Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory has selected Dave Van Wie as its next director. Van Wie will replace Ralph Semmel, who is stepping down after over 14 years in the role, APL announced Friday.
Van Wie’s appointment takes effect on July 14.
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Get to Know APL’s New Director
Van Wie currently serves as sector head for air and missile defense at the research center, a role he has held since January 2019. He oversaw programs related to defending against air and missile threats.
Before he was appointed sector head, Van Wie led APL’s development of advanced capabilities for precision strike missions. He was in charge of programs related to hypersonic systems, electromagnetic spectrum dominance, and long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.
Van Wie joined APL in 1983.
“Dave is a distinguished leader and scholar whose groundbreaking contributions to aerospace engineering and national defense have significantly advanced our nation’s security,” commented Heather Miller, chair of the APL board of managers. “His unparalleled expertise, coupled with his dedication to innovation and education, will serve him well as the next director, following the visionary leadership of Ralph Semmel.”
Ralph Semmel Concludes 14-Year Term
Semmel was the eighth director of APL, which was founded in 1942. In the role, he led over 9,000 staff members and oversaw research and development programs in support of DOD, intelligence community and NASA missions.
During Semmel’s tenure, APL supported scientific explorations of the sun and Pluto and the world’s first planetary defense mission to redirect an asteroid. It also supported advanced mind-controlled prosthetics, assured AI and autonomous systems, and biothreat defense technologies.
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