Dr. Julie Lovell, Ph.D.

Dr. Julie A. Lovell is a multidisciplinary leader and scientist with more than two decades of experience in defense, research, and higher education. She holds two doctoral degrees—one in vision science from the University of the Incarnate Word and another in management and decision sciences from Walden University—reflecting a distinctive blend of scientific and strategic expertise.

She serves as deputy director of the WP Werx Innovation Hub and deputy director of integration for the Office of Research at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where she advances strategic partnerships, accelerates research and development, and strengthens innovation efforts across military and academic communities.

Her federal career includes serving as program manager at the Human Effectiveness Directorate, JBSA–Fort Sam Houston, where she led a multinational team in developing NATO standards for laser dazzler integration and supported the Department of Defense training portfolio by incorporating laser effects into virtual environments. She also contributed technical expertise to NASA’s Artemis mission, informing models of lunar lighting conditions.

A veteran of the Civilian Expeditionary Workforce, Dr. Lovell deployed to Afghanistan and Qatar in critical roles. In Afghanistan, she served as a contracting officer representative, advising the Ministry of Interior on forensic capabilities, securing international grants, and helping implement a national forensic strategy. In Qatar, she led Task Force 2010 under USCENTCOM, coordinating interagency efforts in support of Section 841 of the FY15 NDAA. Her service earned her the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Global War on Terrorism and a Letter of Commendation from ISAF.

Dr. Lovell has also driven enterprise-level change as a management analyst at Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, where she guided a $26 billion Agile Combat Support portfolio, and as chief of business operations at the 711th Human Performance Wing. Earlier, she served as an acquisitions officer and research psychologist in the U.S. Air Force.

In academia, she has taught psychology, management, and vision science as an adjunct faculty member at Southern New Hampshire University, the University of the Incarnate Word, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, delivering courses across online, hybrid, and in-person formats.

Dr. Lovell has served with the NATO Science & Technology Organization and the DoD Human Factors Engineering Technical Advisory Group, chairing multiple panels focused on directed energy, laser safety, and modeling and simulation. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics and Nature’s Eye, with emphasis on color vision, neural plasticity, and human visual performance.