Donna M. Murdoch, Ph.D., CAsP
Captain, Medical Service Corps, U. S. Navy (Ret)
Curriculum Vitae

 

Education Certifications Military Awards Summary Work Experience Publications
Professional Honors Postgraduate Education Accomplishments Presentations
 

Education

    
  Ph.D. Florida State University, 1985
Program: Movement Science Education
Major: Exercise Physiology
Dissertation: Cold Acclimatization in a Hyperbaric Environment
     
  M.A. University of Florida, 1978
Major: Physical Education / Exercise Science
Thesis: Hyperlypemia in Trained and Untrained Females
Elected to the Society of PHI KAPPA PHI
     
  B.A. Florida Technological University, 1977
Major: Physical Education
Honors: Summa Cum Laude
     
     

Security Clearance TS-SCI
     

Certifications

    
  Fellow, Aerospace Medical Association
Board Certified, Aerospace Physiology by the Aerospace Medical Association
Member, DOD Acquisition Professional Community
DOD Acquisition, Program Manager, Level II
DOD Acquisition, Systems Planning RDT&E, Level III (highest level)
DOD Acquisition, Test and Evaluation Engineering, Level III (highest level)
Naval Aeromedical Safety Officer
     
     
     

Military Awards

  
  Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (3 awards)
Navy Commendation Medal (3 awards)
     
 

Summary

    
Twenty years of military experience with over 20 years in DOD acquisition, research, development, test and evaluation from bench research to program management. Subject matter expert in aerospace physiology and human flight systems. Visionary leader and CEO level manager with direct oversight of the manpower, budget, facilities, training systems, and research processes required for developing and implementing world-renowned biomedical programs. DOD acquisition certified in Program Management, Test and Evaluation, and Systems Engineering.
     
     
   

Work Experience

  
2005 – Present Chief Operating Officer, CEO, Human Systems Solutions, Inc., Ramona, CA.
Chief Operating Officer and CEO of Human Systems Solutions, Inc. a private consulting firm specializing in Aerospace Physiology. We utilize new technologies and training to solve human systems problems in aviation and other challenging environments. We serve as experts in the areas of Human Systems Integration, Aerospace Physiology, Aviation Survival Systems and Human Factors.
   
2003 – 2005 Commanding Officer, Naval Aerospace Medical Research
Laboratory (NAMRL), Pensacola, FL.
Leader of the Navy’s only aeromedical research facility while managing an annual budget of over $4M and a $20M research facility. Directly oversees manpower, budget, facilities, and research processes required for implementation of world-renowned programs in Spatial Orientation, Biomedical Sciences, and Aviation Selection. Proved innovative and resourceful while leading NAMRL in the preparation for, and recovery from, a major natural disaster (Hurricane Ivan), returning the lab to mission capable status in record time.
   
2001-2003 Officer in Charge, Naval Operational Medicine Institute Detachment
West, San Diego, CA.
Supervised, managed and led 70 military and 13 civilian personnel in three geographically separated Aviation Survival Training Centers in California and Washington. Was responsible for operational and administrative compliance of the detachment while supplying fleet-relevant training to over 10,000 aircrew in subject areas that included: physiology, hypoxia, first-aid, survival equipment, parachute descent procedures, sea and land survival, ejection procedures, spatial orientation, and water survival.
   
1999-2001 Executive Officer, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA.
Was responsible for the daily operational and administrative functions of three research commands and two detachments with 74 military, 131 civilian, 152 civilian contract personnel, and an annual budget of $53.9M. The laboratories are responsible for Navy operational medical research supporting aviation, sub-surface, Fleet Marine Corps, and other related areas. Led the establishment of processes and procedures in administration, civilian personnel management, military manpower, financial management, facilities management, information systems, and other oversight programs. Leading member of the team that guided the command through a major re-organization and strategic planning process. Led the effort that resulted in successfully completing a Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Inspector General Inspection using Malcolm Baldrige criteria.
   
1996-1999 Assistant Program Manager for Systems Engineering, Aircrew
Systems PMA 202, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD.
Served as Senior Systems Engineer, Aircrew Systems that determined technical solutions to Fleet aviation life support equipment problems. Oversaw technical aspects of thirty projects and a budget of over $32M with 100 assigned personnel across multiple disciplines that included: night vision devices, helmet displays, ejection seat dynamics, helicopter seat dynamics, cockpit design, human systems integration, advanced aircrew clothing, high-G protection, and state of the art survival equipment. Responsible for developing integrated engineering solutions to Fleet identified requirements while delivering products on budget and schedule. Additionally, responsible for the testing, evaluation, and introduction of new and revised survival equipment within Naval Aviation.
   
1984-1996 Aerospace Physiologist

Held various positions as an Aerospace Physiologist including tours as an aeromedical safety officer (AMSO) and as a senior department head. As an AMSO, served as aeromedical advisor to fleet commanders. Duties centered around teaching aircrew the effects of flight on the human body, avoidance and protection of aircrew from threats, and human factors of aviation safety. Specifics of instruction included: hypoxia, hyperventilation, vision, spatial orientation and vestibular function, nutrition, fitness, and various threats such as lasers, heat and cold, biochemical protection (CBR), high G-protection, and water survival. Fleet project team member and onsite Officer in Charge for acquisition and acceptance of the Navy’s only training centrifuge (a $10M training device). Gained bench research experience in G-tolerance enhancement, sustained military operations, and other areas in the aviation environment.
   
