Dr. Donald C. Daniel, UT Associate Vice President for the University of Tennessee Space Institute, has announced that he will retire in May. Daniel joined UTSI in 2006 following a national search to lead the Institute. Prior to joining the UT team, he served in a wide variety of engineering, management and executive positions in industry, government and academia. Those included being a research engineer with The Boeing Company and serving for 30 years with the Department of the Air Force in various positions including Chief Scientist of the Arnold Engineering Development Center; Deputy Director of Science and Technology and Chief Scientist, Air Force Materiel Command; Executive Director of the Air Force Research Laboratory; and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Science, Technology and Engineering). Following his Air Force career, Dr. Daniel simultaneously served as a Principal Research Engineer with Georgia Tech, a Distinguished Research Professor at the National Defense University in Washington D.C., and Chairman of NATO’s Research and Technology Board.

Daniel said in a recent interview that he was honored to have led UTSI and greatly enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the many facets of the University of Tennessee System throughout the State. “Leading UTSI has been an extremely interesting experience. Donna and I love Tennessee and the great people here. We are very pleased to have had the opportunity to live here twice in my professional career. We like it so much in fact that Tullahoma will remain home to us. We look forward to continuing our friendships and activities and expanding our enjoyment of this great area.”

Dr. John Petersen, UT President, echoed Daniel’s feelings about the Tullahoma area and Tennessee. He stated: “The University of Tennessee has made great strides in providing for our citizens and we continue to move forward every year. UTSI is a key part of our University structure and I am confident that, like UT as a whole, they will continue to move forward as well. I am very appreciative of the excellent senior leadership Don brought to UTSI and to UT. He has been an active participant and key player on my staff since the first day he arrived in Tullahoma. Replacing such a leader is always difficult but I will name a Search Committee immediately to begin this very important task.”

Dr. David Millhorn, UT Executive Vice President, also praised Daniel’s leadership. “Don was exactly the right fit at the right time for UTSI when we were fortunate enough to attract him. He has done a great job for UT on campus and off. I am delighted that he and Donna will maintain their home in Tennessee and I am equally sure that they will continue to contribute to our great area of the country.”