In August 2011, Dr. Christopher White joined the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as a program manager to develop advanced technologies for data science.
Dr. White created and runs DARPA’s leading program in big data, XDATA, which is part of the President’s Big Data Initiative. His most recent program, Memex, focuses on domain specific indexing and search of web content. Technologies developed under Memex will be applied to example domains, including counter human trafficking. The human trafficking domain was chosen because it is relevant to many types of military, law enforcement and intelligence investigations. Dr. White also built DARPA’s Open Catalog, a new online catalog for organizing and facilitating access to open source software and publications from government investments. The Open Catalog was selected in 2014 as a flagship initiative for the Defense Department’s Open Government program. Dr. White previously served DARPA as the Agency’s country lead in Afghanistan and was also an in-theater member of the senior executive service supporting the commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force.
Dr. White has been honored with DARPA’s Results Matter award. His work was identified in the President’s Big Data report as a powerful example of how big data can help protect some of the most vulnerable people in the world. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta recognized DARPA and Dr. White’s efforts in Afghanistan with a Joint Meritorious Unit Award for support in a combat environment.
Dr. White has co-authored peer-reviewed publications with top-tier academic institutions and major corporations in the field of computer science and large-scale data analytics. He was a fellow at Harvard University's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and holds doctoral and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University.
