Between draw downs in Iraq and Afghanistan, a tough budget climate, and emerging technologies, the Defense Department is redefining its energy portfolio across every military branch.

On this week’s Agency of the Month, the Sea Warfare and Weapons Department of the Office of Naval Research outlines its goals moving forward into fiscal 2014.

Dr. Richard Carlin is director of the Sea Warfare and Weapons Department. Carlin talks about the progress being made within his department and the Navy’s increasing investments in its Energy Excelerator program with host Sean McCalley.

GUEST BIOGRAPHY:

Dr. Richard T. Carlin is department head of the Navy’s Sea Warfare and Weapons Department at the Office of Naval Research (ONR). As department head, Dr. Carlin overseas a broad range of science and technology (S&T) programs for surface ships, submarines, and undersea weapons with an annual budget of approximately $500 million per year.

Dr. Carlin entered the Senior Executive Service in January 2002 and has 14 years of federal service.

Prior to his current position as department head, Dr. Carlin was the director for the Undersea Weapons and Naval Materials Division with responsibilities in undersea weapons and countermeasures, advanced energetics, structural materials, materials for power systems, acoustic transducers, maintenance reduction technologies, and blast mitigation materials. During his career at ONR, he also served as the acting chief scientist in 2004 and as director for the Mechanics and Energy Conversion Division from 2001 to 2005. Prior to his appointment as a division director, Dr. Carlin was the program officer for Electrochemistry S&T and Undersea Weapons Propulsion with programs covering numerous electrochemical and thermal power technologies.

Additionally, Dr. Carlin serves as the Navy S&T executive on numerous Navy, Department of Defense, and interagency energy advisory groups, including the Navy’s Task Force Energy Executive Steering Committee, DDR&E’s Energy Security Task Force, and the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Interagency Task Force. He also serves as a U.S. panel member on the NATO RTO Applied Vehicle Technology Panel, and is a member of the Department of the Navy Awards Review Panel.

Before joining ONR in August 1997, Dr. Carlin held several positions in academia, industry, and government. From 1995 to 1997, he was a senior scientist at Covalent Associates, Inc., performing contract research in areas of lithium batteries, supercapacitors, and ionic liquids catalysis. From 1992 to 1995, Dr. Carlin held the position of Electrochemistry Division Chief at the Frank J. Seiler Research Laboratory (FJSRL) located at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. At FJSRL, he led research on the use of ionic liquids as electrolytes for batteries, supercapacitors, and metal-alloy electrodepositions, and as solvents for gas absorption and catalysis.

Dr. Carlin was an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa from 1989 to 1992 where he taught both undergraduate and graduate level courses, and directed a research program in the study and application of ionic liquids as solvents and electrolytes. From 1982 to 1985, he was employed at Air Products and Chemicals as a senior research chemist carrying out research on the use of ionic liquids as gas-separation membranes.

Dr. Carlin received his Bachelor’s of Science in honors chemistry from the University of Alabama in 1977, and his doctorate degee in inorganic chemistry from Iowa State University in 1982. His thesis work at Iowa State focused on the synthesis, characterization, and structure of air-sensitive metal-metal bonded clusters of molybdenum and tungsten. Dr. Carlin received his training in electrochemistry as a postdoctoral fellow with Prof. Robert A. Osteryoung at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Dr. Carlin has published more than 100 technical papers and one book chapter, and he is a co-inventor on seven U.S. patents. He has given numerous presentations including invited talks at international venues in Japan, France, Turkey, Crete, and Scotland.

Dr. Carlin was awarded the Department of the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Medal in August 2008. In Jan 2001, Dr. Carlin received Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research Development, & Acquisition) Awards for the Rapid Transition of Foreveready Missile Battery for Strategic System Programs and for Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery for Advanced Seal Delivery System. He was awarded the Chief of Naval Research’s Award of Merit for Group Achievement in Aug 2000 for Superior Group Effort While Serving on the ONR Diversity Committee. Additionally, his discovery of a novel battery technology was recognized with the U.S. Air Force Materiel Command S&T Achievement Award in 1993.

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