Meet Our People

SRI's innovative thinking depends directly on the people who work here. Meet members of our team in Computing and Engineering, Chemistry, Physics and Materials, Drug Discovery, Drug Development and Health, Economics and Education, Environment and Energy, Business Development, and Administration and Corporate Activities, and learn why they joined SRI—you may discover that you would like to join the team, too. Visit Careers at SRI for descriptions of current openings.

Meet Rajeev Vaidyanathan, Associate Director, Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases, CADRE, Shenandoah Valley

Focus at SRI
Our mission at CADRE is to detect, prevent, and treat neglected tropical diseases, such as dengue or leishmaniasis, chikungunya, and West Nile virus. We apply proteomics and protein biochemistry approaches to dissect host-vector-pathogen relationships of neglected diseases. My team focuses on two projects. First, we investigate how viral and protozoan pathogens evade or disable the defense of the host. Second, we isolate and identify compounds from insects that have an antiviral or antiparasitic effect. Many insects, such as mosquitoes, are vectors of pathogens to humans and animals. Insects have the answers; we have to ask the right questions. Identifying the specific mechanisms that underlie susceptibility to infection enables us to better design treatments and improve diagnostics.

Day in the Life at SRI
I am responsible for developing programs in vector biology and zoonotic disease research. To meet that goal, I try to keep abreast of the latest in infectious disease research, build collaborations with other researchers, meet with program managers, interview candidates, and write proposals. In addition to these programmatic issues, I’m also responsible for biosafety at CADRE.

Before SRI
Before joining SRI, I was a faculty scientist at Yale University, where I worked on mosquito susceptibility to West Nile virus. Before Yale, I had the privilege of completing postdoctoral research at the University of California, Davis, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Strasbourg, France, and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany.

Academics
Ph.D. in Parasitology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Hadassah Medical School
M.S. in Entomology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst
B.S. in Entomology from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

Why SRI?
I was attracted to SRI by their commitment to discovery and the application of science for knowledge, commerce, prosperity, and peace. How many research organizations do you know that explicitly cite "peace" as one of their goals? I remember thinking after my first interview, "This is a company that actually makes a difference."

What keeps me here? The people — in the form of staff members, contacts, liaisons — and our unique facilities are a dream come true for a medical entomologist. Even though we are located 3,000 miles away, our collaborations with scientists at SRI's Menlo Park, CA headquarters have been very productive. Ever since I was a little boy, I wanted to study insects and see how they work. Now I get to do that, but my work will also have greater ramifications for human health.

Inspiration and Motivation
I believe that scientists have an obligation to serve society. As an entomologist, I could happily collect butterflies for the rest of my life. However, I have intentionally chosen a career path seeking to decrease the incidence and spread of insect-borne diseases around the world.

What has changed in your field since you began your career, and what new or exciting trends are you seeing?
In the last 20 years I have seen a shift from ecological/epidemiological approaches to controlling vector-borne disease to an almost exclusively molecular biology approach. Recent attempts to hybridize the two fields have met with some resistance. I would emphasize to any student interested in infectious disease research to (1) get field experience, and (2) become proficient in molecular biology. The two approaches need each other, and the sooner we accept that the faster we will advance.

Proudest Professional Accomplishment
I was awarded the Benjamin Gordon Faculty Prize in Teaching when I was a Ph.D. student at the Hebrew University. It meant so much to me because this was a recognition by my students, and to be honest, my Hebrew wasn’t that good!

Languages
Tamil (mother tongue), English, Hebrew, French, ASL. I’ve also studied Russian, Korean, and Sanskrit.

Away from the Office
I love traveling. I have visited 25 countries, gotten haircuts in 13, driven in nine, and had gym memberships in five. I keep a travel journal, and I like to eat my way through new places.

Words of Wisdom for New SRI Team Members
When spiders unite, they can trap a lion. Come out and visit us in Shenandoah Valley. Network, brainstorm, challenge your preconceptions.

Meet Other Members of the SRI Team:

Computing and Engineering
Lori Adornato, Research Engineer, Optics Group, Marine Technology Program, St. Petersburg, Florida
Victor Aguero, Program Manager, Engineering & Systems Division

Derek Artz, Development Engineer, Instrumentation and Simulation Systems, Engineering & Systems

Hasan Bahcivan, Research Physicist, Geospace Studies, Engineering & Systems

John Brecht, Learning Technology Engineer, Center for Technology in Learning
Gary Bridges Director, Client Services, Cyber Security Research & Development Center
Linda Briesemeister, Sr. Research Engineer, Engineering & Systems Division
Michelle Delplanche, Software Engineer, Engineering & Systems Division

Grit Denker, Senior Computer Scientist, Computer Science Laboratory
Katherine Donaldson, Scientific Programmer/Analyst, Engineering & Systems Division
Lola Goheen, Senior Research Engineer, Applied Electromagnetics
Mike Hogsett, Senior Systems Administrator, Computer Science Laboratory
Hafeez Jaffer, Software Engineer, Communications and Radar Systems, Engineering & Systems Division
Jason Jenkins, Senior Systems Administrator, Artificial Intelligence Center
Mark Johnson, Program Manager, Software Engineering Program, San Luis Obispo
Theresa Keeler, Research Engineer, Engineering & Systems Division
Roy Kornbluh, Senior Research Engineer, Engineering & Systems Division
Larry Langebrake, Director, Marine Technology Program at SRI St. Petersburg
Tom Low, Program Director, Innovative Product Engineering and Technologies
Rich Mahoney, Director, Robotics Program, Engineering & Systems

