Jeffrey S. Palmer

Dr. Jeffrey S. Palmer is the assistant head of the Biotechnology and Human Systems Division at Lincoln Laboratory. In this role, he shares responsibility for research, development, evaluation, and technology transfer of advanced technologies and systems for chemical and biological defense, human health and performance, and global resilience to climate, conflict, and disaster threats. Prior to holding this position, he was the leader of the Human Health and Performance Systems Group, which focused on AI-enabled biomedical tools, human performance enhancement, objective neurocognitive analytics, and biosensing via wearable, ingestible, and implantable devices.

Palmer has given presentations at international conferences and authored book chapters and technical articles on DNA biometrics and forensics, biomechanics, cell biology, materials science, soldier nanotechnology, biological-chemical defense, polymer science, high-energy lasers, microelectronics packaging, wearable biomedical sensing in extreme environments, and neurocognitive technologies. He has served on editorial boards for journals in biomechanics, molecular science, biomedical informatics, and biosensors. He has chaired technical conferences for the National Science Foundation, Department of Homeland Security, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Currently, he is the chairman of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society’s Technical Committee on Wearable Biomedical Sensors and Systems and on the editorial board for the IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology. In addition, he has served as an advisor on U.S. and NATO military studies for enhancing health and performance, and led a multi-agency U.S. government effort to develop automated rapid human DNA analysis capabilities for field biometrics and forensics applications. He currently serves on the faculty for the National Institutes of Health RADx program, a standing committee for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, and as an mHealth co-lead for the Massachusetts General Brigham Center for COVID Innovation.

Prior to working at Lincoln Laboratory, he worked at research laboratories at IBM and GE, and at the Physical Sciences Laboratory at New Mexico State University. He holds a BS degree with a minor in mathematics from New Mexico State University, an MS degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a PhD degree with a minor in bioengineering from MIT, all with majors in mechanical engineering.