
S. Carter Christopher
Director, Geospatial Science and Human Security Division
Bio
Dr. Carter Christopher is Director of the Geospatial Science and Human Security Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In this role, he leads ORNL's geospatial science research portfolio, along with division staff and activities. Formerly, Dr. Christopher served as ORNL’s Section Head for Human Dynamics R&D where he led and integrated the Human Geography, Location Intelligence, Critical Infrastructure Resilience, Geospatial Data Modeling, and Geoinformatics Engineering research groups to address national- and global-scale challenges for National Security and Energy Security. During his tenure at the lab, he has been the Principal Investigator and Program Manager for a diverse portfolio, ranging from hazardous material routing and risk characterization to large-scale human mobility modeling, to alternative PNT solutions for the electric grid. He has also led the development of new programs in environmental security, communications security, and geospatial intelligence. Prior to joining ORNL, Dr. Christopher was Head of Geospatial at an aerospace start-up, and he had a distinguished 12-year career in the Intelligence Community. He spent more than 10 years at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency where he led a number of geospatial modernization programs, including AI/ML-driven object detection and mapping, cloud modernization and geospatial software-as-a-service delivery for the IC, data science and advanced geospatial analysis, and global GIS training. Dr. Christopher closed his Federal career at the US State Department as Deputy to the Geographer of the United States, where he helped stand up the Department’s enterprise GIS and led human geography and humanitarian mapping initiatives. Prior to Federal service, Dr. Christopher held analyst and project management roles in the geospatial private sector where he supported the US Army Corps of Engineers, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and a variety of State and Local government customers. He has a PhD in Earth Systems and Geoinformation Science, a MS in Geography and Remote Sensing, and a BA in Government. He is an active member of the American Association of Geographers (AAG), American Geographical Society (AGS), and US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF).