Dr. Darren McKnight

Dr. Darren McKnight is currently Technical Director for Integrity Applications, Inc. (IAI) based in Chantilly, Virginia. He leads teams to develop creative solutions across widely disparate domains: space systems, renewable energy, predictive awareness for infectious disease outbreaks, bioterrorism, orbital debris, the entertainment industry, and youth soccer training. Dr. McKnight is a key contributor to the U.S. Space Protection Program in the development of holistic space system survivability models and strategies. Dr. McKnight holds several patents and released his latest book, Hitting the Innovation Jackpot, in December 2011. This treatise leverages his years of serving as an innovation catalyst for a variety of government and commercial clients in a wide variety of technical domains. Before coming to IAI, Darren served as Senior Vice President and Director of Science and Technology Strategy at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). His responsibilities included technical collaboration corporate-wide, strategic technology investments (including IR&D), and validating innovation methodologies. Dr. McKnight also served as Assistant Professor of Physics at the Air Force Academy from 1986-1990. Darren has served recently on the National Research Council’s Committee on NASA’s Orbital Debris and Micrometeoroid Program, Defense Science Board Summer Study on 21st Century Strategic Technology Vectors, and IBM’s Global Innovation Outlook (GIO) Team. He has coauthored two technical books (Artificial Space Debris and Chemical Principles Applied to Spacecraft Operations) and a youth soccer coaching book – Soccer is a Thinking Game. Darren has authored over 70 technical papers and presented them in 12 countries. He has appeared on tens of TV, radio, and newspaper interviews including with Discovery Channel, BBC, CBC, Space News, etc. Dr. McKnight received his Bachelor’s Degree from the United States Air Force Academy in Engineering Sciences, his Master’s Degree from the University of New Mexico in Mechanical Engineering, and his Doctorate from the University of Colorado in Aerospace Engineering Sciences. He and his wife, Alison, have two daughters, Olivia and Grace.