Nathan Tichenor

Dr. Nathan Tichenor serves as Chief Research Officer and Director of Hypersonic Facilities for the George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex (BCDC) at the Texas A&M University System, with a faculty appointment in Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University. Dr. Tichenor leads the BCDC Research Enterprise and directs the development and operation of the Ballistic, Aero-Optics, and Materials (BAM) Range, a national-asset-class test facility supporting hypervelocity ballistics, aero-optics propagation, and extreme materials research. With over 18 years of experience leading multidisciplinary teams in close partnership with government agencies, national laboratories, and industry, he brings deep expertise in translating defense research requirements into operational infrastructure. Prior to TAMU, he served as Director of Aerospace Sciences for a defense-focused R&D firm. He is an AIAA Associate Fellow, is the immediate past chair of the AIAA Fluid Dynamics Technical Committee and is a two-term elected member of the TAMUS Council of Principal Investigators. His research spans experimental aerothermodynamics, hypersonics, high-speed propulsion, and ground testing diagnostics. Dr. Tichenor earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University.