2022 STEM Hero Honorees

David Guadalupe is the Chief Engineer for the 46th Test Squadron at Patrick Space Force Base in Florida.  He’s responsible for all engineering aspects of test and evaluation planning and execution for multiple programs, including the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, NATO Aerial Ground Surveillance, and the $20 billion Survivable Airborne Operations Center weapon systems.

This position is the culmination of an illustrious, four-decade career in the military as both a uniformed officer and a member of civilian leadership.  His journey began in 1980 after graduating from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez with a degree in Civil Engineering and accepting a commission as a Second Lieutenant.  Initial deployments included stops in Italy, the United Kingdom, and El Salvador as part of a special Joint Task Force.

In 1991, he was promoted to Major and assigned to Air Force Materiel Command Headquarters at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.  His many achievements included overseeing the successful $350 million facilities modernization covering all space launch complexes and Air Force laboratories – assets worth billions of dollars.

After nine years in the private sector, Mr. Guadalupe returned to the Air Force, this time as a civilian Systems Engineer with the Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base. Over a span of 10 years, he led engineering teams responsible for developing command, control, communications, computer and intelligence weapons systems, including 23 programs across 13 countries worth $4.2 billion.

Mr. Guadalupe recently joined the 96th Cyberspace Test Group Diversity and Inclusion committee, and is looking forward to recruiting, retaining and seeing outstanding minority personnel grow in the Air Force.