Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise’s (LITE) newly appointed chief executive officer (CEO), Dr. Kam Ng, has officially arrived and is active in his new position. Ng was selected in April of this year and is joining the LITE team after retiring from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) as the deputy director for research.
“I am very excited to bring my expertise in immersive and digital media technologies to Lafayette to help the University and local businesses, large and small,” stated Ng. “I am looking forward to working with the community.”
Ng is relieving Dr. Robert Twilley who has served as the interim CEO for LITE since November 2010. Twilley took the position of interim CEO while also serving as the vice president of research at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and will be leaving in August to head up the Louisiana Sea Grant Program at Louisiana State University (LSU).
“Given the research and business experience of the new CEO, Kam Ng, together with the dedication of the staff at LITE, this is an exciting time for the organization and the Lafayette community,” stated Twilley. “I am glad to have been part of developing this great organization and plan to continue my support of LITE and Lafayette as new Executive Director of Louisiana Sea Grant College Program.”
Ng received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and applied mechanics from the University of Rhode Island in 1988. He also received an MBA from the Marymount University in 2005, a Master of Arts in international commerce and policy from George Mason University in 2008, and completed the Senior Executive Fellow Program from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 2002, and the Senior Executive Program at the Federal Executive Institute in 2004.
While at ONR, Ng managed the basic and applied research portfolio of $900 million. He also managed the education and outreach programs that develop the next generation of scientists and engineers, and is responsible for the strategy and development of the Navy Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program.
"In the far term I plan to incorporate my expertise in STEM programs into LITE’s education and outreach plan for Lafayette School System,” stated Ng.