Technical Fellows

Marc Banghart has always been fascinated by the human mind, particularly by how we perceive the world around us and make decisions. It was this fascination that led him to a career in which he turns data into information that influences and supports decision-making. Data is the currency of the Information Age. As the volume of data produced increases, humankind needs more effective solutions for processing, storing and governing data — and then providing the insights that enable optimal decision-making. Marc is helping make those solutions a reality.

Dr. Bianca Cerqueira is a human performance research scientist focused on improving the health and resiliency of U.S. service members. Although her projects cover a broad range of topics, they all converge on the goal of improving human health. She is driven by her sense of purpose and the satisfaction of seeing her work translated to clinical care and improved health outcomes for the civilian population.

Sometimes growing up as a space and history geek can lead to big things. For Brandon “B.T.” Cesul, it was the springboard to a career in which he is recognized as a national expert in the critical areas of space security, space intelligence, space warfare and warfare strategy, and space domain awareness. Modern military might will be almost wholly enabled by space capabilities. Through his expertise, B.T. is helping the U.S. strengthen and protect those capabilities and maintain its advantage over potential threats.

Materials engineering is fundamental to human civilization, so much so that some ages are named after materials — like the Stone Age and the Iron Age. Using the right materials in an industrial process is key to the success of any project. Dr. John Chen ensures that the correct materials are used so that ideas become reality — safely and efficiently. His expertise helps KBR construct and implement complex and dynamic equipment that is reliable and sustainable.

Climate change is real, and to mitigate its effects, the world needs to advance a global energy transition at speed. Fortunately, experts at KBR, like Dave Cole, are developing technology that is helping move energy transition forward. David and his teams provide customers with digital solutions that calculate the cost of using renewables to power projects, automate energy transition-repetitive designs for things like electric vehicle charging stations, calculate emissions across the project life cycle and then reduce those emissions, and more.

Cyberphysical systems continue to grow in complexity, scale and functionality, but the bottleneck to successful deployment is increasingly the challenge in assuring safe and effective operations. Dr. Ewen Denney’s work seeks to reduce the effort required to assure the safety of complex systems and increase assurance confidence. His research on complex systems has led to two computer science patents, and he is a recognized thought leader in the field.

As we continue to reach the limits of classical systems engineering, systems are becoming more complex and interconnected. Dr. Quoc Do has developed model-based systems engineering methodologies to address this in both the defense and infrastructure sectors. This work has been used as the foundation for codifying policies, processes and procedures across the Royal Australian Navy. His accomplishments have led to international recognition and numerous awards for his innovations within the engineering profession. Outside of KBR, he is active in his local community and with various engineering organizations.

KBR proudly employs the best and brightest — people who enjoy tackling complex technical problems and helping our customers accomplish their most critical missions. Ronald Fairbanks is a perfect case in point. His work in the design, manufacture, integration, testing and operation of airborne and space-based electro-optical imaging systems helps develop products capable of meeting intelligence collection requirements while helping save the U.S. government and taxpayers money. Ron’s critical work has helped solve a variety of challenging technical issues and includes correction of atmospheric effects in imagery; resolving and tracking geosynchronous objects; using machine learning for imagery transformations; locating cellphone signals after natural disasters; optical windows; laser weapon modeling and simulation; and much more.

As an optical researcher, James Georges III has always been interested in images, imaging and phase. Seeing colleagues work with radar inspired him to exploit the complex field, approaching it from the area of optics. Building on previous interferometry and adaptive optics experience, he and his team built a novel technology for holographic imaging. Jamie’s work represents an entirely new way of performing 3D imaging through holography that enables exquisite spatial resolution and accuracy, along with high-dynamic-range-depth measurements. The method is also extendable to high-frame-rate 3D video — another significant differentiator — and has many possible applications, from aircraft maintenance and sustainment, to ISR, advanced manufacturing, biometrics, medical, advertising, entertainment and more.

Helping customers think outside the box to overcome complex challenges is what KBR does best. It happens to be one of Madison Gray’s passions. Madison uses his extensive background in math and the areas of wireless communications, network protocols and communication theories for wireless devices to enable the development of technologies that are helping address many of the world’s emerging technical problems. He also enjoys helping change the ways customers think and do business by helping them establish a new paradigm for what’s possible — even after systems have been fielded. For Madison, that means pushing the bounds of physics and engineering to develop new uses for existing sensors and systems beyond what was originally envisioned.

At KBR, we do things that really matter, and that includes research across our portfolio. Just one example is in the field of clean energy, where our research is helping pave the way for new technologies and systems — and has already made significant contributions to reducing the cost of clean energy. Dr. Brian Gribben’s contributions are vital to the future of energy, and his passion extends to his local community, where he started an educational charity on tidal energy, providing developmental and engagement opportunities to people in the Bristol Channel area.