   
     

Publications

    
 

Murdoch, D. M., Lentz, J. M., Reams, G. C., and DeJohn, C. A., Triazolam-Performance
Side Effects: Vestibular, Musculoskeletal, and Complex Performance Tests, NAMRL-
1327, Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Pensacola, FL, March 87. (AD
A180 934)

Murdoch, D. M. and Meyer, L. G., “Pumping for Power”. Naval Aviation News, Vol. 69,
No. 5, p 26, September-October 1987.

Murdoch, D. M., Meyer, L. G., and Crisman, R. P., Effects of Physical Fitness on G-
Tolerance, NAMRL Research Information Bulletin 87-1, Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Pensacola, FL, January 1987.
     
     

Professional Activities and Honors
  Fred A. Hitchcock Award for Excellence in Aerospace Physiology from the Aerospace Physiology Society, Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA), 1993
Presidents Award for Outstanding Service, Aerospace Physiology Society, AsMA, 1996 and 2001
President, Aerospace Physiology Society, AsMA, 2002
President, Society of Navy Aerospace Physiologists, 2002
Secretary, Aerospace Physiology Society, AsMA, 1992-1995, 2000-2002
Awards Committee Chairman, Aerospace Physiology Society, AsMA, 1998-2002
Board of Governors, Aerospace Physiology Society, 1996-2002
Resolutions Committee, AsMA, 2001-2002
Nominations Committee, Aerospace Physiology Society, AsMA, 2004
Nominations Committee, AsMA, 2004-06
     
     
     

Postgraduate Education

    
  Aerospace Physiology Course, NAMI, 1985
Navy Primary Flight Training, 1985
Aviation Safety Officer Course, Naval Postgraduate School, 1989
Navy Executive Officer Leadership Course, 1999
Navy Senior Officer Course in Military Justice and Civil Law, 2001
Navy Civilian Personnel Management Course, 2000
Academic Instructor Course, Naval Aviation School Command, 1985
Executive Steering Council Team Building Workshop, 1993
     
     
     

Accomplishments

  

Team Building. Military CEO of the Navy’s only aeromedical research facility with a 58 member staff of scientists, engineers, physicians, and technical support personnel. Exceptional planner who transitioned high profile projects through the research process to the operational Navy including the Reduced Oxygen Breathing Device (ROBD). A multi-command team was used in fielding the ROBD. This device is revolutionizing hypoxia training.

Financial Management. Deftly managed a budget of $4.3M and a physical plant of $20M. Successfully reduced the Naval Aeromedical Research Laboratory’s (NAMRL) overhead by 30% while maintaining remarkable mission success and affecting a three-fold increase in funding at this 100% competitively funded command.

Human Factors Engineering. Utilized naval operational experience and international scientific expertise to manage a broad technical breadth of projects including: man machine interface, anthropometry (aircrew/cockpit/equipment accommodation), laser eye protection, high-G protection, ejection seat human dynamics, emergency underwater breathing devices, helmet mounted displays and night vision devices. Managed 29 projects with a budget of over $32M while assuring aircrew safety in the flight environment.

Executive Management. Senior Officer in Charge of research and training operations, administrative functions, facilities, and civilian, military, and contract personnel over six years in three separate commands with execution budgets of up to $54M. Responsible for coordinating and executing two major military construction projects. Critical team member of the Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, Executive Steering Committee strategic planning process developing the vision, goals, and business plan for the future.

     
     
     

Presentations

    
 

“Variations in Postprandial Lipemia in Trained and Untrained Females”, paper presented to the Research Section of the 1978 Florida Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation State Convention, October 1978.

“Hillcrest School Weight Control Program”, poster presentation at the Florida Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation State Convention, October 1979.

“Percent Body Fat in Female Athletes at Florida State University”, poster presentation at the Southeast Region Convention for the America College of Sports Medicine, February 1984.

“Cold Acclimatization in a Hyperbaric Environment”, paper presented to the Research
Section at the 1985 Florida Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation State Convention, October 1985.

“Effects of Sustained Flight Operations in Naval Aircraft”, poster presentation at the AsMA Meeting, 1986.

“Cold Acclimatization in a Hyperbaric Environment”, paper presented at the AsMA Meeting, 1986.

“Triazolam: Performance Side Effects”, J. M. Lentz, D. M. Murdoch, G. C. Reams, and C. A. DeJohn, poster presentation at the AsMA Meeting, 1987.

“The Effects of Aerobic Conditioning in an Operational Environment on Muscular Endurance and the Ability to Perform SACM”, D. M. Murdoch, L. G. Meyer, R. P. Crisman, O. G. Blackwell, paper presented at the AsMA Meeting, 1987.

“Increased Gradual Onset Rate G-Tolerance as a Result of Combined Anerobic and Muscular Strength Training”, L. G. Meyer, D. M. Murdoch, R. P. Crisman, G. C. Reams, and W. L. Kraemer, paper presented at the AsMA Meeting, 1987.

“Effects of Running and Weight Lifting on Gz-tolerance”, D. M. Murdoch, poster presentation at the AsMA Meeting, 1988.

“Physiological Implications of Helmet Mounted Cueing”, D. M. Murdoch, paper presented at the AsMA Meeting, 1997.

“Accomodation of Women in Naval Aviation”, D. M. Murdoch, paper presented at the AsMA Meeting, 1998.

“Background and Function of the Reduced Oxygen Breathing Device”, D. M. Murdoch, demonstration and presentation at the Bombardier Learjet Safety Standdown, 2005.