Decorated Special Forces Officer Skeen Selected to Lead DARC; Page Named Director of Research
Decorated US Army Special Forces veteran Tyler Skeen has been named the new executive director of national security and defense programs for the Defense Development and Applied Research Center (DARC) at the University of Tennessee.
Additionally, Katharine Page, a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, has been selected as the director of research for DARC.
Skeen, a Morristown, Tennessee native, arrives at UT after spending more than 20 years in active military service, a majority of which was conducted within Army Special Operations. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, US Army Airborne School, US Army Ranger School, and US Army SERE (High Risk) School.
“I am very excited to step into this role at the University of Tennessee,” Skeen said. “Because of where we are located, we have an awesome opportunity to build upon the relationships that UT research plays within the Department of War’s (DOW) innovation priorities and requirements. Given all of our capabilities and connections, UT has the potential to contribute to being on the leading edge of science with some of that next-generation capability.”
Skeen began active-duty service in 2006 as a field artillery officer. He conducted his first deployment to Iraq as a platoon leader and counter-fire officer in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In 2012, Skeen completed the US Army Special Forces Qualification Course and earned his Green Beret. He was assigned to 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, conducting multiple combat rotations as a member of special operation task forces to defeat ISIS within Iraq and Syria.
Skeen earned his master’s degree in defense analysis from Naval Postgraduate School in 2018. In 2020, he was selected to serve as the senior special operations liaison at US Embassy Amman, Jordan. Skeen retired from active military service in 2026 and returned to East Tennessee to be closer to family.
“The team we have at UT is awesome,” Skeen said. “There’s a lot of really good people, so we’ve got a great opportunity to take what we’ve already established and build it into something that is a regular and habituated part of DOW capability development.”
In her role, Page will help provide connections into the faculty and help guide research development between DARC and faculty in the TCE.
“We have a great team, vision, and an established track record of being a partner with the DOW in both fundamental research and applied development” said Matthew Mench, Tickle College of Engineering dean and Wayne T. Davis Dean’s Chair. “TCE has never been in a better position to help the DOW and the warfighter meet its mission, and I look forward to seeing the continued growth and development of DARC.”
About DARC
DARC focuses on advanced materials, manufacturing, and operational energy solutions, integrating AI automation and human-machine teaming to enhance operational readiness. Through collaboration with military leaders, industry experts, and UT researchers, the center will accelerate innovation, ensuring life-saving advancements reach those who serve.
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey ([email protected])