Elizabeth de la Cruz
Robert Peterkin, a veteran of the Air Force Research Laboratory and former vice president at Science Applications International Corp., has joined General Atomics as director of the company’s office in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
General Atomics said Friday Peterkin will help coordinate and implement technology strategies to meet future customer demands and identify opportunities within the directed energy, pulsed power and space systems markets.
“With Robert’s assistance, we look forward to establishing closer ties to the local research, laboratory, and private and government communities to help expand our portfolio of transformative technologies and advance our weapon and space systems capabilities to support the future warfighter,” said Scott Forney, president of General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems.
Peterkin previously served as chief scientist for directed energy at AFRL’s New Mexico campus, senior scientist for high power microwaves, deputy division chief and senior tech adviser.
He helped maintain the technical quality and the relevance to the U.S. Air Force of multiple research projects in the advanced optics, modeling and simulation, high-power electromagnetics and high energy laser areas.
He also held the roles of VP and director for business development at SAIC from 2004 to 2009.
Before that, Peterkin was chief scientist for the Defense Department‘s High Performance Computing Modernization program and a group leader for Mission Research.
