William Foster

William Foster is the President and Co-founder (along with Dr. Paul Heilman) of the Southern Connecticut Science & Engineering Foundation. This non-profit organization was started with the purposes of sponsoring an annual science fair and using other avenues to inspire student to pursue the study of science.

Foster is currently an International Captain with Delta Airlines. He served 20 years in the US Navy, retiring in 2000 as a Lieutenant Commander. His last active duty assignment was as a Weapons Test Pilot at the Naval Weapons Center in China Lake, California. He was previously involved in Electronic Warfare. William and his wife Jennifer have been Westport residents for 10 years; they have four children enrolled in the Westport schools.


Robert Susalka

Robert Susalka is a Certified Public Accountant, since 1985 with a sole proprietorship in Redding. His practice is limited to taxation and serves US public corporations in telecommunications and manufacturing, privately held corporations and partnerships, foreign corporations, and individuals, both US and foreign nationals.

Previously, Bob was the International Tax Director of The Singer Company, after having resigned from the Manhattan office of Price Waterhouse in 1983 as a Senior Tax Manager. He had begun practicing with Price Waterhouse on graduating from Pace University in 1970 with a BBA in Accounting.

In addition to serving SCSEF, Bob is currently Treasurer and a Board member of the Dispute Settlement Center, Inc., and Redding Neighbors and Newcomers, Inc. Previously, he was a Board member and Treasurer of the Fairfield Chapter of the Red Cross and First Night Westport/Weston Inc.


Rita Smircich

Rita Smircich is a wedding coach and author of the book To Do Before "I Do:" Advice, Wisdom & Practical Ideas for Organizing and Planning Your Wedding. She is the founder and former Executive Director of First Night Westport/Weston, Inc., President of Events by Rita, LLC, and President of the Entrepreneurial Woman's Network. Rita has contributed her planning and organizational skills to SCSEF since 2001.


Deborah Day

Deborah Day, who had been teaching Chemistry at Amity Senior High School for the past 10 years, is now Instructor for the Science Research Program at the school, a program which she helped to develop. She is expanding the program to include middle school students. Ms. Day co-authored publications related to her authentic science research and summer Research Experience for Teachers through the Center for Research on Interface Structures and Phenomena (CRISP) Nanocharacterization Facility. In 2008, she continued summer research in the Applied Physics Laboratory at Yale University through a fellowship program offered by CRISP. Ms. Day earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Biology and Chemistry and a Master of Science degree in Chemistry.


Anne Lintermans-Bertels, Ph.D.

Anne Lintermans-Bertels started her career as a biologist researcher and assistant at the Free University of Brussels, where she collaborated in the study of mathematical modeling of the primary production in the North Sea and International waters. Later, she specialized in Molecular Biology. In collaboration with the Free University of Brussels, the National Institute for Veterinary Research, and industrial partners, she developed a genetically-engineered vaccine, aimed at blocking attachment of pathogenic microorganisms to the intestinal mucosa.

Anne received her Master's degree from the University of Ghent and her Ph.D. in Science from the University of Brussels.


Dale Lichtenberg, Ph.D.

Dale Lichtenberg is Chief Chemist for Cytec Industries' coating resins plant in Wallingford, CT. He received his B.S. in chemistry from Case Western Reserve University, his M.S. from MIT, and his Ph.D. from the Ohio State University.


Fran Walker Lichtenberg

Fran Walker Lichtenberg is the founder and owner of fwl communications, a firm that specializes in strategic business communications. She works with companies ranging in size from sole proprietors to Fortune 50 companies. Prior to founding her company, Fran was the executive director of a plastics industry trade association; early corporate work experience included both database management and industrial hygiene at Owens-Corning. She especially enjoys working for science and technology-based companies, where she can use both her science background and communications skills.

Fran received her B.S. degree in chemistry summa cum laude from Marian College in Indianapolis; she holds Master's degrees from Case Institute of Technology and Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, Ohio) in both chemistry and information science.


Matt Miller, Ph.D.

Matt Miller has worked in technology industries for more than thirty years, with significant experience as an operating executive with an emphasis on semiconductors and broadband digital communications. He is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Multispectral Imaging, a venture-financed company developing uncooled infrared focal plane arrays for applications in night vision and thermal imaging. Previously, Matt served as President and CEO of NxtWave Communications, a leading supplier of semiconductor chips for emerging digital television markets worldwide, until its acquisition in 2002 by ATI Technologies. Previously, he served as VP of Technology at General Instrument, where he made major contributions to the development of digital television, optical communications for cable television, and cable modems. Before joining General Instrument, he was VP of Technology at Viacom, a horizontally-integrated communications company with interests in cable and satellite television, as well as television and radio.

Matt began his career doing research on semiconductor devices at RCA Laboratories (now Sarnoff Laboratories). Following RCA, he held a variety of technical and operational responsibilities at Perkin-Elmer Corp., where his research included space-based infrared sensors and systems, balloon-borne high resolution infrared spectroscopy instruments, and fundamental work on critical components, including tunable lead salt infrared lasers and a variety of infrared detectors. He received his B.A. in physics, magna cum laude, from Harvard College and his Ph.D. in solid state physics from Princeton University.