We are racing toward decarbonization to meet Net Zero Emission by 2050 targets, but we must do so in a manner that enables a just and affordable transition, improves energy security, and responds to increasing energy demands. Dr. Graham Hawkes is focused on a collaborative solution that interfaces nuclear and renewable technology with supporting vectors, such as energy storage, hydrogen and carbon capture. As the leader of Frazer-Nash Consultancy’s Energy Technology department, he helps developers of energy systems design, optimize and assure the performance, integrity and safety of assets as we work toward creating a more sustainable future.

The ability to turn images into information and then to use that information to make key decisions is critical for the United States Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense (DoD). Experts like James Helferty make that possible. In his role, Jim is responsible for assessing all aspects of image quality for current and future spaceborne electro-optical systems, which collect overhead imagery that provides critical information for IC and DoD decision-makers. Jim’s engineering predicts and assesses capabilities of future systems and their ability to meet user requirements. He also helps transition newly launched systems into operation, ensures current products are correct and helps create tools for downstream processing that enable analysts to extract critical intelligence and make decisions.

The world faces critical problems so mathematically complex that a supercomputer made of as many transistors as there are atoms in the universe couldn’t solve them. Examples include modeling large molecules for curing diseases, more efficient energy and food production, and designing and producing better trusted microelectronic chips. Pete Hendrickson’s contributions in the field of quantum technologies include inventing solutions to extreme engineering problems and multiple patent submissions for 3D quantum computer chips with the exponentially greater power required to unlock solutions to these complex issues. Prior to KBR, he provided technical means for countering proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to hostile nations. His work, recognized by the CIA, has also helped prevent numerous further terrorist attack attempts.

Bobby Hunt’s first love may have been music, but ultimately it was science and engineering that struck the right chord. His first real job was at Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratory, where he made X-ray images of weapon components easier to analyze and interpret. Fast forward to today, Bobby’s work focuses on optics in applications for imaging systems and the processing of image data to extract information and to help improve human interpretation of that data. Optics figures heavily into myriad aspects of daily life that people may take for granted, from the satellite image data used for cellphone Mapping APPS, to medical imaging, to defense applications such as the detection of threats. The ability to make better, higher-fidelity images is vital to how people view and interpret the world around them, and it helps scientists and decision-makers around the world tackle some of the most complex issues of our time, from national defense to climate change and the preservation of natural resources.

As a trained astronomer, Amber Iler knows that understanding an object’s physical nature hinges on having the best possible resolution. Her work in remote sensing helps detect and monitor physical characteristics of an area by measuring the reflected and emitted energy from a distance by using satellites. Spectral remote sensing has numerous applications. It can help detect the presence of specific materials, such as waste leaked in waterways or greenhouse gases. It can be used to measure shifts in the path of a wildfire or to monitor the use (or misuse) of natural resources. It can even help isolate factors — natural or in the optical system — that might be degrading an image and help mitigate those factors to achieve a crisper image. Amber’s work helps us have better physical knowledge of what’s being observed and thus improves the ability to measure, understand and resolve conditions where action is needed, whether it be for land use, addressing climate change or for defensive purposes.

From low-earth orbit to the moon and beyond, humankind’s future is in space. Max Kandula is making that future possible. Max’s work has numerous practical applications in new space frontiers. He has written 40 published journal articles and presented 40 conference papers covering topics such as thermal systems, propulsion, aerodynamics, multiphase flow, computational fluid dynamics and jet noise. And his work has been widely cited. From jet noise mitigation in launch acoustic environments to in-space propellent transfer systems and the design and analysis of thermal systems and commercial space stations, Max is helping ensure that space exploration will be safer and more cost-effective.

One day soon, NASA will send astronauts to the moon to stay. The work those astronauts do on the lunar surface will have been informed by simulations with wearable technologies developed by Kyoung Jae “KJ” Kim. KJ received the NASA Johnson Space Center Director’s Award for the development of multiple innovative processes that increase efficiency and improve accuracy in analyzing biomechanics and physiological data. In addition to improving eventual life on the moon, KJ’s mobile health and monitoring system could also have huge implications and become essential for people living on a planet increasingly beset by natural disasters and pandemics.

The tools of the Fourth Industrial Revolution — artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), statistical signal processing and information theory — are being used to spur a global digital transformation that doesn’t just pertain to how companies do business. Those tools are also components of an emerging field in which algorithms are being developed to automate approaches to many of the U.S. government’s hardest detection, tracking and classification problems. And Dr. Chris Kreucher is at the forefront of that field. His work is helping develop the fundamental mathematical and engineering approaches that will unlock transformational technology and modernize U.S. defense and intelligence capabilities, altering the character of warfare. Chris’s current activities are building on his work in AI and ML, which includes methods for automated synthetic aperture radar automatic target recognition, cognitive (or “fully adaptive”) radar and a series of efforts related to planning optimal flight paths.

