January 3, 2024 — Jose Navarro has been named vice president of Southwest Research Institute’s Applied Physics Division. He previously served as acting vice president of the division.
“I am privileged to step into this role to lead the Applied Physics team,” Navarro said. “Our division pushes the boundaries of engineering and physics to develop advanced technologies and systems to meet our clients’ challenging demands.”
As vice president, Navarro will oversee a staff of nearly 100, working in two departments. Navarro joined the Institute in 1984 and has been involved in numerous concept-to-delivery efforts incorporating analog, digital, radio frequency/microwave, magnetics, fiber optics and embedded microprocessors. This work involved engineering, program management and program development in advanced data collection systems. In 1987, Navarro established an office in Washington, D.C., to provide technical support and assistance for electromagnetic systems installed in the East Coast region. When he returned to San Antonio, he assumed design and technical management responsibilities for ongoing and proposed surveillance and emitter detection equipment.
In 1990, he transferred to SwRI’s Instrumentation and Space Research Division and then to the Applied Physics Division where he was appointed director of the Engineering Applications and Systems Development Department in 2001, executive director in 2018 and acting vice president in 2022. His duties included developing business opportunities for SwRI with government and commercial clients, while guiding department staff in meeting program objectives and in developing new program areas.
Navarro holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M University in Kingsville). He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and its honor society, Eta Kappa Nu, as well the engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi.
For more information, visit Applied Physics or contact Deb Schmid, +1 210 522 2254, Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238-5166.