Air & Missile Defense technology
Hsiao-hua K. Burke - Biography
Dr. Hsiao-hua K. Burke is Head of the Air and Missile Defense Technology Division at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. She joined Lincoln Laboratory in 1981 as a technical staff member in the Ballistic Missile Defense Division. She was promoted to Assistant Group Leader and Associate Group Leader positions in 1986 and 1988, respectively. During her tenure in the Ballistic Missile Defense Division, she was in charge of optical discrimination programs. In 1993, she became a senior staff member in the Aerospace Division, working on the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) and other Department of Defense (DoD) and non-DoD satellite programs.
In 1995, Dr. Burke became Leader of the Sensor Technology and System Applications Group. There she was involved in a wide range of projects dealing primarily with electro-optical and infrared sensor design and testing, data analysis, algorithm assessment and development, and sensor system performance models. In 2006, she was promoted to the position of Assistant Head of the Tactical Systems Technology Division. Also in 2006, she was elected as a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (AF SAB), which provides independent advice and recommendations on science and technology for continued air and space dominance of the Air Force. Upon completion of four years of service in 2010, she was presented the award for Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service. In 2007, Dr. Burke joined the Aerospace Division and served as Associate Head until 2009 when she became Head of the Air and Missile Defense Technology Division.
At Lincoln Laboratory, from 2006 to 2008, Dr. Burke chaired the New Technology Initiative Board, which proactively engages the Laboratory community to identify latest user needs, capability drivers, and enabling technologies. In 2008, she organized the Lincoln Laboratory Technical Women's Network (LLTWN), whose mission is to promote the recruitment, retention, and professional achievement of women at the Laboratory. For her involvement with LLTWN, she received a 2010 MIT Excellence Award for Fostering Diversity and Inclusion. She holds a PhD degree in space physics from Rice University.
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