Dr. Lisa Porter joined the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as the first director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) on February 4, 2008.
The selection of the director of IARPA is a key piece of the Intelligence Community's 500 Day Plan for Integration and Collaboration. IARPA sponsors research aimed at game-changing breakthroughs and complements the mission-specific science and technology research already being conducted by intelligence agencies.
Dr. Porter comes to IARPA following service as the NASA associate administrator for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. In this position, she managed the agency's aeronautics research portfolio and guided its strategic direction. As well, Dr. Porter co-chaired the National Science & Technology Council's Aeronautics Science & Technology Subcommittee.
Prior to her time at NASA, Dr. Porter served as senior scientist in the Advanced Technology Office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). While there, she created and managed programs in diverse technical areas ranging from fundamental scientific research to multi-disciplinary systems-level development and integration efforts.
Dr. Porter has a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a doctorate in applied physics from Stanford University. She has authored more than 25 publications in a broad range of technical disciplines including nuclear engineering, solar physics, plasma physics, computational materials modeling, explosives detection, and vibration control of flexible structures. Dr. Porter received the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service in 2005 and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal in 2008.
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