Dr. Deepak Varshneya joined AEO as a Program Manager-Advisor after serving the Strategic Technology Office (STO) for four years.  In AEO, his primary goal is to transition programs to the services while investigating technologies that adaptively enhance system performance.   His key areas of interest are: Electro-Optical Sensors and Systems for Tactical Operations, Rapid Identifications of Threats and Unified Communications in Battlefield Theater; which are supported by programs such as the One Shot, C-Sniper and SRVS.   

In 2006, Dr. Varshneya was with the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), San Diego, CA where he was a Senior Program Manager responsible for the new business development of RF and Electro-optic Sensors and Systems. In this position, he was awarded a Crosswind Sensor System seedling program by DARPA.   

Previously, Dr. Varshneya was employed as a Senior Research Scientist at Cubic Defense Applications, San Diego, CA from 1996 through 2006. At Cubic in 2004, he was awarded the multi-phase, multi-million, Dynamical Optical Tags (DOTs) program by DARPA. In Phase 1 of the DOTs program, he contributed to the development of the world's first Large Area Surface Normal Optical Modulator, a key component that enabled Free Space Retro-Optical (FSO) communications at ranges exceeding tens of kilometers with Goodput exceeding 100kbps. Prior to the award of DOTs, he led the development of the All optical Combat Identification system (O-CIDS) and the Precision Gunnery System (PGS). The PGS system has been fielded by the Spanish and Canadian Ministry of Defense (MOD). From 1996 through 2000, Varshneya contributed to the development of the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES 2000) that has been fielded by the US Army.  He also contributed to the development of technologies for the UK MOD's Area Weapons Effect Simulator (AWES) program for which he received a Gold award.   

In 1993, Dr. Varshneya founded Advanced Fiber Optic Systems that provided consulting services to Litton Guidance, Woodland Hills, CA, Tempo Research, San Diego, CA and SPIE, Bellingham, WA. From 1986 through 1993, Varshneya was employed as the Chief Scientist, Fiber Optic Technology, at Teledyne Ryan Electronics, San Diego, CA. At Teledyne, he contributed to the development of the US Army's Advanced Digital Optical Control System (ADOCS: Fly by Light System) for the Rotary Wing aircraft. For this development work, he was awarded multi-million dollar programs by the US Army and Boeing.  At Teledyne, he was recognized for his pioneering work in the development of all fiber optic position sensor system for which he received the Silver and Bronze awards.   

Dr. Varshneya received his Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science in Physics from the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.  He also received a Master of Science in Solid State Physics from the Agra University, Agra, India. He has more than fifteen US patents, and is an author/co-author of several papers in the field of fiber optics, electro-optics sensor and systems and glass and ceramic materials.