Heidi Shyu: The Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering

Meet Ms. Heidi Shyu—Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering of the United States. She  is the keynote speaker for 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit by Potomac Officers Club on January 31, 2024.

 

On April 27, 2021, the White House released Administration Nominations in National Security through its official website. It was there where President Joe Biden announced the names of individuals as candidates for national security positions, including Ms. Shyu. 

 

Get to know more about the life and achievements of Heidi Shyu and her top priorities here!

 

Heidi Shyu, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering of the United States

 

Hon. Heidi Shyu is the current Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, where she serves as the Chief Technology Officer for the DoD. In an article published by DefenseNews on April 27, 2021, President Biden formally announced Ms. Heidi Shyu as the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering of the United States.

 

Ms. Shyu was the Army’s highest-ranking acquisition official between January 31, 2016, and September 21, 2012. Before joining the government, she devoted the majority of her professional life to Raytheon, where she oversaw a variety of business divisions, including unmanned, space, and electronic warfare programs. Heidi completed her tenure at Raytheon as VP of Technology Strategy for the Space and Airborne Systems division.

 

Educational Background

Hon. Heidi Shyu has an extensive educational background, having an Honorary Doctorate of Science for her exceptional accomplishments. Heidi’s educational experience and degrees are detailed below:

• Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at the University of Brunswick, Canada
• Master of Science in Mathematics at the University of Toronto
• Master of Science in Electrical Engineering focusing on System Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles
• Engineer’s Degree at the University of California, Los Angeles
• Executive Management Course Program at the University of California, Los Angeles
• Honorary Doctorate of Science at the University of New Brunswick, Canada

 

Career and Leadership Timeline

Before her current position, Hon. Heidi Shyu served not only in government but also in prominent companies. With her vast experience in the U.S. Army, she honed her skills and knowledge to serve as the newest Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

 

Let’s look at the rise of Heidi Shyu within the industry:

• 2000-2010: Board Member, Vice Chairman, and Chairman of the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board
• 2004-2010: Vice President positions at RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon Technologies Corp.)
• 2010-2016: Served Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology at U.S. Army
• 2016-2021: Member Board of Trustees at The Aerospace Corporation and Technical Advisory Group at Carnegie Mellon Univ. Software Engineering Institute 
• 2017-2021: Dean’s Executive Board at the University of California, Los Angeles
• 2018-2021 Director at VK Integrated Systems
• 2020-2021: Board Member and Chairman positions at Catalyze Dallas, Plasan North America, Inc., Levitate Capital, Auterion Government Solutions, and Levitate Acquisition Corp.
• 2021 – Present: Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering at Department of Defense

 

Wash100 Awardee

 

In 2023, DOD R&E Leader Heidi Shyu received her 3rd Wash100 award for her outstanding pursuit of technology and modernization. Ms. Shyu meets and goes above and beyond these benchmarks in her numerous duties as USDR&E and the DoD’s chief technology officer.

 

The CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award, Mr. Jim Garrettson, noted Heidi’s unparalleled service to help smaller contractors with game-changing technology, helping them navigate the “valley of death” while waiting for federal financial support.

 

The Hon. Heidi Shyu will be the keynote speaker at the 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit hosted by the Potomac Officers Club on January 31, 2024. Click here to register now!

 

The 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit will cover the newest innovations in state-of-the-art U.S. military technologies. The event will occur from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time Zone.

 

Heidi Shyu: Priorities 

 

Hon. Heidi Shyu oversees the U.S. Military technological advancements. As CTO, she leads the prototyping and R&D efforts of DoD and other activities that aim to develop the Military’s technical capabilities under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Missile Defense Agency, and DoD Laboratory and Engineering Center.

 

Ms. Heidi Shyu prioritizes transforming areas of research into operational military capabilities. Her overview of the DOD’s new technological research vision includes the following:

 

• Path-breaking technology (AI, 5G, cybersecurity, and network-of-network systems)
• New critical technology areas (biotechnology, wireless technology, quantum science, microelectronics, hypersonics, trusted AI and autonomy, and many more)
• Support the U.S. military to keep its technological edge.

 

“Mission focus, foundation building, and succeeding through teamwork,” the undersecretary for research and engineering intended the DoD’s research organization to realign with this vision.