John Vickers

Mr. Vickers serves as the inaugural Director of the Louisiana State University (LSU) Digital Twin Core Facility. The facility serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research, services, education, and collaboration, driving innovation across the campus and engaging with external partners in the high-growth digital twin technology market. He also serves as the LSU primary representative for the vibrant Huntsville, Alabama, collaborative research ecosystem and adjacent high-tech markets.

He is a retired NASA senior executive with a distinguished career in technical leadership. He served as the Principal Technologist for Advanced Manufacturing at NASA Headquarters and held key leadership roles at the Marshall Space Flight Center, including Associate Director of the Materials and Processes Laboratory and Director of the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing.

He served as the Agency’s highest-ranking executive and technical expert for NASA’s advanced manufacturing technical capabilities. As a recognized leader in national manufacturing policy, Mr. Vickers represented NASA on multiple White House committees, including the National Science and Technology Council’s Subcommittees on Advanced Manufacturing, Critical Minerals, and Digital Twins R&D. He was a founding member of the Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office interagency team and the Manufacturing USA program. He recently led the multi-agency development of a Space Manufacturing Technology and STEM report for the National Space Council and the Office of the Vice President. At the time of his retirement, he served on a National Academies committee for Digital Twins and Smart Manufacturing.