Biographies

Dr. Thomas H. Killion
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology/Chief Scientist, US Army

In March 2004, Dr. Killion was designated as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology/Chief Scientist. He is responsible for the entirety of the Army’s Research and Technology program, spanning 21 Laboratories and Research, Development and Engineering Centers, with approximately 8,600 scientists and engineers and a six year budget of $11.3 billion. He is responsible for developing a Science and Technology (S&T) strategy responsive to Army needs from the near-term (within the next five years) stretching out through the far-term (twenty years into the future). The Basic Research, Applied Research and Advanced Technology Development programs and budgets that Dr. Killion builds for this strategy must be defended within the Army, to the DoD and to Congress. He is also the principal scientific advisor to both the Secretary of the Army and the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)).

Prior to his designation, Dr. Killion served as the Director for Technology under the Deputy ASA for Research and Technology (DAS(R&T)). In this position, he was responsible for oversight and coordination for the majority of the Army’s Applied Research (6.2) program and all of its Advanced Development (6.3) program. He also co-chaired the Warfighter Technical Council and managed the Science and Technology Objective (STO) and Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) approval process for the DAS(R&T).

Prior to this assignment, Dr. Killion served as the Director for Personnel Technologies in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, where he was responsible for policy, guidance, oversight and advocacy of the Army’s MANpower and PeRsonnel INTegration (MANPRINT) and Soldier Oriented Research and Development in Personnel and Training (SORD-PT) programs. Dr. Killion also served as the principal scientific advisor to the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1.

Previously, Dr. Killion served as the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Liaison to the Office of the DAS(R&T), where he assisted in shaping, advocating and defending Army Science and Technology (S&T) program investments and priorities to senior leaders in the Army and in DoD and to Congress. During this time, he also served as the Acting Deputy Director for Research for a year, with responsibility for oversight of the Army’s Basic Research (6.1) program and substantial portions of the Applied Research (6.2) program. He also served as the manager for the Army’s Dual Use S&T program.

Other key assignments in Dr. Killion’s career include Technical Advisor in the Advanced Systems and Concepts Office at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, ARL Liaison to the MANPRINT Directorate, Executive Assistant to the Director of ARL, Technology Team Leader for the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Joint Project, and Principal Scientist for Electronic Combat Training at the Air Force Human Resources Laboratory. He has authored numerous technical papers, open literature publications, and presentations on a diverse array of topics, including electronic combat training, computer-based training, unmanned aerial vehicle technology, dual use technology, Army basic research, Army S&T strategy, and MANPRINT.

Dr. Killion was born in Wichita, Kansas and received dual B.A.’s in Psychology and English from Saint Mary’s College in Winona, MN, in 1974. He received his Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, in 1978. Dr. Killion also graduated with highest distinction from the Naval War College in May 1997.