Skip to Content
MIT News magazine

New Lincoln Lab Head

Eric Evans is now at the helm.
September 8, 2006

Eric Evans, a radar and optical-technology expert who has specialized in air defense systems, is the new director of MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

Eric Evans is the new director of MIT Lincoln Laboratory (Courtesy of MIT Lincoln Lab)

He takes over for David Briggs, who stepped down in June after eight years as director because of a lab rotation rule. Briggs holds Evans in “high regard” and says the lab, operating at its Department of Defense-imposed maximum in technical personnel and funding, is “in good shape.”

An IEEE fellow with three electrical-engineering degrees, Evans joined the lab 18 years ago to work on new radar systems for the navy. Since 1999, he has led the Air and Missile Defense Technology Division.

In July, Evans took charge of the lab’s more than 300 projects, from sophisticated radar systems to a telescope in New Mexi­co that watches space for objects coming close to Earth. Evans will guide the lab’s future research, which will include projects addressing what he calls “new national challenges” in homeland security, biological-weapons defense, and insurgency defense in the Middle East.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

Geoffrey Hinton tells us why he’s now scared of the tech he helped build

“I have suddenly switched my views on whether these things are going to be more intelligent than us.”

ChatGPT is going to change education, not destroy it

The narrative around cheating students doesn’t tell the whole story. Meet the teachers who think generative AI could actually make learning better.

Meet the people who use Notion to plan their whole lives

The workplace tool’s appeal extends far beyond organizing work projects. Many users find it’s just as useful for managing their free time.

Learning to code isn’t enough

Historically, learn-to-code efforts have provided opportunities for the few, but new efforts are aiming to be inclusive.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.