Howard Choe, Ph.D. Email & Phone Number

Consulting & Contract Services: Consultant (April 2024-present), IoT-based aquaculture recirculating system architecture and automation business.  Previously, served as Interim CEO at Ark Power Tech. Corp. from May 2021 to October 2021, successfully securing a Navy STTR N21B-T023 Phase I contract worth $146,497 for the development of a high-energy, high-performance Li-S battery with novel nanostructured electrodes.  Prior to the Interim CEO, was a Vice President (January 2017 to January 2021) at Wuxi SensingNet Research Industrialization Institute. Advised on emerging technologies including IoT, AI, blockchain, and Big Data, and as Chief Architect, developed business models and translated them into systems architectures. Led international business initiatives, negotiating a JV with a Canadian vehicle telematics company and obtaining an exclusive license for the Chinese market from a US biotech firm. Led and trained a team in international standard development, culminating in a strategic plan resulting in a multi-million RMB annual pipeline.

Niskayuna, New York, Us

Responsible for program management along with Principal Investigator (PI) role, I cultivated strategic relationships with government, industry, and academia to facilitate collaboration and capture opportunities. I shaped to capture cybersecurity and R&D programs from DARPA, IARPA, and other DoD/DOE agencies with PIs. I successfully led the development of a Navy 5G Ship-to-Pier Wireless Network Architecture, evaluating thirty-six (36) 5G & hybrid wireless network options and delivering recommendations. Implemented a Shaping & Capture Process within Control & Optimization Team (~250 engineers/scientists), which achieved a ~50% increase in white paper acceptance. My leadership secured significant contract awards, including coordinating successful submissions of Concept/White Papers for the DE CESER FOA 2500, ultimately resulting in ~$16M DOE funding, and leading a winning proposal under RFP DE-EE0009046 for DOE funding through CyManII, securing ~$1.5M including a 20% cost share.

Provided consulting to Wuxi SensingNet Research Industrialization Institute (Wuxi, China) on international standard development and led training initiatives for standard development teams. Provided strategic advice to the President/CEO on emerging technologies and business strategies. [For the period while at Raytheon, this consultation was approved by Raytheon’s Management, Legal, COI, and Security.]

Arlington, Va, Us

Expanded leadership roles across various domains, including Emerging Technology Leader, R&D Portfolio Manager, and Program Manager. Conducted unbiased technology assessments for Executive Management and served as a hands-on technical leader for internal and government-funded R&D projects, collaborating with multi-business unit teams. Actively participated in annual operating planning and five-year strategic planning for R&D investments and resources. Built collaborative teams with industry and academia for proposal development and execution. Initiated new internal R&D projects focused on emerging and disruptive technologies. Led capture and proposal efforts for government R&D, establishing relationships with DoD and DoE agencies, resulting in over $2M in CRAD program awards from DARPA, DTRA, and Los Alamos National Lab during 2014-2015. Additionally, directed an international capture team for a $350M Canadian Army contract from 2010 to 2011.

Bethesda, Md, Us

As Algorithms Team Manager for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF, aka F-35) Mission Systems Directorate, led a team of approximately 14 engineers and scientists responsible for developing key algorithms including guidance, navigation and control, automatic target recognition, and data fusion. Transferred these algorithms to the operational software team and worked closely with multiple integrated product teams and the USAF’s JSF PMO. As Chief Engineer, managed subcontractors and deliverables, ensuring successful integration of radar and EO/IR algorithms while resolving scheduling conflicts. Also directed the development of system-level sensor/data fusion algorithm architectures to enhance coordination between IPTs. To facilitate effective and efficient collaboration between the algorithm team and the operational software team, established a Modeling and Simulation Group to streamline algorithm translation and improve the requirements derivation process.

