Dr. James E. Colvard
Technical Director, Naval Surface Weapons Center, Dahlgren Laboratory, 1973-1980

Dr. James E. Colvard is a native of Robbinsville, North Carolina. He graduated from Berea College, Kentucky, in 1958, with a B.A. Degree in Physics. He has subsequently done extensive graduate work in physics and electronics at UCLA, the University of Missouri and Johns Hopkins University. His graduate work in the field of management includes studies at the University of Northern Colorado, the University of Southern California and the University of Oklahoma. He received his Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma in 1973.

Dr. Colvard came to NWL on 17 August 1969 from the Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California. While at NWC he headed the Digital Fire Control Program Range Operations Division, Project Engineering Division and Countermeasures Division. In 1968, he received the Michelson Lab Fellowship Award for Management. He was employed by the Naval Weapons Laboratory to head the Advanced Systems Department and served in that capacity until 1971. As part of NWL's rotational system he then went to the Surface Warfare Department and served as its head until he was appointed Assistant Technical Director in 1972 and he was serving in that capacity at the time of his selection as Technical Director.