Full Story: https://www.russ-shilling.com/medium

Russell Shilling, Ph.D., is a social impact innovator dedicated to advancing accessibility, inclusion, and wellness through emerging technologies. A former Navy Captain and Aerospace Experimental Psychologist, he served at DARPA, pioneering initiatives in affective computing and conversational agents to enhance psychological health, and spearheaded STEM education models integrating gaming and analytics.

During his military service, Dr. Shilling also established groundbreaking U.S. military research programs to develop virtual reality tools for PTSD, pain management, and cognitive therapy. He collaborated with Sesame Workshop on award-winning programs supporting children facing deployment-related challenges.

After retiring from the Navy, he served as Executive Director of STEM Initiatives at the U.S. Department of Education under the Obama Administration and later as Chief Scientific Officer at the American Psychological Association. He has been working with philanthropies and startups, including the Gates Foundation, on early learning assessment and Roblox on educational games. He applies his extensive network, development experience, and DARPA-inspired processes to critical research and development.

Dr. Shilling serves on the Medical and Science Advisory Committee at Autism Speaks. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife, a school teacher, and is the proud father of two adult sons with autism. https://russ-shilling.com/essays