On May 31, Heidi Shyu, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, awarded Eric Evans the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the best honor the Secretary of Defense bestows on private residents for significant service to the Department of Defense. Evans was chosen for his leadership as Director of MIT Lincoln Laboratory and as Vice Chair and Chair of the Defense Science Board (DSB).
“I actually have come to know Eric well over the past three years and greatly respect his leadership, initiative, vision, intellect and humility,” Shyu said in her remarks through the May 31 ceremony on the lab. “Eric is prepared and in a position to face and solve essentially the most difficult national security problems. His outstanding public service will proceed to have a useful impact on the Department and the nation for many years to return.”
During his tenure in each roles for greater than a decade, Evans has cultivated relationships at the best levels throughout the Department of Defense. Since assuming his role as laboratory director in 2006, he has advised eight secretaries of defense and 7 deputy secretaries of defense. Under his leadership, the laboratory delivered advanced national security capabilities in a wide selection of technology areas, including cybersecurity, space surveillance, biodefense, artificial intelligence, laser communications, and quantum computing.
Evans ensured that the laboratory addressed not only the prevailing priorities of the Department of Defense, but additionally emerging and future threats. He anticipated the necessity and established three recent technical departments for Cybersecurity and Information Science, Homeland SecurityAnd Biotechnology and human systemsWhen the Covid-19 pandemic struck, he quickly pivoted the lab to support the national response. To ensure U.S. competitiveness in an ever-evolving defense landscape, he championed the modernization of key test sites, including the Reagan Test Site for which the laboratory acts as scientific advisor, and secured funding for brand spanking new state-of-the-art facilities akin to the Compound Semiconductor Laboratory – Microsystem Integration FacilityHe also strengthened relationships with the MIT campus for research collaborations to advance innovation and expand training opportunities to arrange the following generation of the Department of Defense's STEM workforce.
In parallel, Evans served on the DSB, the premier body that advises the highest leadership of the Department of Defense on science and technology issues. Evans served as Vice Chair of the DSB from 2014 to 2020 and has served as Chair since 2020. Over the years, Evans led or supported greater than 30 DSB studies of direct relevance to the Department of Defense. Notably, he initiated a brand new standing Strategic Options Subcommittee focused on identifying systems and technologies to arrange the nation for future defense needs.
“The medal is a superb and well-deserved recognition of Eric’s contributions to MIT and national security,” said Ian Waitz, MIT’s vice chairman for research.
Evans will step down as director of Lincoln Laboratory on July 1 and assume dual roles as senior fellow and professor of practice on the MIT campus and as a fellow within the Lincoln Laboratory Director's Office. In these recent roles, he’ll further strengthen relationships between the Laboratory and the MIT campus and work with Department of Defense leaders.
