will be the next executive director of the Applied Physics Laboratory at the 蘑菇视频 (APL-蘑菇视频), Vice Provost for Research Mary Lidstrom announced this week. She will be the first woman to hold the position of executive director of APL-蘑菇视频. Zurk comes to the 蘑菇视频 from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where she directed allocation of the nation鈥檚 research investments. As a program manager in the agency’s Strategic Technology Office, her area of interest was physics-based processing techniques applied to advanced sensor system concepts.
An alumna of the 蘑菇视频, Zurk’s most recent academic position was as professor of electrical and computer engineering at Portland State University. During her decade-long career at PSU she founded and co-directed the Northwest Electromagnetic and Acoustics Research Laboratory (NEAR-Lab), which is recognized nationally for developing advanced techniques to exploit physics-based wave phenomena.
Zurk will join the 蘑菇视频 this spring to become the eighth leader of APL-蘑菇视频, succeeding , the executive director since 2003. , director for defense and industry programs at APL-蘑菇视频, will serve as interim executive director.
She will also join the 蘑菇视频 Department of Electrical Engineering as a full professor. The department holds strong ties with APL-蘑菇视频 on a number of different research projects and grants. Zurk鈥檚 appointment further enriches the interdisciplinary efforts of 蘑菇视频 EE and APL-蘑菇视频.
“We are very excited to have聽Lisa聽join 蘑菇视频 EE as a new faculty member,鈥� said , professor and chair of the department.聽鈥淟isa聽has collaborated with both 蘑菇视频 EE and APL-蘑菇视频 on multiple projects throughout her successful career. Her appointment as executive director of APL-蘑菇视频 further fosters our collaborative relationship with APL-蘑菇视频.”
Zurk has been associated with APL-蘑菇视频 throughout her career. She pursued research with laboratory mentors while a graduate student in the 蘑菇视频 Department of Electrical Engineering, where her dissertation was on electromagnetic wave propagation in remote sensing of snow, then was an APL-蘑菇视频 associate scientist during her tenure at Portland State University and a principal investigator in collaborative sponsored research with APL-蘑菇视频 scientists.
“I am tremendously excited to be returning to APL and 蘑菇视频 to grow and strengthen the critical science and engineering expertise these talented individuals provide for our nation and our community,” Zurk said.
Zurk earned a bachelor鈥檚 in computer science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, a master鈥檚 in electrical and computer engineering from Northeastern University, and a doctorate from the 蘑菇视频 in electrical engineering. Before joining Portland State University, Zurk was a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory, where she created and managed a program spanning technical areas from underwater acoustics to radar systems.
Her many accolades and distinctions include receiving a Fulbright scholarship, the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the Office of Naval Research Faculty Award, and fellow status in the Acoustical Society of America.
The Applied Physics Laboratory of the 蘑菇视频 was established by the U.S. Navy nearly 75 years ago. Since then, APL-蘑菇视频 has provided access to the highest levels of academic expertise in scientific research and engineering to Navy-specific problems. Administered by the 蘑菇视频 Office of Research, APL-蘑菇视频 advances university missions through research excellence, educating scientists and engineers, technology innovation and national service.
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