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Chris Deards, Ph.D. has a diverse work experience in various engineering roles. Chris joined Volant Partners, Inc. in 2023 as a Senior Advisory Engineer. Prior to that, they worked at Belcan starting in 2020 as an Advisory Systems Engineer. From 2010 to 2020, Chris worked at Lockheed Martin, initially as a Research Scientist, Sr., where they gained experience in building fiber lasers and testing fiber laser packaging. Chris also worked as an Aerospace Engineer, Sr., contributing to plasma science programs, directed energy research, and concept design for the next generation tactical fighter. Chris started their career as an intern at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1999 and at NASA in 1998, where they developed a fluid simulation for the space shuttle hydraulics system. Overall, Chris brings a strong background in engineering, systems design, and technical expertise to their roles.

Chris Deards, Ph.D. holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering from the University of Washington. Chris pursued this degree from 2000 to 2010. Chris also obtained a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in the same field from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) between 1994 and 1999.

In terms of further education, Chris attained a Certificate in Systems Engineering from the University of California, Irvine Division of Continuing Education, completing the program from 2017 to 2020. Additionally, they obtained a professional certificate in Architecture and Systems Engineering: Models and Methods to Manage Complex Systems from MIT xPRO in February 2022.