Received the B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point where he graduated first in a class of 525. He received the M.S.E.E. from the University of Maryland and the Sc.D.E.E. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to joining the faculty of George Mason University in September, 1988 as a Distinguished Professor of Information Technology, and Electrical and Systems Engineering, Dr. Van Trees was President of M/A - COM Government Systems, a high technology company in the defense electronics area and a world leader in the development and production of modems, decoders, and satellite terminals for military satellite systems. It had over 1000 employees in San Diego, Boston, and Washington. As President, Dr. Van Trees was responsible for running the company and reporting to the CEO of M/A -COM. Previously, Dr. Van Trees served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (C3I) and as Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense; Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence where he was responsible for the research, development, and acquisition of C3I systems for the Department of Defense. He also served as Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force and Chief Scientist and Associate Director for Technology of the Defense Communications Agency. Prior to his government service, Dr. Van Trees was a Professor of Electrical Engineering at M.I.T. where he published a three- volume set of books on Detection, Estimation, and Modulation Theory. The first volume is used in graduate schools throughout the world, has been translated into Russian and Chinese, and is currently in its 24th printing. The second and third volumes are widely used as references in the communications and radar/sonar area. His professional awards include: Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers; Presidential Award for Meritorious Executive; Distinguished Civilian Service Award; Best Paper Award, Honorable Mention, Communications Society and National Science Foundation Fellow. Dr. Van Trees has been a member of the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board; U.S. Air Force Studies Board, National Academy of Sciences; Space Division Advisory Group, U.S. Air Force; U.S. Information Agency Television Telecommunications Advisory Committee; U.S. Information Agency, Radio Engineering Advisory Committee and Communications Society Board of Governors. He is currently a member of the Army Science Board, the Defense Information Systems Agency Scientific Advisory Group, the Rome Laboratories Advisory Group, and the Board of Directors of the AFCEA Educational Foundation. Dr. Van Trees is Director of the Center of Excellence in C3I at the George Mason University and a Professor of the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Systems Engineering. He initiated the M.Sc. program in C3I at GMU.