Mar 19, 2025
Executive Officer of the National Academy of Engineering, Dr.
Al Romig joins this special edition of AMSEcast, recorded at the
National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington. Dr. Romig has
led a distinguished career including leadership roles at Sandia
National Lab, Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, and now as Executive
Officer of the National Academy of Engineering. He and Alan discuss
key innovations from national laboratories and the Skunk Works. He
also discusses the importance of risk-taking to foster innovation
and why he’s skeptical about the future of American innovation.
It’s not a totally negative outlook. Dr. Roming still thinks the
U.S. can thrive by emphasizing talent cultivation, investment in
R&D, and a culture that embraces failure as part of
success.
Guest Bio
As executive officer of the National Academy of Engineering,
Al Romig is the chief operating officer responsible for the
program, financial, and membership operations of the Academy,
reporting to the president. Before joining the Academy, he was vice
president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Company Advanced Development Programs, better known as the Skunk
Works®. Dr. Romig spent most of his career at Sandia National
Laboratories, operated by the Lockheed Martin Corporation. He
joined Sandia as a member of the technical staff in 1979 and moved
through a succession of R&D management positions before his
appointment as executive vice president in 2005. He served as
deputy laboratories director and chief operating officer until
2010, when he transferred to the Skunk Works.
Dr. Romig is a fellow of ASM International, TMS, IEEE, AIAA,
and AAAS, and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in
2003 and the Council of Foreign Relations in 2008. He was awarded
the ASM Silver Medal for Materials Research in 1988. He earned BS
(1975), MS (1977), and PhD (1979) degrees in materials science and
engineering from Lehigh University.
Show Highlights
- (1:59) The innovations that Al saw during his time with Sandia
- (9:04) How to inspire a culture of innovation at a lab
- (10:27) The history of Skunk Works
- (18:29) Explaining Al's role at the National Academy of Engineering
- (23:27) The challenges American innovation will face in the future
- (27:22) Where Al thinks we'll see the most innovation in the coming years