Zachary J. Lemnios

Zachary John Lemnios
Born	(1955-02-21) February 21, 1955 Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Engineer, scientist, executive
Known for	Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (2009–2012), Chief Technology Officer at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Vice President of Research at IBM

Zachary John Lemnios (born February 21, 1955) is a distinguished American engineer, scientist, and executive with a broad background spanning government, industry, and academic sectors. From 2009 to 2012, he held the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering—a role now known as Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Lemnios was the inaugural Chief Technology Officer at MIT Lincoln Laboratory and also served as Vice President of Research at IBM. Subsequently, he founded his own firm, ZJL Consulting, LLC.

Early life

Lemnios was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts, where he completed his education at Lexington High School. During his youth, he was an enthusiastic amateur radio operator (WA1LTA) with a keen passion for electronics and related projects.

He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1976. He further pursued a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering of Washington University in St. Louis, graduating in 1979. His graduate research concentrated on "The Fabrication and Evaluation of Microwave Field Effect Transistors." Additionally, he undertook advanced executive education through the Harvard Kennedy School Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security.

Career

Lemnios’s professional journey includes significant technical and managerial positions at companies such as Hughes Aircraft, Westinghouse Electric, and Ford Microelectronics, where he contributed to the development of cutting-edge microelectronic components. He became the first to hold the title of Chief Technology Officer at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. In 2002, he joined the Information Processing Technology Office (IPTO), playing an instrumental role in launching the Personalized Assistant that Learns initiative.

His leadership extended to chairing and participating on technical committees for GOMACTech and the GaAs IC Symposium.

In June 2009, Lemnios was confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, effectively serving as the Department of Defense’s Chief Technology Officer. During his tenure, he founded the DoD Science and Technology Executive Committee and assumed critical advisory positions including Principal member of the Committee on Technology under the National Science and Technology Council, Advisor to the Defense Acquisition Board, and Chairmanship over several DoD science and technology councils.

He introduced four strategic priorities to direct Defense Science & Technology efforts: expediting the deployment of technical capabilities; preparing for unpredictable future challenges by investing in cyber science, electronic warfare, autonomous systems, among others; minimizing costs, acquisition durations, and risks within defense programs; and fostering exceptional STEM talent for both DoD and national benefit.

After resigning in November 2012, Lemnios transitioned to IBM as Vice President responsible for research strategy.

Awards

Lemnios has contributed more than 40 scholarly articles and holds four patents related to advanced Gallium arsenide device technologies and MMIC innovations.

He is honored as a Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, recognized for his leadership in advanced defense security technologies.

In 2018, he was awarded the University of Michigan Electrical and Computer Engineering Alumni Impact Award—the highest distinction granted to alumni who have significantly influenced electrical engineering and computer science frontiers.

He also received the Alumni Achievement Award from Washington University in St. Louis.

Patents

• Application Specific Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit with Three Metal Personalization
• Application Specific Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit Featuring Three Metal Personalization
• GaAs Integrated Circuits Utilizing Sputtered Metallic Silicide Gate
• Gallium Arsenide Structures Employing Ion Implant Mask and Cap

Personal life

In 2010, Lemnios was honored as a Nifty Fifty Speaker by the Department of Defense at the USA Science and Engineering Festival, where he engaged middle and high school students by discussing his professional journey. That same year, he appeared as a distinguished guest at the Team America Rocketry Challenge. He further contributed to STEM education by addressing participants of the Real World Design Challenge in 2012 and attending the FIRST Robotics Competition during that year as well.