Dr. Randy K. Avent

DR. RANDY K. AVENT

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

• 2005 Greater Boston Executive Program, MIT Sloan School of Management.
• 1986 PhD in Biomedical Mathematics and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• 1986 MS in Electrical Engineering, North Carolina State University.
• 1984 MS in Biomedical Mathematics and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• 1980 BS in Zoology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

TEACHING AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY

• Florida Polytechnic University — President (2014–present).
• North Carolina State University — Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Development (2012–2014); Professor in the Department of Computer Science (2011–2014).
• Synstreams, LLC — Co-founder and CEO (2012–2014).
• Office of the Secretary of Defense – Office of Basic Research — Chief Scientist (IPA) (2009–2011).
• MIT Lincoln Laboratory — Associate Chief Technology Officer (2006–2009); Founder and Head of the Airborne Communications Laboratory (2002–2005); Founder and Head of the Advanced Decision Theory Laboratory (1999–2002); Associate/Assistant Leader, Adaptive Beamforming Laboratory (1996–1999); Principal Investigator, Real-time Discrimination Laboratory (1990–1996); Researcher, Bistatic Scattering Phenomenology (1986–1990).
• BBN Technologies — Vice President (2005–2006).
• Aventure, Inc. — Co-founder, Pharmaceutical Consultant (1980–1982).
• 2018 Testimony before the United States Senate (Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation) on autonomous vehicle safety.
• 2013 National Academy of Engineering: “Key Challenges in the Implementation of Convergence”.
• 2013 Advisory Board Member, UNC Applied Physical Sciences Program.
• 2012 Board Member, Institute for Rare, Orphaned & Neglected Diseases (IRON), The Hamner Institute (RTP, NC).
• 2012 Board Member, Tigerswan, Inc.
• 2012 Advisory Board, UNC Kenan Planning Advisory Board.
• 2011 National Academy of Engineering: “The New Engineering Frontier: Manufacturing for the Grand Challenges”.
• 2011 Advisory Board, Center for Homeland Defense & Security (CHDS), Fayetteville State University.
• 2011 Member, UNC-GA Defense Applications Group (DAG).
• 2010 Member, IEEE-USA Research and Development Policy Committee.
• 2009 Chair, National Computer Science Research Initiative.
• 2009 Member, Strategic Planning Committee for DoD STEM Education.
• 2009 Member, Air Force Office of Scientific Research Review Panel.
• 2008 Technical Chair, DDR&E Global Technology Study; member of the MIT Interaction Committee.
• 2007 Member, Committee to establish a C4RJ program in Acton, MA.
• 2006 MIT Defense Core Advisory Committee.
• 2003 OSD Joint Decision Support Study Panel; Defense Science Board on Space Based Radar.
• 2001 MIT Management Effectiveness Committee.
• 2009 Introduction to Defense Acquisition, Defense Acquisition University.
• 2004 Negotiation for Senior Executives; Dealing with Difficult People and Difficult Situations, Harvard University.
• 2003 Developing a Successful Product and Technology Strategy, MIT.
• 2002 Fundamentals of Finance for Technical Executives, MIT.
• 2000 Project Management, MIT.
• Principal Investigator or Co-PI in 47 projects with funding exceeding $200M.

PUBLICATIONS

• Over 150 invited conferences, papers, technical reports, and presentations (available upon request).

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS

• Included in Florida Trend “Florida 500 – Most Influential Business Leaders” (Education) in 2019 and 2020.
• Tampa Bay Business Journal — People to Watch.
• IEEE — Fellow.