Greg Myers, Program Director, Machine Vision, Engineering & Systems Division
Karen Myers, Program Director, Artificial Intelligence Center
Ron Pelrine, Program Director, Mobile Robotics and Transducers Program
Harsha Prahlad, Research Engineer, Mobile Robotics and Transducers Program

Marc Reed, Research Engineer, Marine Technology Program at St. Petersburg, Florida

Spiro Sarris, Research Engineer, Engineering & Systems Division, Communication and Radar Systems

Allen Takahashi, Senior Research Engineer, Communications and Signal Technology Laboratory
L. Lynn Voss, Software Engineering Program Manager at SRI in Helena, Montana

Kevin Willoh, Research Engineer, Engineering and Systems Division

Chemistry, Physics and Materials
Yigal Blum, Program Manager, Chemistry of Materials, Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory
Jim Colton, Director, Poulter Laboratory of Applied Mechanics
Christine Cuppoletti, Research Scientist, Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory
David Flamm, Principal Scientist/Program Manager, Applied Optics Laboratory
Indira Jayaweera, Senior Chemist/Hydrothermal Program Leader, Materials Research Laboratory

Jordi Perez, Materials Scientist, Materials Research Laboratory
Jeff Simons, Senior Computational Engineer, Center for Fracture Physics, Materials Research Laboratory
Priscila Spagnol, Senior Research Engineer, MicroScience Engineering Laboratories, Largo, Florida
David Stout, Chemical Engineer, Chemical Science and Technology, Physical Sciences Division
Robert E. Tokheim, Associate Department Director, Poulter Applied Mechanics
Diane Walter, Senior Research Engineer, Applied Optics Laboratory

Drug Discovery, Drug Development, and Health
Rae Lyn Burke, Senior Director, Vaccine and Biotherapeutics Development
Nathan Collins, Executive Director, Drug Discovery, Biosciences Division

Annalisa D'Andrea, Senior Director, Immunology and Inflammation, Biosciences Division
Amit Galande, Associate Director, Proteomics and Protein Biochemistry, Shenandoah Valley
Mary Ann Greco, Program Director, Behavioral Biochemistry, Biosciences Division
Carol Green, Senior Director, Toxicology and Metabolism, Biosciences Division
Ling Jong, Program Director, Medicinal Chemistry Department
Lisa Jack, Assistant Director / Public Health Researcher, Center for Health Sciences
Keith Laderoute, Director, Cancer Biology Program
Juan Orduna, Drug Efficacy Program Biologist, Medicinal Chemistry Department, Biosciences Division
Helen Parish, Director, Analytical Chemistry Department
Torsten Rohlfing, Senior Research Scientist, Neuroscience Program, Center for Health Sciences
Gita Shankar, Senior Scientist/ Project Leader, Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory, Biosciences Division
Rajeev Vaidyanathan, Associate Director, Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases, CADRE, Shenandoah Valley
Jennie Wang, Program Director, Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory, Biosciences Division
Chun Yang, Chemist, Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory, Biosciences Division

Education, Science and Technology Policy, and Economic Development
David Cheney, Director, Science and Technology Policy Program, SRI in Washington, D.C.
Geneva Haertel, Director of Assessment Research and Design, Center for Technology in Learning
Daniel Humphrey, Associate Director, Center for Education Policy
Melissa Koch, Senior Educational Developer, Center for Technology in Learning
Vera Michalchik, Research Social Scientist, Center for Technology in Learning

Mary Wagner, Director, Center for Education and Human Services

Environment and Energy
Jim Colton, Director, Poulter Laboratory of Applied Mechanics
Barbara Heydorn, Director, Center of Excellence in Energy

Indira Jayaweera, Senior Chemist/Hydrothermal Program Leader, Materials Research Laboratory

Roy Kornbluh, Senior Research Engineer, Engineering & Systems Division

Ron Pelrine, Program Director, Mobile Robotics and Transducers Program

Jordi Perez, Materials Scientist, Materials Research Laboratory
Harsha Prahlad, Research Engineer, Mobile Robotics and Transducers Program

Business Development
Maggie Baxter-Pearson, Contracts Manager, Engineering & Systems Division
Ed Davis, Senior IP Advisor and IP Office Manager
Kurt Fulkerson, Manager, Business Development, Transportation Markets
Phil Harman, Director, Congressional Relations, SRI in Washington, D.C.

Barbara Heydorn, Director, Center of Excellence in Energy
Youssef Iguider, Director of Business Development, SRI Japan
Osamu Karatsu, Executive Director, SRI Japan

Chris Lantman, Director of Commercial and International Business Development, Physical Sciences Division
John McIntire Associate General Counsel, Legal and Business Affairs
Nancy Moy, Research Analyst, Federal Business Development, SRI in Washington, D.C.
Satomi Ouchi, Senior Manager, Business Development, SRI Japan
Mary Scott, Administrative Analyst, Business Development, SRI in Washington, D.C.
Laleh Shayesteh, Director of Intellectual Property, Biosciences
Christine Stensig, Specialist Technical Writer/Editor, Engineering & Systems Division
Philip von Guggenberg, Director of Business Development, Engineering & Systems Division

Administration and Corporate Activities
Richard Bullert, HR Records Specialist, Human Resources Department
Sandy Hinzmann, Manager Staff Programs & Transportation
Walt Kyle, Supervisor, Information Protection, Corporate Security Department
Marty Mallonee, Manager, Corporate and Marketing Communications
Yamini Namasivayam, IT Project Manager, Information Technology Services
Roger Sherman, Information Specialist, Information Technology Services, Archiving and Research (SRI Library)
Jan Teichman, Director, Environmental Heath & Safety
Lori Truitt, Administrative Analyst, Computer Science Laboratory