Regina Dugan, a fearless innovator who has shattered barriers in science, technology, and national security, will take the stage in Lane Stadium as the keynote speaker at Virginia Tech’s University Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 16.

Dugan has spent her career breaking glass ceilings and rewriting the rules of innovation. She made history as the 19th director — and first woman — to lead the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where she spearheaded next-generation breakthroughs in everything from synthetic biology to hypersonic flight.

Known for her grit, she hasn’t led teams from behind a desk. She’s been on the ground, clearing landmines in Bosnia and Africa and deploying to Afghanistan five times to drive DARPA’s first operational mission since Vietnam. For her efforts, DARPA received the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, an honor typically reserved for combat teams.

Today, as president and CEO of Wellcome Leap, Dugan is taking on one of the biggest challenges of our time: accelerating breakthroughs in human health. Dugan has a history of leading high-impact global teams, building unconventional products, and sparking billion-dollar innovations.

As vice president of engineering at Meta, Dugan assembled a special projects team that aimed to restore human connection with screen-free interfaces, launched advanced haptics, and created cutting-edge augmented reality experiences. She also led Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects team, where science fiction seemed to become reality, pioneering modular electronics, new authentication technologies, and a new film format that enabled the world’s first interactive 360-degree short films — awarded with multiple Emmys, five Annie Awards, and an Oscar nomination.

"Regina embodies the spirit of fearless curiosity and bold problem-solving that defines our university,” said Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. “Her remarkable career serves as an inspiration to our students, faculty, and alumni. We look forward to the insights she will bring to the next generation of Hokie leaders.”

A globally recognized thought leader, Dugan has been named to CNN’s Top 10 Thinkers, CNBC’s NEXT LIST, Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business, and The Verge 50. Fortune hails her as one of the world's leading experts on product innovation, “the kind that unhinges old ways of operating, juices competition and creates new growth.” The New York Times credits her with “having a knack for inspiring, and … insisting on creative thinking.” 

Beyond her leadership in tech, defense, and health, Dugan is a dynamic speaker who has taken the stage at TED, SXSW, the Clinton Global Initiative, Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit, and more. Her 2012 TED Talk was one of the top 10 trending topics worldwide on X, formerly Twitter.

Dugan holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Virginia Tech and a Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology, where she was named a Distinguished Alumna in 2017. At Virginia Tech, she has been recognized with the University Distinguished Achievement Award and is a member of the Academy of Engineering Excellence.

The University Commencement ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. May 16 in Lane Stadium. A complete schedule of commencement ceremonies and additional commencement information can be found online at commencement.vt.edu.  

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