Dr. Mark A. Gallagher is Professor of Practice in the Department of Operational Sciences of the School of Engineering and Management at the Air Force Institute of Technology. He teaches graduate courses and leads research pertinent to the Air Force and joint warfighting. Prior to this position, Dr. Gallagher was Technical Director of Studies, Analyses and Assessments at Headquarters Air Force. In that position, he was the government executive agent for RAND Project Air Force, which is the study and analysis Federally Funded Research and Development Corporation for the Air Force.
Dr. Gallagher has more than thirty years of experience as an operations research analyst, manager and executive. He has been involved in analysis across the warfighting spectrum including cyber, conventional, missile defense and nuclear warfare. He has advanced analytic techniques in various areas including warfare modeling, cost, risk and testing. Dr. Gallagher founded and chaired the Cyber Joint Munitions Effectiveness Manual. He also served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Strategic Command, and the Air Staff.
Dr. Gallagher has served as Chair for the Snyder Robinson Foundation, which organizes research for a rare genetic disease. He was the Vice President in the Military Operations Research Society and is a Fellow of the Society. He chaired the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences Prize Committee. He has also served on the Military and Security Society Council. Dr. Gallagher has published over 30 technical articles (see www.linkedin.com/in/GallagherMA).
EDUCATION
1983 Bachelor of Science, Operations Research and Computer Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
1986 Masters of Science, Operations Research, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
1987 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1992 PhD in Operations Research, AFIT, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
1995 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2006 Air War College, Outstanding Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2006 Senior Executive Fellow, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
CAREER CHRONLOGY
1. September 1983 – April 1984, Student, Pilot Training, Lubbock Air Force Base, Texas
2. April 1984 – May 1985, Life Cycle Cost Analyst, Aeronautical System Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
3. May 1985 – December 1987, Masters Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
4. January 1988 – September 1989, Chief, Scientific Assessment Branch, Headquarters U.S. Strategic Air Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
5. September 1989 – October 1992, Doctoral Student, AFIT, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
6. November 1992 – September 1995, Cost Analyst, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Program Analysis and Evaluation and Cost Analysis Improvement Group, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
7. September 1995 – November 1998, Chief Scientist, USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
8. November 1998 – June 2001, Associate Professor of Operations Research, AFIT, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
9. July 2001 – July 2003, Chief, Information Operations Analysis Branch, USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
10. July 2003 – November 2004, Senior Scientist and Technical Advisor, USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
11. November 2004 – July 2005, Chief, Analysis Management Division, USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
12. July 2005 – August 2007, Chief/Deputy Chief of Missile Defense and Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction Capabilities Division, USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
13. September 2007 – May 2009, Deputy Director, Resource Analysis Directorate, Studies & Analyses, Assessments and Lessons Learned, Headquarters Air Force, THE Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. May 2009 – December 2018, Technical Director, Studies, Analyses and Assessments, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. January 2019 – present, Professor of Practice, Department of Operational Sciences, School of Engineering and Management, AFIT, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1989 Strategic Air Command, Outstanding Intelligence Contributor
1990 Military Operations Research Society, Barchi Prize
1994 Society of Cost Estimating and Analysis, Best Paper Award
1995 Military Operations Research Society, Barchi Prize
2002 Military Operations Research Society, Rist Prize
2003 Military Operations Research Society, Rist Prize
2007 Joint Civilian Service Award
2009 Meritorious Civilian Service Award
2013 Military Operations Research Society, Clayton J. Thomas Award for lifetime achievement
2014 Institute for Operations Research and Management Science, Certified Analytics Professional
2014 Military Operations Research Society, Fellow of Society
2017 INFORMS Prize for the US Air Force (Dr. Gallagher led the nomination team)
2018 Meritorious Senior Career Professional, Presidential Rank Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1983
First Lieutenant June 1, 1985
Captain June 1, 1987
Major April 1, 1995
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 1998
GS-15 July 21, 2003
Senior Leader May 24, 2009
(Current as of March 2019)