Leadership

Dr. Nikias is currently President Emeritus and Life Trustee of the University of Southern California (USC), a Professor of Electrical Engineering with a secondary appointment in Classics, the holder of the Malcolm R. Currie Chair in Technology and the Humanities, and the Director of the USC Institute for Technology Enabled Higher Education. He has been at USC since 1991, and in addition to his work as a professor, has served as founding director of the NSF Integrated Media Systems Center, dean of the Viterbi School of Engineering, provost and executive vice president, and president of the university.

Dr. Nikias is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, an associate member of the Academy of Athens, a foreign member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a life fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and a charter fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. He has received the IEEE Simon Ramo Medal for exceptional achievement in systems engineering and the Academic Leadership Award from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He has worked as a consultant for numerous corporations and the U.S. Department of Defense where he has been holder of a U.S. Government security clearance for the past three decades.

Dr. Nikias served as director of Synopsys, Inc (NASDAQ: SNPS) from 2011 to 2023 where he chaired the compensation committee. He is currently a member of the board of advisors of AthosOmics.ai and pentir.ai and the author of “American Trojan” published by Encounter Books.

John and Julie Mork founded Energy Corporation of America (ECA) which grew to be a large privately owned independent energy company with 5,000 wells and over 1 million acres of properties in the United States.  John recently stepped away from leadership at ECA to start EnerG-ID Solutions Corporation which uses rapid DNA analysis to solve problems in the hydrocarbon industry.

After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in petroleum engineering from USC, John served in various capacities as an engineer at Union Oil Company before founding ECA. John is a member of the Chief Executives Organization, the World Presidents’ Organization, and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Board of Councilors.  He was awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters from USC in 2012.  John has served on the USC Board of Trustees since 2006 and is past chairman of the board.

Dennis L. McGowan is a senior executive and retired U.S. Army Colonel with a distinguished career spanning the energy industry, leading edge technology, international operations, professional sports management, nonprofit leadership, and high-level military command. He brings more than four decades of experience leading complex organizations, overseeing and participating in more than a billion dollars in transactions, and advising senior decision-makers in high-stakes environments.

Served as Senior Vice President for a first of its kind energy related technology company focused on the identification of microbial contamination causing billions of dollars of damaging corrosion in these sectors; an independent oil and gas exploration and production company where he helped shape corporate strategy, participated in major energy-related transactions; and oversaw international operations in New Zealand. Led the company’s Acquisitions & Divestitures function, completing nearly $1 billion in transactions and launching a new operational platform in Texas.

His cross-sector leadership includes serving as Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Denver Nuggets, where he negotiated more than $200 million in player contracts, executed major trades, and contributed to the team’s rise from eleven to forty wins. He also supported business operations that increased attendance and marketing revenue by 50 percent and assisted in the oversight of a $250 million arena project.

Military career culminated in senior command roles, including Commander of the New York Area Command and Fort Hamilton, where he oversaw 600+ personnel and a $370 million annual budget. As Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of International Student Programs at the U.S. Army War College, he led academic and diplomatic programs for senior officials from 50+ countries, many, later rising to top government positions in their respective countries.

He has served on the Boards of the USO of New York City, the New York City Host Committee for World Cup USA ’94, and multiple nonprofit organizations. His education includes a B.S, Business Administration from the University of Kentucky, an M.S. in Public Administration from Shippensburg University and post-graduate studies at the U.S. Army War College. He is the recipient of numerous military awards, including two Legions of Merit.

Richard Selden, MD, PhD founded ANDE Corporation more than twenty years ago with a vision to move DNA analysis from sophisticated laboratories to the field, where it could have daily impact on forensic, clinical, and environmental applications. Today he serves as ANDE’s Chief Scientific Officer. His fascination with practical applications of DNA emerged from his early career as a pediatrician and scientist seeking solutions to the diagnosis and treatment of genetic disease. Once convinced of the potential of generating a DNA Identification in two hours instead of months or years using then-conventional technology, he created the field of Rapid DNA with a focus on public safety and security. Working closely with several US federal agencies to understand their operational requirements, he developed and launched what is today known as the ANDE Rapid DNA Identification system.

Dr. Selden earned his BA degree from Harvard College, MA and PhD degrees in Genetics from the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and MD from Harvard Medical School.  He trained as a pediatrician at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Selden is an author on over 50 scientific publications and an inventor on over 50 US patents. He has received awards including the Ernst & Young New England Entrepreneur of the Year, the R&D 100 Award, the Not Impossible Award, and the CES Innovation Award. He has also served on several Conservation Commissions and as a Founding Advisor to DNA Bridge, a non-profit dedicated to the use of DNA to reunify family members separated during wars and natural disasters.

Donald Paul joined the faculty of the University of Southern California (USC) in January 2009 as the Executive Director of the USC Energy Institute, William M. Keck Chair of Energy Resources, and Research Professor of Engineering. The USC Energy Institute supports university-wide research, education, workforce development, and commercialization initiatives with industry and governments in the area of “intelligent energy”, involving the intersection of digital technologies, systems engineering, and energy infrastructures. Major programs include: digital oilfields, smart power grids, cyber-physical security for critical energy infrastructures, and new programs in petroleum informatics and Industrial IoT for oil and gas operations.

Dr. Paul had a distinguished 33-year career with the Chevron Corporation, retiring in June 2008 as Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. During his career, he served as the president of Chevron’s Canadian subsidiary and as the senior compliance officer for Chevron’s HSE and global cyber-security functions.

Dr. Paul also serves as a Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C. and as an academic member of the National Petroleum Council. He has served on advisory boards at several major universities, governments and national laboratories, oil and gas companies, power utilities, and technology companies. In 2019 he joined the Berry Petroleum Company Board of Directors. He holds BS, MS, and PhD degrees from MIT and an Honorary Doctorate in Geological Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.