Paul Nielsen

Nielsen, director and CEO of the SEI, served in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a major general after 32 years of distinguished service. As commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio for more than four years, he managed the Air Force's science and technology budget of more than $3 billion annually. He also served as the Air Force's technology executive officer, determining the investment strategy for the full spectrum of Air Force science and technology activities. Prior to his command of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Nielsen served as vice commander of the Aeronautical Systems Center, the Air Force's center responsible for developing fighters, bombers, transports, reconnaissance aircraft, training systems, and unmanned aerospace vehicles. Among his previous assignments, he served at the National Security Agency, the Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Secretary of the Air Force's Office of Special Projects, and the Air Force's Electronic Systems Center. Nielsen was a military assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Commander of Rome Laboratory. He was operations chief for the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center and director of plans for the North American Aerospace Defense Command. In 2010, Nielsen was elected as a member of the U. S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE). He is a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). He served as the AIAA president from 2007-2008. Nielsen serves on several advisory boards including the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Hertz Foundation, a non-profit that awards graduate school fellowships in the applied sciences.           

PDF [1068 KB]

PRESENTATION