Robert N. Knetl, a longtime defense engineer and federal government program manager, is the new director of GTRI's Washington Operations.
It's a demanding job that, Knetl said, requires him to assume several roles. But he's quick to add that those roles have one major element in common - helping to grow GTRI's research in both traditional and non-traditional areas.
"There's so much capability at GTRI," Knetl said. "My job is all about connecting end-users, primarily in the government, with the capabilities here at GTRI."
Knetl joined GTRI last year after four years with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and 32 years with the Department of the Navy. His Washington career includes extensive experience with acquisition and logistics of defense systems as well as national security issues. At DHS he was manager for cargo security programs and led development and integration of a complete supply chain security strategy.
"Bob has a great resume, with strong experience in technical, executive and financial management," said Stephen E. Cross, a Georgia Tech vice president and GTRI's director. "I expect his broad understanding of our government's defense needs and practices to be a great asset for GTRI."
Knetl's job has two main goals. The first, more tactical goal involves using his Washington experience to match end-user requirements with the myriad research strengths of GTRI and Georgia Tech. The second goal, he said, is more strategic - developing new approaches for how GTRI engages with new customers in the D.C. area.
"Georgia Tech's reputation in Washington is stellar," Knetl said. "At the same time, Washington has its own culture and requirements, and part of my job involves trying to translate those requirements to help our researchers better interface with end-users. It's all about communication."
Knetl acknowledged that developing optimal strategies for reaching new Washington customers will be an ongoing project.
One core approach, he said, involves increasing outreach -- acquainting more end-users with both the breadth and quality of GTRI's expertise. For one thing, GTRI will offer a new professional master's degree in applied systems engineering, as well as short courses in specialized topics taught by GTRI laboratories. Instruction will include both face-to-face and distance-learning approaches.
Meanwhile, he added, there's no substitute for the direct, person-to-person approach in getting across GTRI's message in Washington.
"That includes focusing the message and interacting with folks both in government and in large corporations, and also working with Georgia Tech's Congressional liaison office in Washington," he said.
GTRI's office in Arlington, Knetl explained, offers a place from which Georgia Tech visitors can operate in the Washington area. The facility provides conferencing capability and will help support GTRI's distance-learning efforts in the D.C. area.
Knetl graduated from the University of Detroit with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, and he holds a master's degree in engineering administration from George Washington University and another master's in resourcing the national strategy from the National Defense University's Industrial College of the Armed Forces. In 2005 he received the Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary for Science and Technology Award for Program Management.
"In some ways I have a fairly easy job because I represent a really great resource - I just need to get Washington people to know about it more thoroughly and to utilize it more and more," Knetl added. "It's not like you can do that in a week, but over time reaching out to both traditional and non-traditional customers has the potential to create real growth."