Advanced MaterialsFor Mission-CriticalApplications.

Mr. Nickerson brings 29 years of DoD RDT&E experience, most recently as Program Officer for Aerospace Structures and Materials at the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and as Science Director at ONR Global in Tokyo. His career spans basic and applied research, advanced concept development, and technology transition across naval aviation, structural materials, and manufacturing science. He began his career in the US Marine Corps Reserve before transitioning to a civilian scientific career at the Naval Air Warfare Center – Aircraft Division. He holds degrees from St. Mary's College of Maryland, Stanford University, University of Maryland, George Mason University, and Lehigh University, and holds 10+ US patents and 20+ international patents in metal finishing, polymeric coatings, and composite manufacturing. He is a recipient of the 2009 DoD Dr. Dolores M. Etter Top Scientist/Engineer of the Year, the NACE Corrosion Innovation of the Year 2017, and an R&D Top 100 award.

Dr. Taheri is a Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, Director of the Materials Characterization and Processing facility, and a member of the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute. Her research specializes in electron microscopy — particularly in-situ microscopy — developing platforms to study materials under extreme conditions including high temperature, stress, radiation, and oxidation. Her lab integrates artificial intelligence into materials characterization workflows to accelerate discovery and qualification of next-generation material systems. She holds BS, MSE, and PhD degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Maher & Associates LLC is a consulting and engineering R&D firm specializing in advanced composite materials, manufacturing technology strategy, and technical assessment across defense, federal, and commercial markets. The firm brings 170+ combined years of experience spanning the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, and across industry — bridging the gap between advanced materials science and operational execution. Sister entity Maher Advanced Manufacturing (Greenville, SC) provides low-cost, high-performance composite manufacturing for UAV and aerospace applications, specializing in thermoplastic composites, resin infusion, and short fiber format composites. maher-associates.com

Ms. Nickerson brings direct experience at the intersection of DoD program management and defense industry finance. She began her career as Office Coordinator supporting SERDP/ESTCP — DoD's primary environmental technology development and transition programs under OSD — with responsibilities including BAA process coordination, symposia and conference logistics, government and industry correspondence, and program documentation. She subsequently joined BAE Systems' Electronic Systems division as a Financial Analyst, supporting a portfolio spanning electronic warfare, navigation, and precision guidance programs. Her responsibilities included financial reporting, subcontractor invoice processing, accounts receivable management, and month-end close reporting using COGNOS financial systems. She also serves as Registrar of the Children's Music Academy at Maranatha, and owns and operates Mixed Up Mimi LLC, a private Japanese language tutoring practice. She studied International Business and Japanese at the University of Utah.