Technology Transition Liaisons

DARPA’s initiatives to assist with technology transition include:

• Special Assistant for Technology Transition
  • DARPA has a permanent full-time person focused on promoting technology transition. To do so, he works closely with the Operational Liaisons and Agency Representatives, who rotate in and out of DARPA.
• Operational Liaisons
  • Liaisons from each military Service and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency are assigned to the Director’s Office at DARPA. Their job is to maintain DARPA’s connection to real-life problems, while at the same time helping transition DARPA technology to the Services. DARPA’s Operational Liaisons bring DARPA program managers and warfighters together so the warfighter’s needs are better understood and the warfighters can better understand upcoming technological opportunities.
• Service Chiefs
  • A joint program between DARPA’s Director and the Chief of Staff of each Service, and the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  • Each service and the NGA details young, talented officers to DARPA as interns on a two to three month basis for an in-depth look at DARPA’s programs and way of doing business
  • Interns also help DARPA’s program managers better understand existing military capabilities and combat operations
  • Read more about the details of our intern program or get a first-hand account of the program (pdf) from a former intern
• United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)
  • To strengthen the systematic transition of its technology to USSOCOM, DARPA has a representative attached to the Command. The representative is posted at USSOCOM to maximize the flow of new technology to our Special Forces with a minimum of bureaucracy

DARPA’s Operational Liaisons are usually very senior both in rank and experience, come with a great set of contacts, and help reinforce the day-to-day links between DARPA’s research programs and the needs and opportunities of the DoDSpecial Assistant to the Director for Technology Transition.

DARPA’s Transition Team

U.S. Army - COL Valerie Jacocks, USA

U.S. Navy - CAPT John Murphy, USN

U.S. Marine Corps - Col Thomas Moore, USMC

U.S. Air Force – Col Tony Bauernfeind, USAF

National Geospatial Intelligence Agency - Mr. Fred Schnarre