Science and Technology

Overview

To support APL’s core purpose of enhancing national security and space through the application of science and technology, the Science and Technology business area builds technical capability essential to APL’s future.

The S&T Business Area conducts basic and applied research with applications across APL programs. We facilitate partnerships among APL’s Business Areas, Johns Hopkins University’s academic divisions, and the broader scientific and engineering communities. Our charter includes developing new technology as well as a highly credentialed staff with difficult-to-obtain expertise that apply to the critical challenges taken on by the Laboratory.

Expertise

The balance of our S&T focuses on information science, sensor systems, and aeronautical vehicle technology. We also have a strong area of expertise in biological sciences.

A broad range of specialized facilities supports our research and development work. The prototypes developed in individual projects, both hardware and software, frequently serve as the basis for R&D over a relatively long period to improve performance and broaden applications. Projects in this business area have led to many of APL’s technology transfer initiatives.

Our information science capabilities have been recognized in national and international forumsand have provided critical contributions to other APL Business Areas.

The largest and most long-standing programs lie in the area of sensor systems. We have developed a portfolio of challenging, critical-mass efforts in several complementary areas, including physical, chemical, and biological sensors, as well as taggant technology based on materials science. We have a growing capability in the emerging revolution of nanotechnology and microfludics.

We continue to maintain a significant capability in physics. Our world-renowned quantum information team receives funding from a range of government-agency sponsors.

Organization

The core of APL’s Science and Technology (S&T) Business Area is the Milton S. Eisenhower Research Center (MERC).  Similar to other APL departments, MERC is the organizational home for much of the work, and staff, of the S&T business area. MERC also manages a number of facilities that support S&T programs, as well as those of other APL business areas. Since 1994, the Center has tripled in size, established a substantial record of significant contributions to other business areas, and pioneered new technology areas underlying emerging APL business areas.

Staff

A major strength is the technical expertise of our staff, coupled with their engagement with peers both in APL and externally. We recruit, develop, and retain an extremely talented staff of technical experts in fields critical to APL’s current and future sponsors. Staff members work closely with the other APL business areas. We have a demonstrated track record of attracting extremely talented staff and nurturing their development to become recognized authorities and Laboratory leaders in their technical disciplines.

The management team comprises individuals with experience across APL as well as outside experience in technology-delivering organizations. S&T staff members are active participants on boards and panels within the national security and space technology communities, providing APL a portal into leading defense, intelligence and space technology trends. A number of staff serve on national working groups, committees, review panels, or in-place assignments with government agencies. Our staff has compiled a strong record of scientific and technical contributions, including an extensive collection of publications. S&T staff members also make key contributions in externally sponsored programs such as those for the National Security Agency, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Treasury Department.

APL provides significant support to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). We manage DARPA initiatives for the Laboratory as a whole.  We monitor past, current, and future proposals to and interactions with DARPA from an APL enterprise perspective. This facilitates interactions among BAs and helps coordinate proposals. 

We have long-term relationships with NAVSEA (Arc Fault/CTM programs), and the US Air Force (USAF R&D Program) for special technology efforts in particular application areas.

As a portal for S&T technological expertise, we are developing partnerships with organizations such as the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Institutes of Health. These external partnerships increase our technology options by providing use of additional facilities and instruments, software, and technical services. We work with a few industry sponsors, usually small programs that provide a window into commercial technology.

Independent Research and Development

Our primary focus is on exploratory technical work outside APL’s sponsored system and acquisition programs. A major component of this business area is our own internal investment in strategically important projects through our Independent Research and Development  (IR&D) program.

We manage a major portion of the Laboratory’s IR&D funds. We work on large focused efforts that contribute to multiple objectives, addressing enterprise S&T needs and building capabilities in technologies crucial for the Laboratory.  We fund core strategic competencies important for the Lab’s science and technology needs, including information, sensors, vehicles, and physics. We also support visionary initiatives. The S&T business area is responsible for program thrusts that are interdisciplinary, multi-year, critical to the Laboratory’s future, and cross business areas.