Jaret C. Riddick

Jaret C. Riddick, Ph.D., is the director of the Vehicle Technology Directorate (VTD) of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. As director, he leads the establishment of the strategic vision for new science to enable future Army manned and unmanned, ground and air platforms. He manages and directs organizational efforts focused on fundamental and early applied research associated with autonomy, robotics, mobility, propulsion, aeromechanics and reliability.

Prior to becoming VTD director, he served as acting chief of the VTD Mechanics Division, where he supervised research efforts to reduce the logistics burdens. Before that, he was division chief and performed a detail assignment as staff specialist in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (OUSD). Prior to joining OUSD, Jaret was detailed to the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research and Technology.

Jaret first joined the ARL Mechanics Division of VTD in 2002, at NASA-Langley Research Center. In 2012, he was promoted to lead of the Structural Integrity and Durability Team at APG, where he directed PhD-level researchers in establishing and maturing concepts for reliable, lightweight, adaptive vehicle platform technologies. His most recent research interests focus on novel mechanics for future vehicle platforms to enable revolutionary mobility and maneuver in support of the new Army Operating Concept for multi-domain operations.

Jaret holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Howard University; a master of science in mechanical engineering from North Carolina A&T State University; and a Ph.D. in engineering mechanics from Virginia Tech. In 2017, he was awarded the Office of Secretary of Defense Award of Excellence. He has served as a member of the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering Board of Visitors since 2014.