Top AI Execs to Watch

Patrick Biltgen, Perspecta

Patrick Biltgen, Ph.D., serves as director of Perspecta’s analytics offerings and has over 13 years’ experience in large-scale data processing, machine learning, decision support tools, and modeling and simulation methods. He directs internal research and development efforts in machine learning and analytics for the intelligence business group and collaborates across directorates in support of multiple customer missions. In addition, Biltgen mentors many young professionals at Perspecta.

Why Watch:

Biltgen literally wrote the book on activity-based intelligence: “Activity-Based Intelligence: Principles and Applications” is widely regarded as the preeminent source of information on the topic for students, teachers and enthusiasts worldwide. It’s the first unclassified textbook on a methodology for multisource correlation for pattern-of-life analysis and discovery of the unknown. In addition, Biltgen not only has an unparalleled level of technical expertise with AI; he knows how to explain this complex topic with passion and enthusiasm in a way the novice can understand.

Over the last several years, Biltgen has dedicated himself to advancing intelligence community mission-enhancing software solutions, defining future concepts and roadmaps for analytics supporting multiple agencies, architecting groundbreaking R&D solutions, and recruiting new talent into the IC workforce.

His hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed, especially in the past two years alone. This year, Biltgen received the Edwin H. Land Industry Award, which is part of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance Achievement Awards that recognize young professionals for their exceptional leadership, mentorship and contributions to U.S. intelligence, national security or homeland security. In 2017, he won the Neil Armstrong Award of Excellence, presented to a former Astronaut Scholarship Foundation scholar whose research and work positively impacted industry and who exemplifies a passion to expand the boundaries of exploration through science and technology.

Biltgen’s work includes the development of the initial concepts for automated “pipeline” processing of GEOINT data, multi-INT data discovery and correlation, and object-relationship linking with graph theory. His research work at Georgia Institute of Technology integrated machine learning with aircraft design capabilities to simultaneously optimize tactics and technologies for a long-range bomber. He’s an expert in highly-dimensional multidisciplinary design optimization, and capability-based trade studies, and has a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctorate in aerospace engineering from Georgia Tech.

Prior to joining Perspecta, Biltgen served as the senior mission engineer for BAE Systems’ intelligence integration directorate, where he oversaw the implementation of activity-based intelligence capabilities for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Before to that, he spent nine years at Georgia Tech, most recently as a level 2 research engineer managing a team of 25 graduate research assistant and directing over $1.3 million in sponsored research for the Air Force Research Lab’s National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Raytheon, BAE Systems and Applied Research Associates.