Don Millard

Dr. Millard is currently serving as the Deputy Assistant Director of the Engineering Directorate (ENG) at the National Science Foundation (NSF). He has served in several roles at NSF: as a Division Director, a Deputy Division Director, and a Program Director. He has been involved with the Advanced Technology Education (ATE), the Math and Science Partnership (MSP), and the Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (TUES) programs. He helped launch and establish the Convergence Accelerator, EDU Core Research, and the Innovation Corps (I-Corps) programs. He also supervised the Engineering Research Centers (ERC) program and has co-chaired the NSF INCLUDES Design Team from its inception.

Prior to joining NSF, Dr. Millard spent 27 years at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he served as a faculty member of the Electrical, Computer, and Systems Department and directed a number of research centers; including the Center for Integrated Electronics and the Academy of Electronic Media. Dr. Millard's research interests include electronics design and manufacturing, electrical testing/evaluation methodologies, semiconductor fabrication, electronic media development, information technology, and engineering education. He is the creator of the Mobile Studio project, which enables students to perform experiments that use an oscilloscope, function generator, digital control, and some form of power supply (in a portable package) - and learn at anytime, anyplace. He holds a patent for the development of a laser-induced, plasma-based Non-Contact Electrical Pathway and has received such awards as the Best Paper Award of the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) and the Premier Award for Excellence in Engineering Education Courseware. Dr. Millard has been voted Professor of the Year on three occasions, selected as RHA Professor of the Month and was chosen as the Eta Kappa Nu Outstanding Professor.