Dr. James W. Weber is the Principal Director for Hypersonics in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)). In this position, he serves as the Department of Defense’s senior official and subject matter expert for Hypersonics. Dr. Weber leads DOD’s vision, strategy, and roadmap for hypersonic weapons and platforms, and the defense against hypersonic threats. Additionally, he oversees the strategic alignment and coordination of the Department’s more than $4 billion annual portfolio in hypersonics including science and technology, prototyping, test and evaluation, and industrial base development. Dr. Weber has more than 30 years of experience in the research and development of hypersonic systems supporting multiple Air Force, DARPA, and NASA hypersonics programs. In 2019, Dr. Weber was detailed to OUSD(R&E) as a Special Assistant for Hypersonics, where he led the development and execution of the first DOD Hypersonics Science & Technology Strategy. Prior to assuming his current position, Dr. Weber served as the Air Force Senior Scientist for Hypersonics, where he was responsible for the department’s hypersonics science and technology enterprise and advised Air Force senior leadership on hypersonic systems development. Dr. Weber received his B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Tennessee and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland. He is an Excellence in Government Fellow and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.