# My Story: Russell Shilling, Ph.D.

Russell Shilling is a retired U.S. Navy Captain, experimental psychologist, former DARPA Program Officer, former Presidential appointee at the U.S. Department of Education, and founder of Shilling Forge Consulting.

## Full page

https://russ-shilling.com/my-story

## Career arc

- Grew up in rural Appalachia and earned a B.A. in psychology from Wake Forest University and a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
- Served 22 years as a U.S. Navy Aerospace Experimental Psychologist and retired as a Captain.
- Helped launch early military research in virtual reality therapy for PTSD and pain, serious games, simulation, and human performance.
- Taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy and Naval Postgraduate School and contributed to America’s Army and other game-based learning programs.
- Managed more than $60 million in interdisciplinary R&D at DARPA, including virtual humans, conversational agents, psychological health technology, learning analytics, and serious games.
- Served as Executive Director of STEM Initiatives at the U.S. Department of Education and helped establish its first Office of STEM.
- Later served as Chief Science Officer at the American Psychological Association and advised philanthropies, startups, nonprofits, and public agencies.

## Personal mission

As the father of two adult sons on the autism spectrum, Shilling focuses on responsible and inclusive uses of AI, XR, games, and assistive technology. His work emphasizes practical deployment, accessibility, independent living, family impact, and public benefit.

## Current work

- Strategic advisory through Shilling Forge Consulting
- Responsible AI and conversational-agent design
- ARPA/DARPA-style R&D program design
- Autism and neurodiversity technology
- XR, serious games, education technology, and behavioral health
- Speaking, workshops, board service, and philanthropic advisory

## Contact

For consulting, speaking, advisory, workshop, board, and collaboration inquiries:

https://russ-shilling.com/contact