Engineering

Drawing upon four decades of practical excellence in aerospace engineering and military service, Capt. Michael Chase Davis, ScD, retired in 1996 after serving the Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space Co. as a program manager and director for 17 years, beginning in 1979. In his unique position, he was responsible for the development of the stealth ship, Sea Shadow. At the inception of his career in 1961, he first served as a research analyst at the David Taylor Naval Ship Research and Development Center, where he was awarded the Prize for Top Scientific Work among all the U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships (BuShips) laboratories in 1963. From there, he was a project coordinator for submarine preliminary design at BuShips from 1963 to 1966.

From 1966 to 1968, Dr. Davis served as a design superintendent at the Mare Naval Shipyard before becoming a systems analyst with the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 1968 to 1970. Soon thereafter, he served as a ship design director of Trident submarines and Aegis warships at the Naval Sea Systems Command for the following five years. Dr. Davis was notable as a U.S. Navy captain and commanding officer of the David W. Taylor Naval Ship Research and Development Center, with over 3,000 employees, from 1975 to 1977, and a program manager with Science Applications International Corp. from 1977 to 1979.

Standing second in his class during his undergraduate studies, Dr. Davis soon pursued destroyer and submarine assignments at sea before pursuing graduate-level education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he later obtained a master’s degree and ScD in 1961. To remain aware of developments in his areas of interest, he has also maintained affiliation with the U.S. Naval Institute.

As a testament to his success, Dr. Davis has earned numerous accolades and honors including a Decorated Legion of Merit from the U.S. Navy. Married to his present wife, Jacqueline L. Watkins, for 25 years, he is the proud father of two sons, Michael and Mark, from a previous marriage. A celebrated Marquis listee, he has been featured in more than 20 Who’s Who publications since 1985.

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