Researcher

Yvette Rodriguez is a PhD Candidate at the University of Southern California Daniel J. Epstein Industrial and Systems Engineering Department and teaches systems engineering at Defense Acquisition University (DAU) with 18 years of Department of Defense Acquisition experience. Ms. Rodriguez’s research interests span the engineering of resilient systems with an emphasis in Model Based Systems Engineering, system resilience, and Cubesat system resilience.  She is a founding member of the INCOSE@USC Student Division and the 2012-2013 Vice-President.

Prior to teaching at DAU, she was a key player in numerous successful ship defense system installations with the Department of the Navy.  She was responsible for providing Quick Reaction Combat Capability as the Lead Combat Systems Engineer for the installation of Ship Self Defense System (SSDS) MK1 aboard 13 amphibious and 4 carrier class ships.  She was the recipient of the 1999 Program Executive Office Theater Surface Combatants (PEO TSC) Team Award for Excellence, the 1998 Golden Hammer Award, and the 1996 NSWC PHD SSDS Special Achievement Award.  She was also recognized by NAVSEA for her outstanding contributions to the Navy Anti-Ship Missile Defense (ASMD) Radar Program. 

Yvette has extensive experience in the management, deployment and support of U.S. Naval ship defense systems, with an emphasis in lean transformation.  She received her M.S. in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and her B.S. in Electrical Engineering from USC.