Dr. Harry Dreany serves as a Scientist and Researcher at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), where his work centers on the development of cognitive architectures for defense applications. He also leads artificial intelligence (AI) development efforts for the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) in Quantico, Virginia, serving as the AI Development Lead within its Science and Technology Division. In this role, Dr. Dreany is responsible for shaping and managing the MCWL’s AI Science and Technology portfolio, guiding research and innovation at the intersection of human cognition, machine learning, and military decision support.

Dr. Dreany’s academic and professional trajectory is rooted in over three decades of experience spanning military service, federal research, and defense innovation. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1992 while pursuing his undergraduate studies and retired in 2022 after 30 years of service, including multiple operational deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Since entering civil service in 1998, Dr. Dreany has held numerous technical leadership positions across the Navy and Marine Corps. Notably, he served as the Technical Manager for the Collaborative Online Reconnaissance Provider–Operational Responsive Attack Link (CORPORAL) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD); as a Technical Direction Agent for the Office of Naval Research, overseeing USMC Ground Vehicle Science and Technology initiatives; and as the Prototyping Lead for the Naval Surface Warfare Center/Naval Undersea Warfare Center Headquarters.

Dr. Dreany holds a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from The George Washington University. His interdisciplinary academic background also includes an M.S. in Systems Engineering (George Mason University), an M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies (U.S. Naval War College), a B.S. in Physics (University of Mary Washington), and a B.A. in Political Science (Randolph-Macon College). His research interests include cognitive systems engineering, AI-human teaming, the legal, moral, and ethical (LME) implications of AI in military contexts, and the operational application of intelligent systems in expeditionary environments.

Dr. Timothy Shives is a Professor of Practice in the Information Sciences Department at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). Prior to this position, Dr. Shives was a Department of Navy (DON) civil servant in the Cyber Excepted Services (CES) with Fleet Cyber Command/10th Fleet (FCC/C10F) serving as their Cyber Liaison Officer (LNO)/ Cyber Operations Chair to the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). Prior to joining FCC/ C10F, Dr. Shives served as a Department of Defense (DOD) civil servant in the competitive services (GS) at the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) for seven years in the grades of GS-13 to GS-15. Dr. Shives also served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps in both the active duty and reserve components for over twenty years. Dr. Shives is still in active status with the Marine Corps Reserves where he holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Dr. Shives began his military career as an attack helicopter pilot flying the AH-1W “Super Cobra,” but was assigned to a multitude of other occupational specialties in the fields of financial management, information technology management, cyber operations, project management, acquisition management, and data management. After transitioning from active duty in 2015, Dr. Shives entered the DOD civil service as an information technology manager responsible for the program management for personnel security and the intelligence community as well as the senior manager for cyber security, operations, and oversight of numerous large-scale, DoD-wide IT systems.

In 2020, Dr. Shives graduated from the Defense Senior Leadership Development Program (DSLDP), the DOD’s premier leadership program for developing future Senior Executive Servants (SES) and Senior Leaders (SL) from high-performing managers at the GS-14 and GS-15 level. Dr. Shives began his current position at NPS in June of 2024 where he instructs in cyber operations and information warfare courses and is also the Academic Associate for Information Technology Management and the Applied Cyber Operations masters programs. He holds the following academic appointments at NPS: the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) Chair for Cyber Policy and Strategy, the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) Chair, the Associate Chair for the Cyber Academic Group (CAG), and the Cyber Warfare Chair.

Dr. Shives holds the following degrees: a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership and an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) postgraduate degree in Educational Leadership from Liberty University, a Master of Science (MS) in Information Technology Management (ITM) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master of Arts (MA) in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. While not all inclusive, Dr. Shives also holds the following professional certifications: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Project Management Professional (PMP), Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Program Management Level II, Certified Defense Financial Manager with Acquisition (CDFM-A), and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSSBB), and an Information Technology Information Library version 4 (ITIL4) Strategic Leader.