Biography of Speaker - Dr. Starnes E. Walker
Director of Research, S&T Directorate, Department of Homeland SecurityUnder Secretary of Science and Technology Jay Cohen (RADM-Ret) recruited Dr. Starnes E. Walker from the Office of Naval Research to be the new Director of Research for the S&T Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security. Formerly the Chief of Naval Research, Secretary Cohen previously worked with Walker, who was most recently Technical Director and Chief Scientist for the Naval S&T program. As Director of Research for S&T, Walker will oversee the Office of National Laboratories, the Office of University Programs for the DHS Centers of Excellence, and the Academic Fellowship and Scholarship Program Office. He joined the S&T Directorate in January, 2007.
Dr. Walker joined the Office of Naval Research in September 2004 and served as the Technical Director and Chief Scientist reporting directly to the Chief of Naval Research. Working with the CNR, Dr. Walker was responsible for structuring and leading an S&T organization that ensures technological superiority for the Navy and Marine Corps. Dr. Walker’s budget authority was annually $2,200M, plus an additional average Congressional plus-up of $700M, and Dr. Walker served in a supervisory role for a workforce of 5494 civilian and military for ONR and ONR’s Corporate Laboratory, the Naval Research Laboratory. Dr. Walker’s leadership spanned the university community, the government laboratory structure, industry, and international government defense organizations to bring their resources and technical capabilities into the Naval S&T program, thereby ensuring strategic Naval capabilities to the future and avoiding technological surprise for the nation.
Dr. Walker’s previous position was as the Acting Associate Laboratory Director for National Security, serving as the National Security Coordinator at Argonne National Laboratory. Most recently, Dr. Walker served on the DoD’s Defense Science Board in the Summer Study to define Future Strategic Strike Systems with STRATCOM as the COCOM sponsor.
Dr. Walker is a former member of the Senior Executive Service and served as the Senior Advisor for Science & Technology at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) from 2000-2003. Dr. Walker was a standing member of the Defense Science & Technology Advisory Group for DDR&E in OSD.
He started his career at the Naval Weapons Center-Corona Laboratories in 1968 as a research physicist. In 1970 he joined the Naval Weapons Center-China Lake. In 1973, Dr. Walker joined Phillips Petroleum as a research physicist. Advancing to a senior scientist position, he founded and directed programs in physics, technology, nuclear weapons support, energy, and bioengineering, as well as an ending assignment serving as the environmental director for operations.
From 1992 to 1998, he served as Vice President-Technology for Morrison Knudsen Corporation with responsibility for developing new technology and engineering partnerships with the DoD, State, and National Laboratories.
From 1998 to 1999, Dr. Walker led a team with British Nuclear Fuels Limited that successfully developed a new process from an R&D platform through pilot plant demonstration for the chemical separation of transuranics.
Dr. Walker holds a B.S., M.S., and a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of California. He holds an Honorary Degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla.
Dr. Walker is Chairman of the Joint Laboratory Board of the Joint Improvised Explosive Devices Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), previously known as the JIEDD Task Force. He also serves as Chairman of the Engineering Development Board of the University of Missouri-Rolla and as a Guest Scientist to Los Alamos National Laboratory. Previously, Dr. Walker served as Science Advisor to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and led a tritium production R&D program at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. As a distinguished member and Senior Advisor for the S&T, Dr. Walker was awarded in 2002 the DTRA Exceptional Civilian Service Medal. He received the R&D 100 Award in 1980 and he has served on the Air Force Studies Board, National Academy of Sciences Committees, and Institute of Chemical Waste Management Steering Committee. His team, for their leadership in Project Sapphire, received a Presidential Citation from the White House. Dr. Walker has widely published in the fields of physics, chemistry, and optics, with numerous patents issued. He was a Navy Fellow and recipient of three consecutive Naval Weapons Fellowship awards. Dr. Walker is a member of the American Physical Society and American Nuclear Society.
