Dean Smith
Dr. Tom Drake is a prominent leader in marine geosciences research and development. Currently, he is the department head of the Office of Naval Research’s Ocean Battlespace Sensing division. With three decades of career background, Tom is well-suited to be a keynote speaker on January 31, 2024, at the 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit.
Catch up with Dr. Tom Drake as he speaks at the POC’s 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit. Reserve your seats and register here.
Dr. Tom Drake, Head, Ocean Battlespace Sensing Dept. at Office of Naval Research
Dr. Tom Drake is the Head of the Ocean Battlespace Sensing Department at the Office of Naval Research. At ONR, he oversees the division’s program planning, execution, and management.
The scope of Dr. Drake’s responsibility at ONR Science and Technology includes marine meteorology, ocean acoustics, marine biology, physical oceanography, and arctic and global prediction. He also leads the Navy’s prototype support, basic and applied research, advanced technology development, and advanced component development.
Dr. Tom Drake took a Bachelor of Science in Geology in 1976 and graduated in 1980. He acquired his Ph.D. in Geology in 1988.
Career Chronology
Here is a summary of Dr. Tom Drake’s career history:
- 1992 – 1995: Research Oceanographer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- 1995 – 2003: Associate Professor at North Carolina State University
- 2003 – 2013: Team Leader for Coastal Dynamics and Marine Geoscience Programs at ONR
- 2013 – Present: Director for Ocean, Atmosphere and Space Research Division at ONR
10th Annual Defense R&D Summit
- Organizer: Potomac Officers Club
- Date: Wednesday, January 31, 2024
- Time: 7:00 am – 4:30 pm, Eastern Time Zone
- Place: Hilton Alexandria Mark Center
Dr. Tom Drake will attend the Potomac Officers Club’s 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit as one of the afternoon keynote speakers.
Potomac Officers Club invited R&D top researchers, leaders, and experts in the government contracting industry to engage with the 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit. The invited speakers will discuss the developments in defense technology and elucidate the latest U.S. defense and military technological evolutions. Register here.
Dr. Tom Drake’s Leadership Journey
Dr. Drake has spent most of his time serving in the Office of Naval Research. Before joining the Senior Executive Service, he served in different institutions and organizations.
Tom’s venture with the industry dates back to 1990 when he served as the research oceanographer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. In 1995, he continued his research at North Carolina State University while teaching about terrestrial and coastal surficial processes.
In 2003, he joined the ONR as the Coastal Dynamics & Marine Geosciences Programs Team Leader. Later, in 2013, he assumed his current position as the director of the ONR’s Ocean Battlespace Sensing Department.
About the ONR’s Ocean Battlespace Sensing Department
The Ocean Battlespace Sensing department is one of the six S&T departments at ONR. This division oversees the Navy and Marine Corps science and technology in ocean and weather science, mine warfare, underwater warfare, marine mammals, and space technology.
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