EMRTC Director
Director: Dr. John Meason
Dr. John L. Meason became Director of the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC) at New Mexico Tech University in May 2001 after having served for many years as an Army Officer, University Professor, and Department of the Army Civilian.
He began his government career at White Sands Missile Range, NM, in 1979. In February 1989, following a succession of promotions, he became Director of the Directorate for Applied Technology, Test and Simulation (DATTS). In that role, he successfully led the directorate in its mission to perform test, evaluation, assessment, modeling, and simulation of electromagnetic, directed energy, nuclear, electronic warfare, and space environmental effects applicable to DoD weapon systems and componentry, other Government development efforts, and commercial products and programs. Under his leadership, DATTS developed a solid reputation for service by its dedication to providing responsive, affordable support to its growing customer base. Based on that reputation, Dr. Meason expanded DATTS operations to include more comprehensive capabilities in electronic warfare/electro-optical/electromagnetic (EW/EO/EM) effects to better serve the directorate's clients.
Prior to his government career, Dr. Meason was a teaching professor and leading researcher at the University of Arkansas and other academic institutions. His academic and government careers have covered virtually all major areas of nuclear science, with achievements advancing the understanding of basic and applied phenomena in the fields of nuclear physics, radio and nuclear chemistry, nucleo-geo-cosmo chemistry, and nuclear engineering. He has authored over 100 scientific and technical papers and referees for journals such as IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Nuclear Science and Engineering, and Physical Review (nuclear section). He has evaluated proposals for the National Science Foundation and the Atomic Energy Commission and has been a consultant for environmental monitoring of natural and man-made radionuclides to the Electric Power Research Institute. He is a member of Sigma Xi, the Nuclear Chemistry and Technology Division of the American Chemical Society, and the ASTM Committee E10.7 on Hardness Assurance.
Dr. Meason, a native of Lubbock, Texas, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and physics at West Texas A&M University and continued his studies at the University of Arkansas, earning a Master of Science degree in nuclear chemistry and a Ph.D. in nuclear physics and chemistry. He was awarded the Fulbright Fellowship for Lecturing and Research, University of Hacettepe, Ankara, Turkey.
Dr. Meason served in the U.S. Army Individual Ready Reserve and was discharged in 1982. He currently resides in Socorro, NM. He and his wife, Joan, have two grown sons, John and Paul.
