Dr. William Benard

Director for Office of Collections Research

Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA)

Dr. William Benard joined IARPA in May 2024 as the Office Director for Collection Research. His primary research interests are: the science of design; distributed sensing; design and manufacture of complex products; additive manufacturing; and semiconductor materials, devices, and architectures. Prior to arriving at IARPA, Dr. Benard was Chief of the Photonics Electronics and Quantum Sciences Division at the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL). He has also served in a range or roles including as ARL’s Senior Campaign Scientist for Materials Research, Acting Chief of the Electro-Optics and Photonics Division, and Manager of ARL’s Specialty Electronic Materials and Sensors Cleanroom (SEMASC). His research initiatives have included working on a wide range of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) programs, including inertial sensors, X-ray lithography systems, and optical switches, as well as NASA payloads, multiple genomic X-prize efforts, and radiation detectors. Dr. Benard holds a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, a M.Sc. in electrical engineering and applied physics from Case Western Reserve University, and a B.Sc. in electrical engineering from the University of Witwatersrand.

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