Dr. Joseph P. Morris, a member of the Scientific and Professional Cadre of Senior Executives, is the Senior Scientific and Technical Advisor for Nuclear Hardness and Survivability, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. He is responsible for providing strategic guidance to the AFNWC Commander and other Air Force senior leaders regarding the nuclear hardness and survivability of Air Force nuclear weapon systems. He also represents the Air Force at Department of Defense-level strategic forums.
Dr. Morris entered into federal service in July 2012. He began his Air Force career focusing on the Air Force nuclear capability development portfolio. He identified capability gaps and assessed potential technologies for successful fielding of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile under the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent Analysis of Alternatives. Dr. Morris joined the Air Force Nuclear Red Team in 2014, evaluating current and future strategic weapon systems for vulnerabilities and survivability challenges based on potential adversary threats. He supported several testing series that ultimately helped identify new nuclear hardness requirements on a number of Air Force platforms, increasing their overall survivability in contested environments.
Dr. Morris established the Air Force Nuclear Effects Analysis Team, a cadre of professionals within the Air Force capable of modeling the effects of nuclear weapons to determine Air Force system survivability and red system susceptibility. In 2019, Dr. Morris established the Technical Intelligence Branch at AFNWC with a primary focus of examining critical intelligence information, studying the effects on Air Force weapons systems and employment capabilities, and establishing processes to more easily share critical intelligence information and analysis within Air Force strategic weapon system program offices.
Dr. Morris helped establish or refine nuclear hardness and survivability criteria for 15 nuclear weapon systems, warheads and delivery platforms. He was instrumental in the first-ever inherent hardness assessments for the KC-46 and F-35 aircraft. He was instrumental in the revitalization of the Nuclear Threat Assessment Working Group, leading to numerous AFNWC-led intelligence community analyses, downgrades, and sharing of critical intelligence information aiding in effective utilization and survivabilty of Air Force strategic systems. He also helped establish essential planning criteria for both nuclear and non-nuclear weapons platforms in potential hostile environments through the education of nuclear weapon effects and weapon system survivability challenges.
EDUCATION
2010 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Ohio University, Athens
2012 Master of Science, Electronics Engineering, Ohio University, Athens
2017 Doctor of Philosophy, Nuclear Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. August 2008–July 2012, Micro-electronic Sensor Engineering Design Cooperative Fellow, Ohio Aerospace Institute, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio
2. July 2012–October 2014, Science and Technology Integration Engineer, Intelligence, Plans, and Programs Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
3. October 2014–June 2016, Survivability Engineer, Air Force Nuclear Red Team, Nuclear Technology and Integration Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
4. June 2016–April 2019, Chief, Nuclear Effects Analysis Team, Nuclear Technology and Integration Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
5. April 2019–August 2023, Chief, Technical Intelligence, Nuclear Technology and Integration Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
6. August 2023–present, Senior Scientific and Technical Advisor for Nuclear Hardness and Survivability, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Medal
Air Force Exemplary Civilian Service Medal
Air Force Nuclear Deterrence Operations Civilian of the Year Category III Award
Air Force Materiel Command Nuclear Deterrence Operations Team of the Year Award
Air Force Materiel Command Outstanding Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Team of the Year Award
Doctoral Fellow, DoD Science Mathematics and Research for Transformation Program
Master’s Fellow, DoD Science Mathematics and Research for Transformation Program
(Current as of September 2023)