Providence, Ri, Us

Joined as Sr. Principal Engineer within the Signal/Information Processing Team, rapidly advancing to one of five internal Science/Research Consultants within three years. Acknowledged by the President as the "Brain Trust" and dubbed a "Fire Fighter" by Program Management for successfully rescuing jeopardized programs. Personally selected by the Business Line EVP for an Executive Program in Business Management at MIT Sloan School of Management. Led formulation and design of strategic S&T/R&D programs in collaboration with the CTO, securing contracts from entities like DARPA and enhancing the performance of existing products. Provided quarterly briefings to Executive Leadership on R&D program advancements. Appointed by the President as technical and cultural advisor and interface for the Korean Navy and DAPA (~$650M) within an international capture team, supporting negotiations on critical topics such as terms and conditions and offset agreements. Acted as simultaneous translator (EN to KR & KR to EN) during negotiations between Textron Team and ROK Team. Notably rescued a US Army landmine program (>$300M) and an ExxonMobil-funded automated robotic gas station project, both focusing on system, software, and UI enhancements.

Founded and managed a small business funded through an SBIR Phase I contract (A94-024) from the US Army TACOM in Warren, MI, providing crucial financial support for my family during my Ph.D. studies. Gained hands-on experience in business finance and accounting while overseeing operations. Designed and developed advanced statistical and Neural Network algorithms, overseeing their implementation with a part-time software team. Achieved successful delivery and demonstration of a real-time hardware-implementable algorithm and GUI software product to the customer, showcasing strong technical expertise and project management skills in a demanding environment.

College Station, Tx, Us

During my Ph.D., I served as a Research Assistant under Dr. Andrew Chan in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Dr. Charles Chui in the Department of Mathematics, both of whom were my advisors. My doctoral research focused on advanced signal and image processing, specializing in real-time acoustic signature analysis and medical imagery, with a minor emphasis on communication theory and systems. Collaborating with Dr. Chan, I co-authored numerous proposals that secured funding from Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) of the Association of American Railroads (AAR), supporting myself and two fellow graduate students over four years. As the Wavelet Lab lead, I mentored other graduate students in developing and implementing image compression and reconstruction algorithms using discrete wavelets. Notably, I developed a real-time hybrid neural-net system for detecting and identifying faults in railroad freight train roller bearings and races, which achieved top performance in TTCI’s blind test competition against 40 industry companies and universities. Additionally, I designed a robust mass screening algorithm for digitized mammograms to detect and classify benign and malignant microcalcifications, collaborating closely with a radiologist to integrate expert knowledge into the algorithm’s design.

Columbus, Ohio, Us

This position marked a pivotal phase in my early-mid career as an engineer and scientist, significantly advancing my technical expertise and laying a solid foundation for my professional growth. I specialized in developing advanced signal and image processing algorithms and systems for various sensors including Radar, EO/IR, and laser-based imaging. I excelled in designing data fusion algorithms for multi-spectral/hyper-spectral images to classify objects and conducted comprehensive analysis, modeling, simulation, and signal processing for Radar/RF seeker systems. Additionally, I contributed to ECM/ECCM analysis, RF antenna pattern evaluations for airborne radars and missile seekers, and performed detailed assessments of foreign RF and lidar systems. Notably, I led software recommendations for the F-15E ground trainer radar simulation and successfully delivered software to Kelly AFB’s AFEWC for missile and aircraft engagement. I also made significant contributions in EO/IR and visual sensor analysis, developing innovative metrics like the thermal difference (Delta-T) and enhancing sensor visualization software. My achievements extended to weather effect simulation software for visual spectrum sensors in Intelligent Vehicle & Highway Systems, as well as lidar field data collection and analysis for chemical cloud concentration estimation. Furthermore, I spearheaded projects such as emitter ID algorithm development using transient signal analysis and secured commercial contracts, including one with a Japanese firm to develop a real-time card reader algorithm with card-to-person validation. My customer engagement efforts resulted in multiple contracts with US Army TACOM for EO/IR sensor modeling and processing, and engagements with WPAFB and DARPA on specialized projects.

