Erik Andersen is the interim GTRI Deputy Director for Research, leading the Electronics, Optics, and Systems Directorate (EOSD). In this role, Andersen leads over 800 employees conducting over $300 million annually in research across a wide variety of disciplines including autonomous systems, cybersecurity, electronic warfare, modeling simulation and analysis, systems engineering, test and evaluation, live, virtual, constructive training, and threat systems and across three labs: the Applied Systems Laboratory (ASL), the Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory (EOSL), the Electronic Systems Laboratory (ELSYS), and the Information and Communications Laboratory (ICL). As part of his role, he serves on the GTRI Executive Council, helping set GTRI’s strategy and informing critical decisions impacting our organization. Additionally, Andersen is a principal research associate serving as the Army Strategy Programs Lead for GTRI and the Army service lead for GTRI’s Military Graduate Research Program.  

In 2021, Andersen joined GTRI following a 37-year career in the United States Army serving on Active Duty, the United States Army Reserve, and the National Guard. He was GTRI’s first Hiring Our Heroes fellow, which is an innovative DOD SkillBridge program that provides transitioning service members with professional training and hands-on experience in the civilian workforce.

During his military service, Andersen served as the J3/Director, Domestic Operations for the Georgia National Guard from 2020-21. From 2019-20, he served as the Exercise Chief for United States Army Europe, managing a program of 60 exercises across 19 countries with 29 allies and partner nations. He has deployed experience both abroad and domestically serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is qualified as a Strategic Planner, Joint Planner, Logistics Officer, Human Resource Officer, and Military Police Officer.
In 2022, Andersen was elected to the National Guard Association of the United States Corporate Advisory Panel and currently serves as the Communications Chair.

Andersen holds a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in Carlyle, Pennsylvania, an MBA from the J. Mack Robinson School of Business at Georgia State University and a bachelor’s degree in International Business from California State University at Chico.

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