“I am delighted that Dr. Smith has accepted the job,” Tenet said. “Dr. Smith’s thirty-year career at APL has been marked by outstanding accomplishments both as a scientist and as an executive. He will be a strong and inspiring leader of the Directorate of Science and Technology.”

Dr. Smith was born in Mitchell, South Dakota and raised in Rockford, Illinois. He served for four years in the U.S. Navy before earning bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in physics from the University of California at Davis. Dr. Smith joined APL in 1970, initially engaging in theoretical and experimental research on the detectability of submerged submarines.

Under Dr. Smith’s visionary direction, APL successfully worked through a challenging post-Cold War transformation that has left the institution more vigorous than ever. Dr. Smith’s strategic plan for APL involved building new relationships with commercial and industrial research sponsors as well as efforts to increase the lab’s social impact by commercializing its technology breakthroughs. Dr. Smith also forged strong ties with the national security community, including operating forces of the military, with senior decisionmakers in a broad range of government agencies, and with the Congress.

“Just as he led APL through its post-Cold War transformation, I am confident that Dr. Smith
will lead the Directorate of Science and Technology into the next century with equal foresight, boldness and agility,” Tenet said.

“I have no doubt that under his leadership, the Directorate of Science and Technology will carry on its proud tradition of putting technology to work enhancing the effectiveness of clandestine collection and all-source analysis,” Tenet added.

Dr. Smith and his wife reside in Ellicot City, Maryland.

Joanne Isham will continue as Acting Deputy Director for Science and Technology until Dr. Smith comes on board later this Spring, Tenet said.