David Bowles became the first Executive Director of the Virginia Institute of Spaceflight & Autonomy at Old Dominion University in 2019 after more than 35 years at NASA Langley Research Center. He started as a materials research engineer, and then moved into progressively increasing senior leadership roles, culminating as the Center Director in 2015.
As Director, he focused on transforming the work, the workforce and the workplace with widespread use of emerging digital and autonomous technologies. David is active in the aerospace and local communities, serving on numerous boards and as an Associate Fellow in AIAA.
His areas of expertise include aerospace, systems engineering, materials/manufacturing, and leadership, He is a graduate of Virginia Tech, where he earned a doctoral degree in Engineering Science and Mechanics.