Ruth A. David
{{short description|American engineer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ruth A. David
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|05|13}}
| birth_place = Arkansas City, Kansas
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = American
| other_names =
| spouse = Stanley E. Dains
| occupation = electrical engineer
| years_active = 1975-present
| known_for = reorganizing the CIA intelligence technology system
| notable_works =
}}
Ruth A. David (born 1953) is an American engineer. While at the CIA, David was responsible for encouraging the agency to pursue partnerships with the private sector and designed a proposal to procure technology at the stage of development from the private sector. She has been awarded the CIA Director's Award, the Defense Intelligence Agency Director's Award, the CIA Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the National Reconnaissance Officer's Award for Distinguished Service, and the National Security Agency Distinguished Service Medal.
Early life
Ruth A. David was born on May 13, 1953, in Arkansas City, Kansas.{{sfn|Synergy|2000}} After attaining a BS in electrical engineering from Wichita State University in 1975, she went on to earn a master's in 1976 and PhD in 1981 in electrical engineering from Stanford University.{{sfn|Bloomberg|2016}}
Career
David began her career in 1975 holding several positions at the Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico.{{sfn|Bloomberg|2016}} She served as an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico teaching adaptive and digital signal, digital and microprocessor system design, and linear least-squares estimation.{{sfn|Synergy|2000}} In 1986, she was employed as the supervisor of the Data Systems Development Organization, responsible for developing a remote controlled digital system for deployment of underground nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site. Three years later she transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration managing the Department of Non-Destructive Test, Electromagnetic Test and Optics program on aging aircraft.{{sfn|Society of Women Engineers|1998|p=2}}
Between 1991 and 1994, David was Director of the Development Testing Center, supervising a broad spectrum of engineering test facilities.{{sfn|Bloomberg|2016}} In 1995, she was appointed Deputy Director for Science and Technology of the Central Intelligence Agency and became responsible for advising the agency on science and technology.{{sfn|Society of Women Engineers|1998|p=2}} In this capacity, she proposed a radical new approach for the agency to deal with the swift growth in information with the internet revolution. Rather than procuring technology after it was developed, David and her deputy, Joanne Isham recognized and pushed for the agency to pursue partnerships within the private sector. As technology was advancing far faster than the government bureaucracy procurement program could secure new innovation, they proposed that technology be obtained at the stage of development from the private sector.{{sfn|Vankin|2001}}{{sfn|Ackerman|1996}} She recommended utilizing technology to streamline processes and move away from simply collecting data toward a more analytical and leveraged position of disseminating and exploiting information.{{sfn|Ackerman|1996}}
In 1998, when David left the CIA, she was awarded the CIA Director's Award, the Defense Intelligence Agency Director's Award, the CIA Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the National Reconnaissance Officer's Award for Distinguished Service, and the National Security Agency Distinguished Service Medal.{{sfn|MIT|2004}}{{sfn|National Science Foundation|2016}} That same year, David joined ANSER (formerly Analytic Services, Inc.) as its President and Chief Executive Officer. At ANSER, she provided analysis and research as a public service for national and transnational security issues. In 1999, she developed Homeland Defense Strategic Thrust to focus research into internal and external terrorist entities and hostile nations and expanded the department to the ANSER Institute of Homeland Security in 2001 to provide public awareness and education on national security.{{sfn|MIT|2004}}
David was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2002 for pioneering the use of digital information technologies for testing, simulations, information processing, and telecommunications for high-capacity, high-reliability applications.
