UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State has named Martin Irvine Jr. as deputy director and head of its Undersea Systems Office. In this role, Irvine will guide the laboratory’s long-term vision and research roadmap for undersea dominance, providing strategic, technical and operational leadership to a multidisciplinary team focused on addressing the nation’s most critical undersea challenges.
Irvine brings decades of experience in naval research, engineering and national security leadership. Most recently, he served as associate vice president for national security initiatives at Old Dominion University. Prior to that, he was the executive director of the Naval Surface and Undersea Warfare Centers, where he oversaw more than 30,000 personnel and managed $16 billion in research, development, testing and evaluation programs for the U.S. Navy.
He also served as executive director for U.S. Navy Submarine Forces, acting as the principal civilian advisor to the Submarine Force Commander and providing senior leadership on strategic deterrence, undersea warfare programs and technology integration. Earlier in his career, Irvine contributed as a hydrodynamics expert at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division and as a researcher at ARL.
“I am extremely excited to welcome Dr. Irvine to the ARL leadership team,” said Allan Sonsteby, executive director of ARL. “As a University Affiliated Research Center, ARL stewards technical competencies critical to the nation’s undersea capabilities. Dr. Irvine’s exceptional leadership and technical expertise will further strengthen our ability to support the Navy and advance undersea innovation.”
Irvine is expected to begin his new role in mid-July.
“I’m honored to join ARL at such a pivotal time,” Irvine said. “The laboratory’s legacy of technical excellence and its commitment to national security make it a unique and impactful organization. I look forward to working with the team to advance undersea capabilities that are vital to our nation’s defense and undersea dominance.”
Irvine holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Iowa and a bachelor’s and master’s in ocean engineering from Virginia Tech. He is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executive Fellows program and holds an executive certificate in management and leadership from the Massachusetts School of Technology Sloan School of Management.
His honors include the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award and the Meritorious Civilian Service Award. He is a fellow of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, recognized for his outstanding contributions to naval architecture, marine and ocean engineering. He also received the VADM Charles E. Weakley Award for meritorious service and noteworthy contributions to effective government/industry collaborations in the field of Undersea Warfare.