Georgia Tech was a seamless transition, as the concept of innovation was already ingrained within the research institute. I have seen firsthand the technological advantage of our military, and the need to continue this advantage is paramount. I consider myself very fortunate to have the opportunity to work side-by-side with various subject-matter experts who are helping to protect our nation.
What is it like working in a college setting?
In my previous positions within industry and the government, if we had a problem we usually scheduled a trip to locate a subject expert. At GT, finding a subject expert is simply a matter of walking down the hall or across campus. Having the close association of so many true professionals provides a unique opportunity to obtain expert solutions in a short period of time.
What drives you to help make the Georgia Tech vision, "To define the technological research university of the 21st century," a reality?
Successful national defense research cannot occur in a vacuum, but requires the combined interaction of research, education, and support professionals. The combined entities that help make up Georgia Tech will continue to pay dividends in future innovation for commercial products and national defense solutions. The combined talents in a premiere educational and research institute are a national treasure that I feel very fortunate to be a part of.
What have been the highlights of your career at Georgia Tech?
One of the first challenges I had was successfully implementing a laboratory security infrastructure. This required the development of GT policies and practices to enhance security protection of highly sensitive national security programs. While this led to increased sponsor funding, knowing that our military was given the best possible protection was personally satisfying. Implementing these protection principles throughout GTRI enabled government certification of GT’s Secure Collaborative Visualization Environment (SCOVE) facility – a place that facilitates real-time solutions to real-world problems.