David J. Benard received a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Illinois in 1972. He's published 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals and has 18 successful patent applications. David has held positions at the John-Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, University of California Santa Barbara, Air Force Weapons Laboratory, and Rockwell Scientific.

He has expertise in Chemical Physics, Kinetics, Modeling, Advanced Lighting Systems & Lasers, IR Countermeasures and Electric Power Systems, and Components. He is also the co-inventor of the Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser, and he received a presidential commendation, as well as the USAF Systems Command Award For Technical Achievement.