Dr. Donald M. Kerr, DNRO
Director, of the NRO

Dr. Donald M. Kerr became the fifteenth NRO Director in July 2005. In October 2005, he was appointed as the Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force (Intelligence Space Technology).

Dr. Kerr was appointed Deputy Director for Science and Technology at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in August 2001. He received the CIA Distinguished Intelligence Medal in September 2005.

From October 1997 until August 2001, Dr. Kerr was an Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation where he was responsible for the Laboratory Division. Dr. Kerr’s prior government service was with the Department of Energy from August 1976 through July 1979, first in Las Vegas as Deputy Manager of Nevada Operations, and subsequently in Washington, D.C., as the Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs and later for Energy Technology. He received the DOE Outstanding Service Award in July 1979.

Dr. Kerr held several key executive positions in private industry. From 1996 to 1997, he was Executive Vice President and Director at Information Systems Laboratories, Inc. From 1993 to 1996, he was Corporate Executive Vice President and Director at Science Applications International Corporation. Dr. Kerr was President and Director of EG&G, Inc., from 1989 to 1992. He also served as Senior Vice President and Executive Vice President, respectively, at EG&G from 1985 to 1989.

Dr. Kerr was the fourth Director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory from 1979 to 1985. He was also employed at Los Alamos from 1966 until 1976, conducting and leading research in high altitude weapons effects, nuclear test detection and analysis, weapons diagnostics, ionospheric physics, and alternative energy programs.

Dr. Kerr received his Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University in 1963 and went on to earn an M.S. in microwave electronics and a Ph.D. in plasma physics and microwave electronics at Cornell. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Kerr has published frequently on nuclear weapons efforts, national security and arms control, energy technology, and ionospheric research.