Dr. Derrick Marcus Tepaske

Dr. Tepaske is currently serving as ONR Global Technical Director, where he leads command technical experts fostering international research collaborations in emerging science and technology, seeks innovations and revolutionary technology advances, and accelerates technology transition to the fleet and force.

He previously was an ONR Global Science Director in Singapore, where he worked across the region to build relationships and invest in researchers who are doing basic and early applied research of interest to the U.S. Navy. His primary technical focuses were on manned-unmanned teaming and efficient and resilient power management. He also led ONR Global’s effort to increase its presence in India.

Prior to that, Dr. Tepaske served as the first permanent Director for ONR Global Experimentation and Analysis (E&A). In that role, he solidified ONR Global’s role as a hub for experimentation in support of the Naval Research Enterprise and the operational force. In addition to managing a large portfolio of experimentation and analysis efforts, ONR Global E&A played a critical role in maintaining awareness of experimentation and analysis opportunities, building relationships across the community and leading the coordination of S&T experimentation in major naval exercises.

Dr. Tepaske has also served as the ONR Global Science Advisor to U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Marine Corps Forces Command and II Marine Expeditionary Force. In those roles he served as the primary science and technology advisor and coordinated fleet/force inputs to a multitude of science and technology programs, while also working to identify technologies under development across government, academia and industry that could be applied to naval needs. During his Science Advisor tours, Dr. Tepaske deployed to Afghanistan in support of the International Security Assistance Force, deployed to CENTCOM on board the USS BUSH CVN and supported numerous experiments and exercises around the world.

Dr. Tepaske has extensive experience in both Navy and Marine Corps weapon system integration. He served as the ONR Fires Thrust Deputy Program Manager, strengthening the Marine Corps Firepower science and technology portfolio by initiating new programs relating to optics, advanced materials, remote weapon stations and semi-autonomous lethal engagements. He also served as the Deputy Program Manager for the Navy’s Patrol Coastal Griffin Missile System. This accelerated development program required him to lead the first-of-class integration and ship installation efforts as well as those activities required for financial planning and execution. Previously, Dr. Tepaske spent 10 years at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren working on a broad spectrum of technology development programs, some of which deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Dr. Tepaske earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic and State University and he has a Masters of Engineering Management and a Doctorate of Engineering from Old Dominion University. Dr. Tepaske’s exemplary performance serving the Navy has resulted in many accolades to include three Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Awards.

Updated: June 2024