Scassero, Matt
Director of Operations and Outreach
A. James Clark School of Engineering
MATRIX Lab
MATRIX Lab
44219 Airport Road, California, MD 20619
Key Responsibilities
Matt is the Director of Operations and Outreach for the University of Maryland Clark School of Engineering at the University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland (USMSM). He promotes the Clark School’s role in the areas of integrated education and research (specifically focusing on autonomous technologies), outreach, and economic/community development. He also supports the USMSM mission of increasing impact of the institution to the local and regional community by increasing non-traditional educational partnering opportunities, creating integrated educational and research opportunities both internally and externally, and increasing research expenditures by supporting interdisciplinary research initiatives.
Before this Matt was the Director of the University of Maryland Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site, focusing the resources and efforts of the state of Maryland on working with the FAA to integrate UAS into the national airspace, and enabling public access to these valuable assets to empower a flourishing new industry. Prior to his work with UAS, Matt was the Chief Contracts Officer for Melwood, a non-profit dedicated to empowering people with differing disabilities to enrich their own lives through rehabilitative services and employment opportunities.
Prior to joining Melwood, Matt completed a 27 year career in the US Navy, retiring at the rank of Captain as the Vice Commander for the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, the Navy’s principal research, development, test, evaluation, engineering and fleet support activity for naval aircraft and systems. He is certified by the federal government in program management, test and evaluation, software acquisition, safety program management and electronic warfare operations. Matt earned a BS in Physics (Oceanography) from the United States Naval Academy in 1982, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore in 2017, and is a Leadership Maryland 2007 graduate.
Research Interests
autonomous technologies, UAS
Education
M.P.A., University of Baltimore
B.S., Physics (Oceanography), United States Naval Academy
- 2016 - first civil UAS flight across Chesapeake Bay; first cargo delivery by UAS in Maryland; fully automated flight
- 2016 - AQWUA (A Quad With Underwater Ability) - summer intern project, fully submesible swimming/flying UAS; single propulsion and control system
- 2018 - Cooperative UAS and USV, multi-domain autonomy project demonstrating communications and cooperative autonomy between air and surface UXS
- 2019 - Cooperative UAS and Robots for Remote EOD (CURRE), multi-domain autonomy project with the Navy (NAWCAD), demonstrating communications and cooperative autonomy between air and ground UXS
- 2019 - First human organ delivered to a waiting patient with a UAS in the world
- in partnership with UMB, UMMC, Living Legacy Foundation, City of Baltimore
- company created out of the research MIssionGO/MediGO, Scott Plank/CEO
- Awards:
- 2018 Techical.ly Baltimore "Invention of the Year"
- 2020 American Helicopter Museum Achievement Award
- 2020 AUVSI XCELLENCE Awards in the Humanitarian/Public Safety category
- 2021 HAI Salute to Excellence Golden Hour Award
- 2020 - survived the pandemic intact and safe...science works!
- 2021 - Chesapeake UAS Route Network: multi-year, multi-phase project aiming at...
- Airspace integration overlying the central/northern Chesapeake Bay and UAS points of interest
- Fully integrated vice segragated airspace, manned and unmanned
- On-demand vice waivers/exemptions
- Flight Over People
- Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS)
- All sizes and shapes of UAS Group 1-5
- All altitudes and airspace classifications
- For use by research, public missions, military, NASA and commercial users
- Future connections north (PA and New York), northeast (DE, Philly, NE Corridor), south (Hampton Roads) and west (Ohio, Indiana)