What is your role within the George H.W. Bush Combat development Complex?
“I currently serve as the Data Analytics Unit Leader for the Innovation Proving Ground (IPG). This role spans a variety of topics and according to the IPG Director of Testing, COL. (Ret) Brian McHugh, is responsible for ‘all things data.’ This includes instrumentation, sensors, statistics, design of experiments, data acquisition, analytics, visualization, architecture, governance, curation, archival, etc.”
Previous education?
“I received BS, MS & Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering at Texas A&M University with an area of specialization in solid state physics (vacuum microelectronics, specifically). It was never my intent to pursue a Ph.D., but the opportunity to work on an exciting DARPA-funded project under Dr. Mark Weichold kept my interest.”
“Sometimes jumping off of that cliff is just the kick-start needed to embark upon something special and rekindle the excitement.”
Where are you from?
“I am originally from San Antonio, Texas. After high school, I spent 10 years in Bryan/College Station for undergraduate & graduate school. I have also lived in Austin for 25+ years before recently returning to Bryan/College Station.”
What is a project or accomplishment you’re proud of?
“Leading the effort to be the first wafer fabrication manufacturing facility within Motorola to implement copper electroplating into production stands out from my previous career in the semiconductor industry. The BCDC – IPG story is just beginning for me, so stay tuned …”
What are your goals within BCDC?
“The Data Analytics Unit Leader role is to establish the instrumentation and data collection methodologies and strategies that will enable the BCDC – IPG’s vision of providing real-time streaming analytics for systems under test. As such, bringing this vision to fruition is of primary importance. Likewise, collaboration with internal principal investigators and research engineers to achieve their technical area milestones and identify new opportunities to leverage the IPG’s capabilities are central to the mission. Also, working with internal and external partners to expand the analytics capabilities will enable growth of the customer base that the BCDC – IPG serves.”
How did you get to the BCDC?
“Serendipity. While attending our youngest child’s new student conference in the summer of 2019, my wife and I got bored (we are both Aggies), and decided to depart campus and look at houses. My wife said, “We’ll take that one,” to who turned out to be the builder. That initiated a series of events that included leaving our jobs (and my 25+ year career with Motorola/Freescale/NXP), selling our house in Austin and moving to Bryan. After the move to Bryan and a few months decompressing (from the high-tech grind and Austin’s traffic!), a chance neighborhood sidewalk encounter with the IPG Executive Director, Dr. Jim Wall, led to an interview with the IPG Team. The rest is history. As I said, serendipity.”
How long have you been at A&M? At BCDC?
“I joined BCDC – IPG in August 2020. However, I originally came to Texas A&M back in August 1984!”
Why are you interested in the IPG’s goals?
The BCDC – IPG goal to provide an outdoor test and experimentation facility that complements the current US Army testing efforts by rigorously assessing innovative technologies and prototypes in a military relevant setting, as well as serving as a ‘Proving Ground for Proving Grounds’ is exciting. This role specifically provides me an opportunity to leverage my background and experience to establish the methodologies, instrumentation and data strategies that will allow the IPG to provide real-time streaming analytics of systems under test and ultimately enable the realization of the US Army’s ‘shift-left’ vision. More importantly, it provides the opportunity to be challenged, to learn and grow.”