David Lang currently serves as the Senior Director of Global Policy & Affairs at Optica, where leadership involves advocating for advanced optics, photonics, and quantum research and development policies on both national and international stages. Prior to this role, David Lang was a Senior Program Officer at The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, managing significant committees to produce reports that guided scientific and technical policy for federal agencies and Congress. Earlier in the career, David Lang worked as an Intellectual Property Paralegal, overseeing document management for multiple litigation cases. Academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Astronomy and Astrophysics from the University of Michigan, a Master's in Engineering & Public Policy focused on Energy Policy & Technology from the University of Maryland, and further studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS.