Dy Le

IMMS Director

In 1972, Le joined the Vietnam Air Force and became a pilot during the Vietnam War. From 1972-1974, he was trained at the Air Force Officer Training Center in Vietnam, Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and Army Aviation Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama. In 1974, he was commissioned and received his aviator wing from Fort Rucker, returned to Vietnam, and served at Nha Trang Air Force Base. In 1986 and 1992, Le graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor and Master of Science Degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science. From 1986-1997, he was a propulsion research lead at the Naval Air Propulsion Center located in Trenton, New Jersey. From 1997-2008, he joined the Federal Aviation Administration – William J Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, as Program Manager focusing on the Rotorcraft Damage Tolerance/Health and Usage Monitoring System research. From 2008-2016, he was Chief of Mechanics Division from the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM)-Army Research Laboratory (ARL) responsible for Platform Mechanics, Reliability, and Diagnostics. Presently, Le is Director of the Institute for Materials, Manufacturing, and Sustainment or IMMS.

In 2012, Le completed a 6-month assignment as Assistant Technical Director to the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (with more than 10,000 employees and $2B annual budget). Le participated in the U.S. Army Network Integration Evaluation exercises involving 3,800 Combat Brigade Soldiers and tactical vehicles to assess the integration, operation, and evaluation of newly developed systems in a mock combat network environment.

In 2014, Le conceptualized the Virtual Risk-informed Agile Maneuvers Sustainment (VRAMS) method to sustain future U.S. Army aviation platforms with little or "zero-Maintenance". The concept was featured in the U.S. Army Technology Magazine (March/April 2015 Issue) and in ABC 2 News-Baltimore WMAR In-Focus Program Interview with a News Anchor on ARL Airplane Technology in March 2015.

Le was the recipient of the U.S. Army Performance Medal for supporting warfighters; Harry T. Jensen Award from the American Helicopter Society – International; Letter of Appreciation from President Barrack H. Obama, II; Letter of Appreciation from Major General John F. Wharton, Commanding General of RDECOM; an American Flag flown over the U.S. Capital given by RDECOM-ARL; and 30-Year of Government Service Award from RDECOM-ARL.

During his time at ARL, he sponsored and financially supported the FIRST Robotics Competition Activities to inspire young students to solve autonomous robotic design problems in an intensive and competitive way. Le also served as elected President of the Asian Pacific American Coalition for the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center from 2004 through 2007 supporting the Asian Pacific American community to promote diverse cultures. From 1979-1980, Le served as the Head of the U.S. Delegation Interpreter Team for the U.S. Embassy-Joint Voluntary Agency in Singapore and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to interview Vietnamese political refugees and process their cases for resettlement in another country.