Key Personnel

Dr. Jose E. Velazco, Founder and President, obtained his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from George Mason University in 1994.  His primary areas of expertise are in microwave tube engineering, millimeter wave sources and compact electron accelerators.  Dr. Velazco has produced numerous innovative designs for microwave tubes, electron accelerators and radar systems.  He constantly updates his knowledge though attendance at conferences and seminars, as well as continuing coursework in related subjects.  Currently he is pursuing a certificate in radar engineering through the Georgia Institute of Technology.  He is a member of the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the American Physical Society, Sigma Xi, SPIE, and the Association of Old Crows.   Ms. Kathryn L. Dawson is the Vice President of MTI.  She obtained her Master’s degree in Sociology from George Mason University in 1995.  She has over 20 years of managerial experience in both business and higher education.  She handles the day-to-day operations and management of our facilities.  Due to our recent international business expansion, she has additionally assumed responsibility for export matters. Dr. Murray Black, Senior Research Scientist, received his Ph.D. degree in 1971 in Electrical Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University. He has been with George Mason University since 1971 and has served as Professor and Chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, as well as Associate and Interim Dean of Graduate Study and Research at GMU.  He has received several performance awards from the Naval Research Laboratory where he was a consultant from 1972 to 1990. His major area of research is the generation of high power microwaves using relativistic electron beams and the application of microwaves in materials processing.  He recently joined MTI as a Senior Research Scientist. Dr. Willi Schwarz received his Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Heidelberg in 1991. As a postdoctoral scientist he performed accelerator-based research in precision atomic and nuclear spectroscopy with Yale University for several years. Dr. Schwarz subsequently joined the private R&D sector, where he gained extensive experience in applied research and technology development. He has been the principal investigator and program manager for several SBIR-funded projects to develop novel technologies with applications in defense, space, medical, and materials sciences. Under a sub-contract with George Mason University, he is currently a key collaborator with MTI where he serves as Technical Director on various high-frequency amplifier projects, advanced microwave and millimeter-wave sources and systems. Ms. Jennifer Rankin, Controller, possesses a Master’s degree in Accounting from George Mason University and was a licensed Certified Public Accountant for many years at Fiducial.  She brings to MTI nearly 15 years of experience in accounting, with additional expertise in government contractor accounting procedures to MTI.  She has worked with MTI since its inception and serves as financial advisor to the company. Mr. Jesse Baker, Assistant Technical Director and Lab Manager, graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from George Mason University in 2005.  He began working with MTI as a student intern and in a relatively short time has become a key member of the MTI team.  He manages all of our laboratories and specializes in circuit board design, ultra high vacuum system assembly, and machine tooling. Mr. Rolando Paucar, Visiting Research Scientist at MTI for 2008 - 2009, will assist in our electron accelerator work, specifically in beam dynamics and radiation dosimetry. He graduated from San Marcos University in Lima, Peru with a Master's degree in Physics.  He also holds a Master's degree in Radiation Physics and has pursued doctoral studies at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain.  Mr. Paucar worked from 1983 to 1999 at the Peruvian Institute of Nuclear Energy.  His area of expertise there was radiological security.  Over the past twenty five years he worked on radiological security, nuclear security, and the transfer of nuclear technology for medical, industrial and other peaceful purposes.  He has published numerous papers in international technical journals and conferences. He has made technical visits to more than fifteen countries and has also successfully directed many projects in the medical physics area.  Mr. Paucar is founder of Aleph Group, the Peruvian Radiosurgery Institute, and is President of the Energy and Development  Research Institute in Lima, Peru.