In this role, I was responsible for radar system analysis, modeling, simulation, performance evaluation, and radar signal processing algorithm development. I implemented advanced techniques such as importance sampling in Monte-Carlo simulations significantly reducing simulation time in statistically generating radar targets and clutter environment for CFAR detector algorithm design. Additionally, I pioneered a statistical background/clutter randomization method to enhance radar simulation accuracy and performance prediction. I evaluated and implemented adaptive CFAR thresholding techniques and conducted radar clutter cancellation analysis for space-based radar systems, along with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) focusing analysis. I contributed extensively to algorithm development, creating multi-sensor/data fusion algorithms using classical statistics and evidence reasoning, and played a key role in multiple hypothesis tracking algorithm design. Notably, I structured algorithms for hostile and non-cooperative target identification (HTI/NCTI) using ESM sensor data, focusing on enhancing autonomous decision-making capabilities through advanced multi-sensor integration techniques.

Charlottesville, Va, Us

My MSEE research was focused on multi-sensor data fusion, culminating in a thesis titled “Multi-sensor Decision-Making Analysis Using Team Strategies.” The research investigated distributed and decentralized multiple sensor networks operating under a binary hypothesis environment. I developed an optimal target detection algorithm tailored for such networks, which included a hierarchical structure with a host sensor (or gateway) coordinating with slave sensors. The study emphasized conditional communication strategies to optimize decision-making processes at the host sensor while minimizing overall system costs, which encompassed the frequency of communications and decision error probabilities. This research was supported by funding from the AF Rome Laboratory in Rome, NY. This work can be applied to advanced sensor network coordination and optimization strategies in real-world applications.

Selected as one of a few Summer Research Staff members during Summer 1988 while pursuing graduate studies at the University of Virginia. I was tasked with developing the first acoustic detection range algorithm for threat submarines, utilizing oceanic acoustic characteristics and path between ownship and the threat in a Monte-Carlo simulation framework. Additionally, I provided support to a senior principal analyst in modeling and analyzing SSBN security scenarios against enemy nuclear submarine threats. As part of this role, I conducted field visits to Navy facilities in Norfolk, VA, and Pentagon Navy Installations to gain firsthand insights into Navy operations and enhance my understanding of defense systems.

Began my career as an entry-level engineer and swiftly earned recognition for my technical ability, leading to a special assignment as Team Leader within a year, from a VP via my manager. As Team Leader and algorithm developer, I directed a 5-person team comprising a Senior Software Engineer and three Hardware Engineers across different experience levels. Our mandate was to implement, validate, demonstrate, and verify a real-time, hardware-in-the-loop EO/IR surveillance sensor system for space-based applications and re-entry vehicle (RV) detection and tracking algorithms. Overcoming initial project setbacks from another department, we successfully developed and integrated the system—comprising microprocessor-controlled gimbal systems, optical sensor (FPA), scene generator, and 3 VAX mainframes and CRAY X/MP computing resources—within a stringent six-month timeline. The system's capabilities were demonstrated to USAF generals and company executives, securing a major contract award. Additionally, I contributed to Boost Surveillance Tracking Systems (BSTS) and Space Surveillance Tracking System (SSTS) initiatives, focusing on developing detection and tracking techniques using centroiding, data association, and Kalman filtering for space surveillance EO/IR sensor systems. I conducted extensive research on IR focal plane technologies, characterized IR detectors, and analyzed focal plane spectral filter effects and IR earth background clutter to optimize IR target detection performance in space-based environments.

Los Angeles, Ca, Us

Supported a senior electronic circuit design engineer to develop precision astronomy equipment, contributing to circuit layout, design, and fabrication of components like high-capacity power supplies and pulse generators. Designed instrument panels and enclosures for packaging circuits and other finished electronic sub-units. Additionally, managed maintenance for the astronomy department's planetarium, ensuring optimal operational readiness and support for educational activities. Worked 20+ hours per week during my junior and senior years at UCLA.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Electrical Engineering - Advanced Signal/Image Processing/Communications Systems

Master'S Degree, Electrical Engineering - Optics/Communications Theory

Bachelor'S Degree, Electrical And Electronics Engineering