Dr. J. Douglas Beason, a Senior Level executive, is Chief Scientist and Technology Adviser, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. He serves as the primary adviser to the commander on all scientific and technical matters concerning space and cyberspace research and development programs. Dr. Beason serves as the senior authority for all AFSPC scientific and technical matters, and he is delegated the authority to guide the substantive scientific and technical program activities within the command. In this role he interacts with other principals, operational commanders, combatant commands, acquisition, science and technology, and international communities to address cross-organizational science and technical issues and solutions. Dr. Beason represents AFSPC science and technology on decisions, high-level planning, and policy throughout the U.S. government, industry, academia, the international community, and other scientific and technology organizations at venues that affect the command.
Dr. Beason has more than 30 years of research and development experience that spans conducting basic research to directing cross-disciplinary, applied-science national security programs. He has served on the White House staff working for the President's science adviser under both the Bush and Clinton administrations where he was the key White House staffer for space in the Office of Science and Technology Policy. He worked on a Vice Presidential Commission to give the nation options to return to the Moon and go to Mars, and has been a member of numerous review boards, including the Air Force Science Advisory Board and the United Kingdom Atomic Weapons Establishment Threat Reduction Review Board.
Prior to assuming his current position, Dr. Beason was a special adviser to Auburn University and was previously the Associate Laboratory Director (Threat Reduction) and Field Intelligence Element Director at Los Alamos National Laboratory, N.M. He is the author of more than 100 publications.
EDUCATION
1977 Bachelor of Science degree in physics and mathematics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1979 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1980 Master of Science degree in physics (cosmic radiation), University of New Mexico
1983 Doctor of Philosophy in physics (radiation hydrodynamics), University of New Mexico
1985 Air Command and Staff College, by seminar
1995 Air War College, by correspondence
1996 Distinguished graduate, Master of Science degree in national resource strategy, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. June 1977 - December 1980, computational physicist, then Chief, Airblast and Cloudrise Section, Air Force Weapons Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2. December 1980 - July 1983, doctoral student, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M.
3. July 1983 - June 1986, assistant professor, Department of Physics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
4. June 1986 - June 1988, Chief, Advanced Concepts Branch, Air Force Weapons Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
5. June 1988 - August 1990, Chief, High Energy Plasma Division, AFWL, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
6. August 1990 - May 1991, Deputy for Science and Technology, Joint Department of Defense/NASA/Department of Energy Space Exploration Initiative (the Synthesis Group), Arlington, Va.
7. May 1991 - October 1991, Deputy Director, Advanced Weapons Directorate, Phillips Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
8. October 1991 - June 1993, senior policy analyst, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President, the White House, Washington, D.C.
9. June 1993 - August 1995, Director, Faculty Research, and Associate Professor of Physics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
10. August 1995 - June 1996, student and research fellow, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 1996 - October 1998, Chief, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Detachment, Defense Special Weapons Agency, Livermore, Calif.
12. October 1998 - September 2001, Commander, Phillips Research Site, and Deputy Director, Directed Energy Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
13. September 2001 - June 2003, Deputy Associate Laboratory Director (Threat Reduction), Los Alamos, N.M.
14. June 2003 - October 2003, Deputy Division Director for Science and Technology, Nonproliferation and International Security Division, Los Alamos, N.M.
15. October 2003 - January 2005, Division Director, International, Space and Response Division, Los Alamos, N.M.
16. January 2005 - December 2008, Associate Laboratory Director (Threat Reduction) and Field Intelligence Director, Los Alamos, N.M.
17. January 2009 - January 2010, freelance writer and special adviser, Auburn University, Ga.
18. February 2010 - present, Chief Scientist and Technology Adviser, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
AWARDS AND HONORS
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Fellow, American Physical Society
President's Strategic Vision Award, National Defense University
1994 Finalist, Nebula Award from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
1977 - present, life member, US Air Force Academy Association of Graduates
1983 - present, member and Fellow, American Physical Society (elected 2000)
1985 - 1995, guest scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
1989 - present, life member, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
1999 - 2001, Board of Directors, Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce
2001 - present, life member, Military Officers Association of America
2002 - 2004, Vice President and Board of Directors, Directed Energy Professional Society
2003 - 2007, member and Study Director, Air Force Science Advisory Board
2003 - present, Air and Space Power Journal Advisory Board
2007 - 2008, New Mexico Governor's Cyberspace Task Force
2009, United Kingdom Atomic Weapons Establishment Threat Reduction Review Board
2009 - 2010, guest scientist, Los Alamos National Laboratory
2009 - present, Auburn University Wireless Engineering Advisory Board
(Current as of February 2010)