# Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force

The Chief Scientist of the Air Force is the most senior science and technology representative in the United States Department of the Air Force. The current Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force is Victoria Coleman, sworn in on April 6, 2021.

## Roles and responsibilities

The Chief Scientist of the Air Force has several roles and responsibilities, including:
* Serves as chief science and technology adviser to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations, and the Secretary of the Air Force
* Provides assessments on a wide range of scientific and technical issues affecting the Air Force mission
* Identifies and analyzes technical issues and brings them to the attention of Air Force leaders, and interacts with other Air Staff principals, operational commanders, combatant commands, acquisition, and science and technology communities to address cross-organizational technical issues and solutions
* Interacts with other services and the Office of the Secretary of Defense on issues affecting the Air Force in-house technical enterprise
* Serves on the Steering Committee and Senior Review Group of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board.
* Principal science and technology representative of the Air Force to the civilian scientific and engineering community and to the public at large

## Products of the Office of the Chief Scientist

The Office of the Chief Scientist has conducted several strategic studies including:
* Technology Horizons Archived April 1, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
* Energy Horizons
* Cyber Vision 2025, summarized in the Armed Forces Journal
* Global Horizons

## Chronological list of Chief Scientists of the Air Force

| No. | Name | Term of Office | Doctorate | Chief of Staff | Secretary | Military Assistant |
| 37 | Dr. Victoria Coleman | April 6, 2021 – present | University of Manchester, Computer Science, 1988 | Charles Q. Brown Jr. | John P. Roth | Col David Montminy (2022-) Col Jason Vap (2021-2022) Col Mario Serna (2019-2021) |
| 37 | Dr. Victoria Coleman | April 6, 2021 – present | University of Manchester, Computer Science, 1988 | David W. Allvin | Frank Kendall III | Col David Montminy (2022-) Col Jason Vap (2021-2022) Col Mario Serna (2019-2021) |
| 36 | Dr. Richard J. Joseph | January 2018 – April 5, 2021 | University of Texas at Austin, Physics, 1979 | Charles Q. Brown Jr. | Barbara Barrett | Col Mario Serna (2019-2021) Col Michelle Ewy (2016-2019) |
| 36 | Dr. Richard J. Joseph | January 2018 – April 5, 2021 | University of Texas at Austin, Physics, 1979 | David L. Goldfein | Heather Wilson | Col Mario Serna (2019-2021) Col Michelle Ewy (2016-2019) |
| 35 | Dr. Greg Zacharias | June 2015 – January 2018 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Instrumentation, Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1977 | Mark Welsh | Deborah Lee James | Col Michelle Ewy (2016–2019) Col Anne L. Clark (2015–2016) |
| 34 | Dr. Mica Endsley | June 2013 – May 2015 | University of Southern California, Industrial & Systems Engineering, 1990 | Mark Welsh | Deborah Lee James | Col Anne L. Clark (2014-2015) Col James (Monty) Greer (2013-2014) |
| 33 | Dr. Mark T. Maybury | October 2010– May 2013 | University of Cambridge, Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence), 1991 | Mark Welsh | Michael B. Donley | Col James (Monty) Greer (2012–2013) Col Rod Miller (2011–2012) Col Eric Silkowski (2010–2011) |