As systems get more complex and autonomous in nature, it’s critical to know their current state of health and to be able to predict their future health as it pertains to decision-making. This is important not only for ensuring operational efficiency but also for ensuring safety. Chetan Kulkarni’s work in systems health management and prognostics relies on model-based and hybrid (i.e., model plus machine learning) approaches of observing complex systems, subsystems and components, and diagnosing and isolating faults in those systems. His approach also helps operators estimate and predict remaining system usefulness and make predictive maintenance decisions. He is a recognized leader in systems health and prognostics and has been honored numerous times for outstanding contributions to the field.

What began as a preliminary investigation into a customer’s inquiry on near-field radar cross-section (RCS) measurements became Ivan LaHaie’s career focus for mmore than 35 years. Today, he is known for his pioneering work in the areas of RCS measurement error mitigation and electromagnetic modeling, plus his many contributions to the field of radar imaging and target signature diagnostics. His work has helped the United States develop and maintain its fleet of low observable aircraft by improving its ability to measure their signatures.

As the new race for space continues to accelerate, space situational awareness (SSA) has emerged as a critical driver — not only of scientific discovery and economic pursuits, but also of national security. SSA uses deep learning models to track objects in orbit and applies that information to keep us safe and provide strong defense against adversaries. Greg Martin is helping lead the way in research and development of new tools in the space surveillance domain. Greg’s background — which includes advanced degrees in applied mathematics and optical and electrical engineering — paved the way for a career solving difficult and mission-critical image-science and computer-vision problems.

Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) in the defense and space context refers to the collection, processing, analysis and dissemination of information about the activities of potential adversaries, as well as the natural environment in order to support decision-making and military operations. Dr. Ray Merton is at the forefront of creating new technical solutions within KBR’s ISR team to better enable our clients' defensive tactics, often in challenging operational environments.

His interest in space was sparked on his Australian schoolroom floor, watching the live Apollo 11 lunar landings, and has led to an accomplished and fulfilling career in space and aerospace which has included being an international advisor to countries, international space agencies and UNESCO.

The U.S. Intelligence Community elevated the identification and mitigation of critical infrastructure threats as a strategic priority. Success requires a novel synthesis of traditional national security tradecraft with hands-on, specialized infrastructure-operating experience and leading-edge technical expertise. Anthony Montoya has 40 years of experience in the electric utility industry, 10 of which were spent as an executive responsible for risk management and day-to-day operations of a federal entity servicing 30-million customers across 17,000 miles of high-voltage transmission from 54 federally owned hydropower plants. In this role, he had unique access to information on significant foreign threats to the electric system and recognized that he could fill the gap between understanding vulnerabilities and creating a risk-based understanding of threats and exploitative impacts. Tony’s technical assessments and briefings are shared with the White House, senior cabinet-level policymakers and critical infrastructure owners — and have helped shape national policies.

As advanced materials and manufacturing technologies evolve rapidly, not only does quality assurance of new parts and components of critical structures become crucial, but so does periodic inspection and evaluation of the integrity of those parts and components over the designed lifetime — both in terms of safety and cost. As a physicist, Dr. Jeong Na gets joy from always digging into the fundamental aspects of given problems to understand root causes and deliver innovative solutions. His work developing and applying reliable NDT&E methods helps understand underlying technical difficulties with new materials systems, fabrication methods and structures — and provides innovative, out-of-the-box approaches for overcoming technical barriers that can lower maintenance costs and save lives.

A story about a man with a camera in his eye led middle-school-aged Benjamin Ochoa to explore the possibility of a bionic eye and helped catapult him to a 26-year career in computer vision (i.e., using computers to analyze and understand images or videos). Computer vision applications are broad, from using medical imaging data to diagnose patients to supporting manufacturing through image-based measurements and inspection, and from developing video-based navigation in autonomous vehicles to detecting threats in intelligence images and video. Ben’s work is helping refine the science behind those applications so computers can automate tasks the human visual system can do, creating a tactical edge for customers.

Air transport remains the safest way to travel. However, novel aviation systems (e.g., remote and autonomous piloting), in addition to new aviation concepts like urban air mobility, can threaten overall airspace system safety if not made safe by design. Prevailing solutions are insufficient to address the challenges posed by these increasingly complex systems, and systems are evolving faster than they can be safely regulated. Ganesh Pai’s work is at the forefront of a modern approach to safety analysis and assurance and helps tackle both technology complexity and the speed of evolution. The key question his work answers is, “How can stakeholders of an autonomous aviation system be assured that the safety risks posed by novel emergent behavior have been identified and appropriately mitigated?” The tools and techniques he’s developed to answer that question help create confidence that a system will safely perform its intended function, that has been, and will continue to be, sought by entities involved in the research and development of autonomous systems.

