Moderator
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Robert Walker is an accomplished business development executive with over 25 years of experience in the laser and opto-electronics industry. He is currently the Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Leonardo Electronics US, where he plays a pivotal role in securing major deals and partnerships, developing new product lines and markets, and driving the company's growth and success. Robert has held several positions in engineering, program management, sales, marketing, and business development at Leonardo Electronics US and II-VI Coherent (Marlow Industries), gaining expertise in all aspects of the business. He is also an active participant in the photonics industry, co-authoring and presenting several papers on laser diode technology, leading industry panels and webinar series and co-chair of the Arizona Photonics Days annual conference for Optics Valley, a committee of the Arizona Technology Council. Robert holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and has a proven track record of success in driving revenue growth, building strategic partnerships, and positioning companies as leaders in their respective fields
Panelists
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Dr. Sandra Biedron is engaged with the development of both workforce and technology development in many capacities, from technical director to management, to educator as a professor. Currently, she is serving as Knowledge Transfer Director of the NSF STC Cornell Center for Bright Beams and Managing Partner of Element Aero - an R&D and consulting company that she founded.
Her technical works include being a technical and management consultant for the FERMI free-electron laser project at Sincrotrone Trieste, Deputy Lead Engineer for integration of an Innovative Naval Prototype for Boeing, serving in leadership positions for several DoE-led DoE/DoD/NSF Basic Research Needs Reports, as well as chairing or participating in several international conferences and committees, including a NATO workgroup for sensors and electronics, the IEEE USA AI and Autonomous Systems Policy Committee, the IEEE USA R&D Policy Committee, and the Program Advisory Committee for the Brookhaven Accelerator Test Facility (ATF). Her interests are many and include particle accelerator systems; laser systems; the use of artificial intelligence in controls, modeling, and prediction of complex systems; sensors and detectors; and applications of these technologies in science, security, and defense.
She is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the SPIE, a Senior Member of Optica and IEEE, and a member of the Italian Optical Society and the Directed Energy Professional Society. She has received a letter of commendation by the Chief of Naval Research and the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Society’s Particle Accelerator Science and Technology Award. In 2024, she was appointed to the National Photonics Initiative’s Steering Committee. Currently, she is driving activities for next generation light sources for industrial and national security applications, sustainability and power initiatives, namely infrastructure for nuclear power and sustainability in semiconductors and their applications.
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Dr. Tiago Ortega is the Vice President of Research and Development at EOS Space Systems, where he leads a team to pioneering the next generation of laser and electro-optic capabilities for space applications. With nearly two decades of experience in the photonics industry, Dr. Ortega's expertise spans a range of sectors including Medical Devices, Automotive, and Space across Brazil, the UK, the USA, and Australia. Dr. Ortega holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Physics from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and earned his PhD from Macquarie University in Sydney.
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Kenny McCormick Kenny has worked for Leonardo, through it’s many name changes including BAE Systems and Selex, for over 25 years, joining direct from University as an Electronic Engineer in 1998. Through his career, Kenny has worked on various successful defence programmes, ranging from Stingray torpedo’s, Tornado and Typhoon cockpit avionics systems, Inertial Navigation Units for artillery pointing systems, laser target designators and directed energy systems.
Currently, as Head of Capability (Electro Optics) at Leonardo in Edinburgh, Kenny is responsible for the IRAD investments, strategy and technology roadmaps in areas such as DIRCM, Laser Target Designators, Tempest/GCAP and High Energy Laser Directed Energy systems.
As part of a vast product portfolio, Leonardo UK is the word leader in the supply of High Energy Laser Target Designators into programmes such as F-35, Apache, Sniper and Litening, as well as the highly respected Type 163 handheld Designator, and are also part of the DragonFire consortium delivering laser DE Systems into the UK MoD.
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Dr. James Murray is Senior Director and Technical Fellow at Areté Associates, leading the Terrestrial Sector in electro-optical sensor systems, laser solutions, and AI/ML-driven algorithms for defense and security. His expertise spans electro-optical systems, lasers, laser radar, and lidar architectures.
At Areté, Dr. Murray has developed high-power, compact solid-state lasers for targeting, imaging, surveillance, and directed energy applications. He has also advanced lidar and ladar technologies, including real-time obscurant-penetrating 3D imaging lidar, multispectral 2D/3D image fusion, and synthetic aperture ladar.
He holds a Ph.D. in Optical Sciences from the University of Arizona (1996), an M.S. in Physics from Oklahoma State University (1992), and a B.S. in Physics with honors from the Colorado School of Mines (1989). Dr. Murray has published over 50 papers and holds 13 U.S. patents.
Event Details
FORMAT: Panel discussion followed by audience Q&A.MENU: Coffee, decaf, and tea will be available nearby.
SETUP: Theater style seating.