About the Institute

Darren Schumacher

Dr. Darren Schumacher is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the University of South Florida’s Institute of Applied Engineering, a 501c3 Direct Support Organization dedicated to solving the problems of our nation’s warfighters by leveraging internal and external sources of technology and humanities related knowledge. Dr. Schumacher is a serial innovator with a thirty-year track record of bringing new to the organization, new to the market and new to the world innovations to the organizations of which he is a part. Most recently, Dr. Schumacher was the Director of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Applications, a University of Michigan spinoff focused on bringing their unique AI acceleration technology to market. Prior to this position, Dr. Schumacher was the Director of Satellite Embedded Software at Amazon's Project Kuiper, a Low Earth Orbit constellation of satellites that will bring broad band internet connectivity to underserved markets located around the world. While at Kuiper, Dr. Schumacher was responsible for the development, integration, and test of the satellite bus software as well as for satellite level mission outcomes.

Prior to Amazon, Dr. Schumacher was responsible for the Stoneridge Semi-Autonomous Class 8 truck technology demonstrator, a safety and autonomy architecture centered around the MirrorEye™ camera mirror system. While President at Gentherm Technologies, he was the initial author of the Gentherm Climate Sense™ system patents and led the development of the Intelligent Positioning System as well the Pace Award-winning thermoelectric Battery Thermal Management system. At Bosch, he was the initial inventor of the Robert Bosch Common Augmented Reality Platform for Service and Diagnostics. While Vice President of Product Development at SPX Service Solutions, he created the SPX Open Innovation Platform while leading the business' transition into the internet age. While at Eaton, his team developed the Pace Award-winning Twin Vortices Series Supercharger as well as the industry's first commercially viable Front Wheel Drive locking differential. In addition, his team at Eaton Aerospace developed and launched the division's first ever safety critical software products, including the company's first all-electric flap system. While at Motorola, his team developed the Quadra-Drive II system for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, that year's Peterson's 4X4 of the Year. He began his career at WL/MNAG at Eglin AFB, FL as part of the USAF Palace Knight program. He has led organizations as large as 2,000 people and managed annual budgets up to $100M. Dr. Schumacher holds Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as well as an MBA from Regis University in Denver, CO. He holds approximately twenty patents.