Gil Herrera is a versatile engineer with expertise in quantum physics, cyber systems, microelectronics and much more. He was a vital part of the team at Sandia National Laboratories, an organization devoted to nuclear science, for almost four decades. Three years ago, he came to the National Security Agency, a Department of Defense component in the U.S. Intelligence Community, as its director of research. Herrera’s team is the biggest research and development unit in the IC.
NSA is a highly secretive outfit — its budget is not even available to the public. But Herrera will nonetheless make an appearance at the Potomac Officers Club’s fast-approaching 2025 Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 23, where he’ll deliver the morning keynote address. This engagement will give government contractors in attendance the opportunity to dialogue with this key DOD and IC subject matter expert. Save your spot now!
Let’s get to know a little about Herrera in advance of his insightful remarks.
Career History
The accomplished Herrera had humble beginnings: he was raised in a struggling household to parents with only a middle-school-level education. He overcame such massive odds to be accepted into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and West Point. Though he attended West Point for a year and a half, an injury caused him to return to his home state of New Mexico and attend its public university.
Sandia National Laboratories
Right out of undergrad, Herrera began his legendary run at Sandia. His achievements include being named one of the 15 laboratory fellows in SNL’s 70-plus-year history and overseeing its MESA Complex, a silicon and compound semiconductor production center comprising over 120 research laboratories.
Other Honors
The U.S. National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee appointed Herrera as a member in 2020. He was one of a pair of voices bringing a Department of Energy national lab perspective to the 21-person board.
Herrera is surprisingly temperate in his thoughts on quantum. He told The Record in an interview that there are “still a lot of unanswered questions” and that “over time, my optimism has diminished. I still am a believer in quantum computing. We’ll get there someday, but it’s a really tough problem … What I hope we can do in quantum computing space is get through the quantum winter, because a winter is coming.”
National Security Agency
Herrera had one stint at NSA prior to his current position — from 2015 to 2018 he was director of the Laboratory for Physical Sciences. He returned in 2021 as director of research, wherein he’s concerned with helping the agency understand the technology landscape as it stands now and predict where it’s going in the future. In conversation with The Record, he described the twofold mission of his department.
“One is, it needs to be the eyes and ears of the agency in terms of what’s happening in research, in academia and in industry; to kind of have this outward-facing look. That’s why we have a number of facilities that are unclassified, like universities and whatnot,” he said.
“The other is to help prevent technology surprise on the inside. We help advise the agency, make sure we’re prepared for that. And part of that is developing tools and techniques that help in a mission,” he continued.
Herrera’s Viewpoint on AI
The NSA thought leader is more bullish on artificial intelligence than he is quantum. He said he is surprised about how quickly AI has matured and that he was doubtful for many years that AI could play a helpful role in research activities.
“I’m beginning to believe now that AI might be able to actually support science,” Herrera stated. “What it’s done relative to writing is beyond belief. These models are so big. I see that there’s a lot more near-term opportunity.”
Engage With Herrera
Herrera will be available to take all of your burning questions about emergent technologies, their effects on the Intelligence Community and how industry can partner to protect national security at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Defense R&D Summit. Attend the Jan. 23 event for Herrera’s morning keynote address and stay for a packed, full-day roster of panel discussions and networking opportunities. Browse the full lineup and register now!
