Biography
As Science Liaison for Coast Guard PACAREA for the past two decades, Dr. Phil McGillivary coordinates science conducted using Coast Guard aircraft, buoytenders, and icebreakers from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and provides scientific support for Coast Guard missions throughout the Pacific. He previously worked on advanced Internet technologies, computer security and quantum encryption technology in the Office of Secretary of Defence. Earlier work included a NOAA post-doctoral position coordinated jointly with the Naval Postgraduate School that focused on advanced radar, acoustic and laser technologies. A prior Office of Naval Research post-doctoral position at the University of California, Santa Barbara studied ocean processes related to submarine defence and detection. His 1988 doctorate in Ecology from the University of Georgia researched processes at Gulf Stream fronts, and followed three years prior work as an oceanographer at the NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) in Miami. His experience includes more than two years at sea on submersibles, research vessels and icebreakers.
He has been active in development and integration of autonomous underwater and surface vessels with unmanned aircraft systems for ocean research and monitoring, has served as a member of the Navy/NSF UNOLS Scientific Committee on Oceanographic Aircraft Research (SCOAR), and currently serves on the State Department Arctic Council Unmanned Aircraft Expert Working Group.
Recent publications have addressed the incorporation of supercomputers on ships, use of unmanned systems for persistent maritime surveillance and monitoring, and the development of technology for advanced optical communications at sea.