In 2010, David was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame.{{sfn|Women in Technology International Hall of Fame|2010}} She was appointed by President Obama as a member of the National Science Board and National Science Foundation in 2012.{{sfn|White House|2012}} David retired from ANSER in 2015.{{sfn|National Science Foundation|2016}}
Still, Ruth David remains active as a permanent Secretary/Treasurer of International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences. {{cite web |title=Ruth David |url=https://www.nae.edu/229542/Ruth-David|accessdate=October 25, 2022 |publisher=National Academy of Engineering }}
References
=Citations=
{{Reflist|30em}}
=Bibliography=
{{Refbegin|30em}}
- {{cite journal|last1=Ackerman |first1=Robert K. |title=Vital Intelligence Technologies Converge on Information Systems |journal=Signal Magazine |date=April 1996 |url=http://www.us.net/signal/Archive/April96/Vital-apr.html |archive-date=February 20, 1999 |publisher=Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association |location=Fairfax, Virginia |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990220160726/http://www.us.net/signal/Archive/April96/Vital-apr.html }}
- {{cite web|last1=Vankin|first1=Jonathan|title=The Spy Who Funded Me|url=http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/03.29.01/cover/cia1-0113.html|publisher=Metroactive|access-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150313112520/http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/03.29.01/cover/cia1-0113.html|archive-date=March 13, 2015|location=San Jose, California|date=March 29, 2001}}
- {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Women in Technology International Hall of Fame|2010}}|author=|title=Dr. Ruth David|url=http://www.witi.com/center/witimuseum/halloffame/265890/Dr.-Ruth-David-President-and-CEO,-Analytic-Services-Inc-Anser/|publisher=Women in Technology International Hall of Fame|access-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615094446/http://www.witi.com/center/witimuseum/halloffame/265890/Dr.-Ruth-David-President-and-CEO,-Analytic-Services-Inc-Anser/|archive-date=June 15, 2011|location=Sherman Oaks, California|date=2010}}
- {{cite web|ref={{harvid|MIT|2004}}|author=|title=Dr. Ruth A. David|url=https://www.ll.mit.edu/HPEC/hpec_03/bios/david.htm|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology|access-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040817031147/http://www.ll.mit.edu/hpec/hpec_03/bios/david.htm|archive-date=August 17, 2004|location=Cambridge, Massachusetts|date=2004}}
- {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Synergy|2000}}|author=|title=Dr. Ruth A. David|url=http://www.synergyinc.com/dpaas/upcoming/davidbio.htm|publisher=Synergy Inc|access-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001219062600/http://www.synergyinc.com/dpaas/upcoming/davidbio.htm|archive-date=December 19, 2000|location=Irvine, California|date=2000}}
- {{cite journal|ref={{harvid|Society of Women Engineers|1998}}|author=|title=Our guest speaker on May 19th will be: Dr. Ruth A. David, Deputy Director for Science and Technology for the Central Intelligence Agency|journal=National Career Centers Newsletter|date=May 1998|url=http://philadelphia.swe.org/uploads/2/3/6/6/23664278/may98.pdf|access-date=18 April 2016|publisher=Society of Women Engineers Philadelphia Section|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania}}
- {{cite web|ref={{harvid|White House|2012}}|author=|title=President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/12/20/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts|access-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216161723/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/12/20/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts|archive-date=February 16, 2017|location=Washington, D.C.|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|date=December 20, 2012}}
- {{cite web|ref={{harvid|National Science Foundation|2016}}|author=|title=Ruth David|url=https://www.nsf.gov/mobile/staff/staff_bio.jsp?pers=26898&org=NSF&from_org=|publisher=National Science Foundation|access-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418174047/https://www.nsf.gov/mobile/staff/staff_bio.jsp?pers=26898&org=NSF&from_org=|archive-date=April 18, 2016|location=Arlington, Virginia|date=2016}}
- {{cite web|ref={{harvid|Bloomberg|2016}}|author=|title=Ruth A. David Ph.D.|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=24804438&privcapId=210392|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418155747/http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=24804438&privcapId=210392|archive-date=April 18, 2016|location=New York City, New York|date=2016}}
{{Refend}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:David, Ruth A.}}
Category:People from Arkansas City, Kansas
Category:Wichita State University alumni
Category:Stanford University alumni
Category:University of New Mexico faculty
Category:People of the Central Intelligence Agency
Category:American women computer scientists
Category:American computer scientists
Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Intelligence Medal
Category:Chief executives of computer security organizations
Category:21st-century American women engineers
Category:21st-century American engineers