Board of Trustees

Dr. MacNaughton is responsible for more than 190 scientists, engineers, and support staff performing research and development in analytical and materials chemistry, medicinal chemistry, drug delivery, chemical engineering, microencapsulation, chemical warfare agent destruction and fire technology. Current Division initiatives include advanced destruction techniques for chemical agents; development of advanced drug and vaccine therapeutics; design of tissue scaffolds; encapsulation of pharmaceutics; advanced fluid bed technology for processing coal and tar sands; high level radiation services; analysis of ultratrace contaminants in air, food, and consumer products; large-scale fire suppression technology; and the nuclear power cycle.

For over 40 years, Dr. MacNaughton has been active in multidisciplinary engineering and chemistry research programs. He continues to conduct and provide management leadership for programs in environmental engineering, analytical chemistry, and chemical and biological warfare defense. His current research involves chemistry of chemical agents and technologies to defeat chemical and biological weapons from terrorists and nation states.

During 26 years in the US Air Force, Dr. MacNaughton served in many research and acquisition management positions. His final position was as the System Program Office (SPO) director for the Human Systems Division at Brooks AFB. As the senior acquisition officer, he directed 17 program offices, 200 personnel, and a budget of $67 million in development and $500 million in production. In this capacity, his responsibilities included development of aircrew life support and escape technology, advanced training systems, medical systems, and biological and chemical defense systems. As the deputy director of the Air Force toxicology research and development program at Wright-Patterson AFB, he directed research to determine the human health effects of chemicals, missile and aircraft fuels, and chemical agents. He was actively involved in computer simulation and toxicokinetic modeling techniques for extrapolating animal data to man. Dr. MacNaughton initiated research to develop chemical agent simulants and establish long-term, low-level chemical agent exposure criteria.

At the Air Force Engineering and Services Center at Tyndall AFB as a scientist, research manager, and finally, chief of the Air Force environmental research and development program, Dr. MacNaughton was actively involved with treatment techniques for hazardous wastes, environmental monitoring instrumentation, the fate and effect of both atmospheric and aquatic pollutants, and spill management of hypergolic missile fuels. He directed and participated in numerous field and pilot plant demonstrations of in situ waste treatment systems. At Stanford University as a graduate student, he performed research on the surface chemistry of oxides and their effect on the transport of metals in the environment. He has also held several positions as a bioenvironmental engineer at bases in the United States and in Southeast Asia in which he performed research on alternative waste treatment technologies and directed industrial hygiene, environmental engineering, and public health programs. In addition, he was a project officer at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory, Kirtland AFB and performed research on numerous weapon systems.

PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS: Registered Professional Engineer, State of Louisiana

PROFESSIONAL CHRONOLOGY: U.S. Air Force: colonel retired, 1965-90; Southwest Research Institute: 1990-[assistant director, 1990-2; director, 1992-8; vice president, 1998-present].

MEMBERSHIPS and BOARDS: American Chemical Society, Air Force Association, Louisiana Professional Engineering Society, University of Texas San Antonio Advisory Boards (Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Education Leadership),  City of San Antonio Education Commission, Communities In Schools, Mind Science Foundation, Foundation for Advancing Veterans Health Research.