| 33 | Dr. Mark T. Maybury | October 2010– May 2013 | University of Cambridge, Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence), 1991 | Norton A. Schwartz | Michael B. Donley | Col James (Monty) Greer (2012–2013) Col Rod Miller (2011–2012) Col Eric Silkowski (2010–2011) |
| 32 | Dr. Werner J. A. Dahm | October 2008– September 30, 2010 | California Institute of Technology, Aeronautics, 1985 | Norton A. Schwartz | Michael B. Donley | Col Eric Silkowski (2008–2010) |
| 31 | Dr. Mark J. Lewis | October 2004 – October 2008 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Aeronautics & Astronautics, 1988 | T. Michael Moseley | Michael Wynne | Col Robert Fredell (2006–2008) |
| 31 | Dr. Mark J. Lewis | October 2004 – October 2008 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Aeronautics & Astronautics, 1988 | John P. Jumper | James G. Roche | Col Daniel DeForest (2004–2006) |
| 30 | Dr. Alexander H. Levis | 2001–2004 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering (Control Systems), 1968 | John P. Jumper | James G. Roche | Col Daniel DeForest (2004) Col John Bedford (Sept. 2001 to 2003) Col Donald Erbschloe (-Dec 2001) |
| 29 | Dr. Louis S. Metzger | 1999–2001 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Electrical Engineering, 1975 | Michael E. Ryan | James G. Roche Lawrence J. Delaney F. Whitten Peters | Col Donald Erbschloe (1998–2001) |
| 28 | Dr. Daniel E. Hastings | 1997–1999 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Plasma Physics, 1980; (B.A. Oxford in Mathematics) | Michael E. Ryan | F. Whitten Peters | Col Donald Erbschloe (1998–2001) |
| 27 | Dr. Ed Feigenbaum | 1994–1997 | Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) | Ronald R. Fogleman | Sheila E. Widnall | Col Harvey Dahljelm (1994–1998) |
| 27 | Dr. Ed Feigenbaum | 1994–1997 | Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) | Merrill A. McPeak | Sheila E. Widnall | Col Harvey Dahljelm (1994–1998) |
| 26 | Dr. George R. Abrahamson | 1991–1994 | | Merrill A. McPeak | Merrill A. McPeak Michael B. Donley Donald B. Rice | Col James Whiting (1991–1994) |
| 25 | Dr. Robert W. Selden | 1988–1991 | | John M. Loh Michael Dugan Larry D. Welch | Donald B. Rice John J. Welch, Jr. James F. McGovern | Col Dan Heitz (1988–1989) and Col John Woody (1989–1991) |
| 24 | Dr. Harold W. Sorenson | 1985–1988 | UCLA, Electrical Engineering, 1966 | Larry D. Welch Charles A. Gabriel | Edward C. Aldridge Jr. Russell A. Rourkee Verne Orr | Col Robert Hovde (1983–1987) and Col Robert Lancaster (1987–1988) |
| 23 | Allen R. Stubberud | 1983–1985 | UCLA, Engineering | Charles A. Gabriel | Verne Orr | Col Robert Hovde (1983–1987) |
| 22 | Edwin B. Stear | 1979–1982 | | Lew Allen Jr. | Hans Mark | Col Michael Mottern (1982–1983) Col Robert Bannach (1981–1982) |
| 21 | Harry L. Van Trees | 1978–1979 | | Lew Allen Jr. | John C. Stetson | Col Robert Dundervill Jr. (1977–1981) |
| 20 | Fumio Robert Naka | 1975–1978 | | David C. Jones | John C. Stetson Thomas C. Reed James W. Plummer | BGen Charles Cabell Jr. (1976–1977) |
| 19 | Dr. Michael I. Yarymovych | 1973–1975 | B. Eng Sc. in Aeronautical Engineering, New York University 1955, D Eng SC, 1960 Columbia University, Institute of Flight Structures | David C. Jones George S. Brown John Dale Ryan | James W. Plummer John L. McLucas | Col James Strub (1974–1976) |