KBR’s proprietary process technologies are used to create the building blocks for a vast number of consumer products. Rian Reyneke is deeply involved in making improvements to KBR’s existing K-COT® and SCORE® technologies, as well as ongoing development of KBR’s propane dehydrogenation technology, K-PRO®. All three technologies provide a tremendous opportunity to reduce emissions through process improvements and innovation, ultimately leading to net-zero emissions.

Autonomous systems are becoming more and more crucial in many areas, ranging from autonomous spacecraft/rovers to explore unknown territory in the solar system to self-driving cars on our streets. In all applications, safety is a major concern. Johann Schumann’s work on assured autonomy is helping provide the technology and tools necessary to achieve the goal of safe AI-based autonomous systems for science, exploration and everyday life. AI components (e.g., deep neural networks) in autonomous systems play an increasingly important role in numerous domains. Many such applications are safety-critical and thus require verification and validation (V&V), as well as certification. However, V&V for AI and autonomy is still in its infancy. Johann’s work aims to provide tools, techniques and processes that support the design, development and certification of safe autonomous AI-based systems.

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) have been called the “future of aviation” by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In recent years, there has been a proliferation of such systems developed for civil and military use. However, very little formal guidance or requirements exist for the certification and/or integration of UAS into existing air traffic, and current approvals impose operational limitations on areas and types of operation. Ajay Sehgal is helping shape the future of UAS integration into the National Airspace System and in international airspace. Ajay’s work is helping accomplish a number of missions, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; electronic warfare; and cargo missions; as well as more mainstream commercial uses such as package delivery, bridge inspections, humanitarian missions and more.

Without the ability to inspect engine components and return them to safe service use, the U.S. Department of Defense would have to retire parts early, requiring heavy sustainment costs and wasteful use of critical natural resources. Eric Shell’s work in nondestructive inspection, particularly through KBR’s Eddy Current Inspection System (ECIS), allows for a safe extension of military engine parts that frees up funding for other purposes. The ECIS performs reliable, fully automated inspections of highly stressed engine components and recertifies them for continued use. Through just one program using the ECIS, it’s estimated that Eric and his team saved the U.S. Air Force more than $1.5 billion in part replacement costs. Eric has been motivated throughout his 20-plus-year career by the goals of improving safety for airmen while saving customer funds.

Around the world, companies and governments are looking for solutions to reduce their carbon footprint and mitigate the impact of climate change. The fact that those kinds of solutions are becoming mandatory for many olefins projects is what attracted Michael Tallman to the field. Michael is an industry expert, with 41 years of experience and numerous patents under his belt. Through his work designing and developing innovative, low-carbon solutions that can be applied to olefins technologies, Michael is helping KBR’s customers accomplish their business objectives while also contributing to a more sustainable future.

Learn more from Michael about some of KBR’s sustainable technology solutions.

Henry Theiss was always interested in math, particularly geometry, along with earth science and mapping. Early on, a career in land surveying seemed a good fit. The first elective course available for his area of focus was photogrammetry (the science of making reliable measurements or creating 3D models of objects using photographs, especially aerial photographs). That class altered his career path for good. Today, Hank’s breakthrough work helps the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Intelligence Community make informed decisions based on available geospatial information. That work helps solve problems such as the accurate absolute geolocation of features, precise relative mensuration of dimensions or orientations of features and the accurate registration of multiple geospatial data sources.

In a military conflict involving space, the war fighter must find, fix, track, target, engage and then assess continually. U.S. assets must be monitored at all times to ensure the nation’s security, safety, economy and environment are not compromised. Eric Therkildsen’s work in optical modeling and simulation and image processing for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Space Development Agency is the tip of this spear and provides satellite observations that assist with finding, tracking and assessing. Eric’s career has allowed him to extensively explore his love of physics, math, systems engineering and software development. He considers himself blessed to have had opportunities to invent novel algorithms that help solve complex problems on important missions.

Space superiority requires decision-making in ambiguous situations characterized by short timelines, reduced sensing and conflicting information. Dr. Ryan Weisman’s work increases military space mission resilience to adversary parity, mission anomalies and unforeseen situations by identifying and enabling operations under less explored, physically possible conditions beyond conventional, probable operating regimes. His operational tools provide warfighters proactive sensing recommendations, situation assessment and solution confidence directly traceable to physics and data quality for navigation and vehicle safety — without excessive data collection or exhaustive simulation.