Dr. Scott A. Morton, a member of the Scientific and Professional Cadre of Senior Executives, is the Senior Scientist for High Fidelity Modeling and Simulation (M&S), Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. In his role as Senior Scientist for High Fidelity M&S, he serves as the principal scientific authority and independent researcher in the research, development, and implementation of multi-physics, high fidelity modeling and simulation capability and their integration into higher campaign level simulations to meet future Air Force weapons and warfighter capabilities. He also serves as the senior leader driving the strategic direction of M&S for the enterprise and its integration into multi-domain capabilities and concepts.
Dr. Morton began his Air Force career in 1985 as a commissioned 2nd Lieutenant through the Reserve Officer Training Corps after graduating from Parks College of St. Louis University. During his career, he received his Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology and he served in science and engineering positions at the Foreign Technology Division (currently the National Air and Space Intelligence Center), the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Air Force Flight Test Center, and finished his active duty career as a Professor of Aeronautics at the USAF Academy, where he established the Modeling and Simulation Research Center.
Dr. Morton began his civil service career in 2006 as a Principal Advisor to the Commander of the U.S. Air Force SEEK EAGLE Office. In other positions, he was an Associate Director of the U.S. Defense Department High Performance Computing Modernization Program with responsibility for software across the enterprise including the Computational Research Engineering Acquisition Tools and Environments (CREATE) Program. The CREATE Program produces a suite of 12 physics-based software products for design, virtual test, development, and deployment of air, land and sea vehicles and weapons systems delivering capabilities to the U.S. defense industry in response to prioritized needs of the U.S. armed services. He also spent more than 10 years as the Principal Developer of the Kestrel fixed wing aircraft product used by over 1,200 DoD and OEM engineers and scientists. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and of the Royal Aeronautical Society and has specialized in the areas of high angle of attack aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, computational stability and control, high fidelity multidisciplinary aircraft system simulation, and surrogates for aircraft modeling, as well as M&S up the pyramid.
EDUCATION
1985 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, Parks College of St. Louis University, Cahokia, Ill.
1987 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1989 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Science, Aeronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
1996 Doctor of Philosophy, Aeronautical Engineering, AFIT, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2001 Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. January 1986–June 1988, Ballistic Missile Performance Engineer, Foreign Technology Division, Air Force Systems Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2. June 1988–December 1989, Master’s Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
3. February 1990–June 1992, B-2 Flight Test Engineer, 420th Test Squadron, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB, Calif.
4. June 1992–July 1995, PhD Student, AFIT, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
5. July 1995–November 1997, Lead Computational Fluid/Structural Dynamicist, Computational Sciences Branch, Aeronautical Sciences Division, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
6. November 1997–June 1998, Aeronautics Portfolio Planner, Plans and Programs, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
7. July 1998–March 2006, Professor of Aeronautics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
8. June 2001–March 2006, Director and Founder, Modeling and Simulation Research Center, USAF Academy, Colo.
9. March 2006–September 2007, Executive Director, Institute for HPC Applications to Air Armament, USAF SEEK EAGLE Office, Eglin AFB, Fla.
10. September 2007–October 2017, Kestrel Principal Software Developer, Computational Research and Engineering Acquisition Tools and Environments (CREATE) Program, University of Dayton Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio
11. October 2017–January 2021, Air Vehicles Project Manager, CREATE Program, Defense Department’s High Performance Computing Modernization Program, Information Technology Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineering Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Miss.
12. January 2021–July 2022, Associate Director for CREATE, DoD High Performance Computing Modernization Program, Information Technology Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineering Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Miss.
13. July 2022–September 2023, Associate Director for Software, DoD High Performance Computing Modernization Program, Information Technology Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineering Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Miss.
14. September 2023–present, Senior Scientist, High Fidelity Modeling and Simulation, Air Force Material Command, Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin AFB, Fla.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
USAF Academy Frank J. Seiler Research Award
USAF Science and Engineering Award for Exploratory or Advanced Technology Development
Journal of Aerospace Engineering SAGE Award
NDIA Lt. General Thomas R. Ferguson Jr. Systems Engineering Excellence Group Award
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Software Engineering Award
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Aerodynamics Award
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Fellow, Royal Aeronautical Society
(Current as of May 2024)