Dr. Suzy Young is the Director of the Research Institute at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.  Previously, she was the Vice Chancellor for Research for the University of Alabama (UA) System where she worked with the Chancellor and Board of Trustees, administrators and research faculty at UA, UA Birmingham (UAB) and UAH to strengthen and broaden research initiatives and partnerships across the three universities.  Before joining the UA System in 2011, Dr. Young worked for over 29 years in the United States Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center, Redstone Arsenal, in various research and leadership positions. 

Dr. Young received a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the University of Memphis, a Master of Business Administration from Florida Technical Institute, and a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in Computer and Electrical Engineering from Vanderbilt University. She is also a graduate of the Defense Systems Management College, Ft Belvoir, VA. 

In 2011, Dr. Young was awarded the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Women in Defense Organization, presented the Honorable Order of St. Michael for Army Aviators, and in 2013, the Order of Prometheus for leadership in unmanned systems. In 2023 she was inducted into the Prometheus Pathfinder Hall of Fame for her work in uncrewed systems throughout her career. As a civil servant with the Army, she received the Civilian Service Award for Superior Performance, and the Commander’s Award for Civilian Service for Exceptional Leadership. She is a longtime National Board member for the Association for Unmanned Vehicles/Systems International (AUVSI), exited as the Board Chair in 2023, and now serves as the Immediate Past Chair on the Executive Committee. She currently serves on the AUVSI Robonation foundation board, and was appointed in 2013 by the Governor of the State of Alabama as a member of the Alabama Space Science Commission where she still serves today. She also serves on the US Space and Rocket Center Foundation Board. Dr. Young has numerous commendations and published works, and is considered a leader in research and development for government, industry, and academia.