Staff
Dr. Arun Seraphin, Executive Director
Dr. Arun Seraphin is the Executive Director of Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI). He was promoted from his previous position as the Deputy Director of ETI in May 2023. Before joining the ETI team, Dr. Seraphin was a Professional Staff Member on the staff of the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services. His areas of responsibility included acquisition policy, Pentagon management issues, Department of Defense's science and technology programs, information technology systems, technology transition issues, defense laboratories, Small Business Innovation Research program, manufacturing programs, and test and evaluation programs. As such he assisted Senators in their oversight of DOD policies and programs, including in the authorization of budgets, civilian nominations, legislative initiatives, and hearings. He rejoined the committee staff in 2014, after previously serving there between 2001 and 2010. In 2009, he was named one of ten Defense "Staffers to Know" by Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper.
From 2010 to 2014, Dr. Seraphin served as the Principal Assistant Director for National Security and International Affairs at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). During this time, he both led (in an Acting capacity) and served as the deputy director of the OSTP National Security and International Affairs division. His areas of responsibility included developing and implementing White House initiatives and policies in areas including defense research and engineering; weapons of mass destruction; defense manufacturing and industrial base; science, technology, engineering , and mathematics (STEM) education; cybersecurity; and promoting innovation in government research and engineering organizations. He also led interagency groups on small business programs and on improving the quality of the Federal STEM workforce. He was on detail to OSTP from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) where he was the Special Assistant for Policy Initiatives to the Director of DARPA.
Dr. Seraphin has also worked on the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science's Subcommittee on Research as a professional staff member. He began his work in Congress in the Office of Senator Joseph Lieberman as the 1999-2000 Materials Research Society - Optical Society of America Congressional Science and Engineering Fellow. In these positions, he covered both civilian and defense research and development programs.
Between 1996 and 2000, Dr. Seraphin worked in the Science and Technology Division of the Institute for Defense Analyses, where his research included work on defense technology transition, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), export controls, technology forecasting, and international research cooperation. His work included detailed technical analyses supporting the DARPA MEMS program, the Army Science and Technology Master Plan, and the Military Critical Technologies Program. In 1996, Dr. Seraphin earned a Ph.D. in Electronic Materials from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he performed research on silicon nanotechnology. His research focused on the development of novel silicon nanostructures and tailoring their optical properties. He also holds bachelor's degrees in Political Science with a concentration in American Government and Engineering Science with a concentration in Materials Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Erim Gulum, Operations Manager
Erim Gulum joined NDIA in July 2025 as Operations Manager for the Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI). He handles the Institute’s daily operations and coordination with NDIA, working closely to support Dr. Arun Seraphin and the entire ETI team.
Prior to NDIA, Erim worked for more than three years as the first Program Officer for the US-Japan NEXT Alliance Initiative at Sasakawa USA in Washington DC where he handled the Initiative’s logistics, research, marketing, and programming. He was also the lead writer of 85 editions of the “US-Japan Alliance Digest,” a bilateral-focused digest detailing recent developments in the keystone US alliance of the Indo-Pacific.
Erim graduated from UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy with an MA in International Affairs. Prior to graduate school, he lived and worked in Japan’s western city of Kitakyushu for two years as an English teacher for the JET Program. Through his time as an educator, first responder, and program officer, Erim learned the value of teamwork, communication, organization, and good leadership. He uses his experience and skillset to improve the functionality of ETI and support the mission of defense modernization and innovation.
Samuel Moyer, Research Fellow
Sam Moyer is a Research Fellow at ETI focused on private investment trends, supply chain analysis, and technology policy. He has worked for over a decade in the government technology sector, with a focus on innovative contracting, small business and technology transition. He holds a BA in Economics from the College of William and Mary, and an MBA from the University of Maryland.
Logan Whitehair, Research Fellow
Logan Whitehair is a Horizon Research Fellow at the Emerging Technologies Institute where he is focused on the Private Capital Project, the ethics of AI integration in defense workstreams, and other areas of defense innovation. Previously, he was a founding researcher at the Abundance Institute, contributing to software development and research on generative AI and its implications for the 2024 U.S. election. Before that, he worked as an associate on the Technology and Innovation team at the Center for Growth and Opportunity, where he studied emerging technology commercialization and university technology transfer programs. Logan holds a multidisciplinary degree in Computer Science, Economics, and Sociology from West Virginia University.
Wilson Miles, Associate Research Fellow
Wilson Miles is an Associate Research Fellow at ETI. Wilson's research and analysis portfolio includes analyzing the hypersonics and directed energy technology supply chains, ethics of artificial intelligence, the Joint Warfighting Concept, and other modernization technology policy issues. Wilson previously held internships at multiple nonprofit organizations including CRDF Global, the Hudson Institute, and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He received his master's degree in International Affairs: US Foreign Policy and National Security from American University's School of International Service and his bachelor's in International Relations from Linfield University, where he was also a member of the NCAA baseball team.
Anna Kim, Associate Research Fellow
Anna Kim is an Associate Research Fellow at ETI. Her research and analysis portfolio includes projects on AI regulation and integration and technology transition. Prior to joining ETI, Anna led cybersecurity and counterproliferation programming to impede North Korea and Iran's sanctions evasion activities and nuclear programs at CRDF Global. She holds a bachelor's degree in international relations from Tufts University.
Sierra Cherry, Program Coordinator
Sierra Cherry joined NDIA in August 2025 as Program Coordinator for the Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI). She supports the Institute’s programming, operations, and communications, working closely with Dr. Arun Seraphin and the ETI team to plan and execute webinars, conferences, and outreach initiatives that advance defense modernization and innovation. Prior to joining NDIA, Sierra managed technical and cross-functional projects in the broadcast technology sector, coordinating with industry partners to improve data delivery systems and ensure compliance with federal and industry standards. She brings extensive experience in Agile project management, event coordination, and stakeholder engagement. Sierra holds a Bachelor of Science and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Scrum Master. She applies her organizational expertise and collaborative approach to strengthen ETI’s operational efficiency and program impact.
Daniel Park, Executive Assistant
Daniel Park is the Executive Assistant at ETI. In this role, he directly supports the Executive Director. He provides logistical assistance to various projects, including The Emerging Tech Horizons Podcast and Tech 101 Webinar series. Prior to joining ETI, he worked in administrative operations for various organizations from non-for-profits and small businesses. He received his bachelor’s degree from Independence University focusing on business administration and property management. He gained experience as a small business owner, running a general contracting company while he was attending college. He is also a United States Marine Corps veteran.