| 18 | Dr. Eugene E. Covert | 1972–1973 | MIT PhD Magnetohydrodynamics | John D. Ryan | Robert C. Seamans, Jr. | Col Thaddeus Welch Jr. (1971–1974) |
| 17 | Dr. James W. Mar | 1970–1972 | MIT Undergraduate 1941; PhD MIT, Civil Engineering | John D. Ryan | Robert C. Seamans, Jr. | LtCol Frank Attinger Jr. (1966–1971) |
| 16 | John J. Welch, Jr. | 1969–1970 | Undergraduate MIT Mechanical Engineering 1951 | John D. Ryan | Robert C. Seamans, Jr. | LtCol Frank Attinger Jr. (1966–1971) |
| 15 | John C. Fisher | 1968–1969 | Undergraduate Ohio State, Physics, MIT PhD | John P. McConnell | Robert C. Seamans, Jr. Harold Brown | LtCol Frank Attinger Jr. (1966–1971) |
| 14 | Robert H. Cannon, Jr. | 1966–1968 | University of Rochester 1944 PhD Mechanical Engineering MIT 1950 | John P. McConnell | Harold Brown | LtCol Frank Attinger Jr. (1966–1971) |
| 13 | Robert G. Loewy | 1965–1966 | RPI, MIT Masters 1948 | John P. McConnell | Harold Brown | Col Mike Zubon (1962–1966) |
| 12 | Dr. Winston R. Markey | 1964–1965 | BS Aeronautical Engineering, MIT, 1951, PhD MIT Aero Instrumentation | John P. McConnell Curtis E. LeMay | Eugene M. Zuckert | Col Mike Zubon (1962–1966) |
| 11 | Dr. Robert W. Buchheim | 1963–1964 | | Curtis E. LeMay | Eugene M. Zuckert | Col Mike Zubon (1962–1966) |
| 10 | Dr. Launor F. Carter | 1962–1963 | Physiology | Curtis E. LeMay | Eugene M. Zuckert | Col Mike Zubon (1962–1966) |
| 9 | Dr. Leonard S. Sheingold | 1961–1962 | | Curtis E. LeMay | Eugene M. Zuckert | Col Loyd Jensen (1961–1962) |
| 8 | Alexander H. Flax | 1959–1961 | New York University, Aeronautical Engineering, 1940 | Thomas D. White | Dudley C. Sharp James H. Douglas, Jr. | Col David Pearsall (1957–1961) |
| 7 | Joseph V. Charyk | 1959 | Univ of Alberta, Engineering Physics 1942; California Institute of Technology PhD 1946 | Thomas D. White | James H. Douglas, Jr. | Col David Pearsall (1957–1961) |
| 6 | George E. Valley Jr. | 1957–1958 | University of Rochester, Physics, 1939 | Thomas D. White | James H. Douglas, Jr. | Col David Pearsall (1957–1961) |
| 5 | Courtland D. Perkins | 1956–1957 | M.S. MIT 1941; Princeton Honorary PhD, 2001 | Nathan F. Twining | James H. Douglas, Jr. Donald A. Quarles | Col John Taylor (1954–1957) |
| 4 | Dr. Horton Guyford Stever | 1955–1956 | California Institute of Technology, Physics, 1941 | Nathan F. Twining | Donald A. Quarles Harold E. Talbott | Col John Taylor (1954–1957) |
| 3 | Dr. Chalmers W. Sherwin | 1954–1955 | University of Chicago, Experimental Physics 1940 (with Arthur Dempster) | Nathan F. Twining | Harold E. Talbott | Col John Taylor (1954–1957) |
| 2 | David T. Griggs | 1951–1952 | Junior Fellow in Geology at University of Harvard | Hoyt S. Vandenberg | Thomas K. Finletter | Col Theodore Walkowicz(1950–1954) |
| 1 | Dr. Louis N. Ridenour reported to MGen Gordon P. Saville DCS/D | 1950–1951 | California Institute of Technology, Physics, 1936 | Hoyt S. Vandenberg | Thomas K. Finletter | Col Peter Shenk (1950) |
| – | Gen James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle (Special Assistant for Scientific Matters) | 1951 | MIT Sc.D. in Aeronautics, June 1925 | Hoyt S. Vandenberg | Thomas K. Finletter |
| – | Dr. Ivan Alexander Getting (Special Assistant for Evaluation) | 1950 | University of Oxford (Rhodes Scholar), Astrophysics, 1935 | Hoyt S. Vandenberg | William S. Symington |