Bruce LaMattina

LaMattina is the Senior Director for Space and Defense Programs at the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI), an internationally recognized graduate education and research institution located in Middle Tennessee adjacent to the U.S. Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Complex. Prior to accepting the UTSI appointment he served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Research Initiatives from 2019 to February, 2021 at UT Knoxville.

Before joining the UT family, he served in the same position at The University of North Carolina. LaMattina has more than 25 years of experience spanning academia, government, and corporate research and defense. He is a creative leader with a strong background in strategic planning, resource management, tech transfer, and workforce development that unites partners from diverse backgrounds to form successful teams that advance research and development with maximum impact. He specializes in research and development, proposal development, teaching and advising, program manager, strategic planning, and more. His technical strengths include manufacturing, solid mechanics, composite materials, and computational modeling, and is an author of over 25 journal articles including two book chapters, one edited book, two journal special issues, numerous conference publications, and more than 25 invited talks.

LaMattina earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of North Carolina and his MS and BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Delaware.