Oct. 23, 2020 Recent National Academy of Engineers inductee appointed Chief Scientist of AFRL Manufacturing Directorate WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFRL) — The recently appointed Chief Scientist at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Branch, has received one of the highest honors accorded to an engineer.On Oct. 4, 2020, Dr. Richard Vaia was inducted into the National Academy of