Barbara McQuiston Named Board Chairwoman of NATO’s DIANA Initiative

The NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic Initiative has selected Barbara McQuiston as board chairwoman.

McQuiston is the U.S. representative for NATO DIANA’s board of directors. She was selected by Heidi Shyu, the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering and a two-time Wash100 winner, as board representative in October.

The DIANA Initiative is designed to bring together experts to look into technological challenges associated with the defense sector. These include the use of artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and dual-use technologies, the Department of Defense said.

According to Shyu, who spoke at Potomac Officers Club’s 8th Annual Defense Research and Development Summit in January 2022, McQuiston will provide steady leadership to the initiative and help the DIANA board steer the program in the right direction.

McQuiston said she would work with other board members to gain a deeper understanding of technological innovations across the alliance. She also wants innovations to move quickly from conception to deployment.

Outside DIANA, McQuiston is the deputy chief technology officer for the Department of Defense’s Science and Technology portfolio. She leads efforts to give the Pentagon a technological advantage, oversees the department’s Federally Funded Research and Development Centers and University Affiliated Research Centers and is responsible for the DOD’s critical technology protection policy.

The DIANA Initiative was introduced during NATO’s North Atlantic Council meeting in June 2021. It was designed to allow the organization to work closely with private-sector entities, academic institutions and other non-governmental entities on nine focus areas: AI, quantum technologies, data, autonomy, biotechnology, hypersonics, novel materials and manufacturing, energy propulsion, and space.