June 30, 2017

Colloquium Topic: Developing the Proximity Fuze

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory developed the proximity fuze during the Second World War. It was one of the war’s closest guarded secrets, and is recognized as one of three technological innovations with profound impact on Allied victory. Stephen Phillips will describe the history of proximity fuze to include testing, development, production, and deployment. Join us to learn about the lab’s first critical challenge.

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Colloquium Speaker: Stephen Phillips

Stephen Phillips is a member of the Senior Professional Staff at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). He is an analyst providing support to U.S. Navy Program Offices, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), and other Department of Defense (DoD) elements.

Stephen graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1992 with a B.S. in Political Science. Commissioned in the United States Navy, he served as a Surface Warfare Officer, Special Operations Officer, Diving Officer, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician.

In his civilian career, Steve spent five years supporting various missile defense offices while employed by Anteon Corporation. He joined JHU/APL in December 2005 where Steve has supported a wide variety of projects to include missile defense, nuclear weapons security, submarine rescue, counter-IED, and irregular warfare analysis.

An award-winning novelist, Steve’s first work, Proximity, garnered the Military Writers Society of America Gold Medal in 2008. His second novel, The Recipient’s Son, has been used as a tool for honor remediation at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Steve is pursuing a PhD in War Studies through King’s College London. His dissertation is a historical case study of Operation Earnest Will.