Dr. Thomas A. Spencer, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director of Engineering and Technical Management, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Dr. Spencer is responsible for technical policy, independent validation of nuclear certification, cybersecurity assessment, and the oversight of center test and evaluation activities, ensuring technical supremacy and integrity of the center’s nuclear weapons systems supporting two legs of the nation’s nuclear triad, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, air-launched cruise missiles, gravity bombs, and nuclear command-and-control communications systems.
Dr. Spencer has served in numerous acquisition, operational, and senior leader assignments, including: Director, Strategic Plans and Requirements Directorate, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico; Technical Director, Strategic Plans, Programs, Requirements, and Analyses, Headquarters Air Force Material Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Assistant Chief Scientist, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va; dual-hatted as the Deputy Director and the Director of Engineering for the Nuclear Capabilities Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico; and the Directed Energy Staff Specialist, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Science and Technology), Weapons Systems Directorate at the Pentagon; and as the Chief, High Power Microwave Division, Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.
Dr. Spencer’s most recent assignment was at the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center as the Executive Director. He was responsible for providing direction in the operational test and evaluation planning, execution and reporting of approximately 100 major programs valued at more than $900 billion.
EDUCATION
1986 Bachelor of Science, Nuclear Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.
1988 Master of Science, Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
1991 Doctorate of Philosophy, Nuclear Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by seminar
2009 Leadership for a Democratic Society, Federal Executive Institute, Charlottesville, Va.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. November 1992–January 1997, Research Nuclear Engineer, Plasma Physics Branch, Air Force Phillips Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
2. January 1997–February 2000, Principal Investigator, Senior Nuclear Engineer, Plasma Physics Branch, High Power Microwave Division, Directed Energy Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
3. February 2000–June 2004, Technical Area Manager, Senior Nuclear Engineer, Technology Development Branch, High Power Microwave Division, Directed Energy Directorate, AFRL, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
4. June 2004–August 2006, Deputy Division Chief, High Power Microwave Division, Directed Energy Directorate, AFRL, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
5. August 2006–June 2007, Directed Energy Staff Specialist, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Science & Technology), Weapons Systems Directorate, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. June 2007–August 2009, Division Chief, High Power Microwave Division, Directed Energy Directorate, AFRL, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
7. August 2009–January 2012, Director of Engineering, 498th Nuclear Systems Wing, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
8. January 2012–July 2013, Deputy Director and Director of Engineering, Nuclear Capabilities Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
9. July 2013–June 2015, Assistant Chief Scientist, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
10. June 2015–October 2017, Technical Director, Strategic Plans, Programs, Requirements, and Analyses, Headquarters Air Force Material Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
11. October 2017–August 2020, Director, Strategic Plans and Requirements Directorate, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
12. August 2020–July 2022, Center Test Authority, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
13. July 2022–March 2024, Executive Director, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
14. March 2024–present, Director of Engineering and Technical Management, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
2000 Air Force Office of Scientific Research STAR Team Principal Investigator
2010 Air Force Exemplary Civilian Service Award, two awarded
2011 Chief Engineer of the Year Award; General Randolph Engineering Team Award
2012 Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2013 Air Force Exemplary Civilian Service Award
2017 Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2020 Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2024 Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (1997-1999)
Executive Committee Member, Nuclear and Plasma Physics Society, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (2001-2003)
Office of the Secretary of Defense Directed Energy Technical Expert and Co-Secretariat Defense Science Board (2006-2007)
PUBLICATIONS
Dr. Spencer has co-authored and authored more than 50 refereed journal publications, two book chapters and more than 50 contributed papers. He was a guest editor for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Transactions on Plasma Science 8th Special Issue on High Power Microwaves, June 2000, and has served on more than a dozen doctoral dissertation committees.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Senior Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Directed Energy Professional Society
(Current as of April 2024)