The U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) held a Change of Command on June 16, 2023, at 10 a.m. at Fort Trumbull in New London. Current RDC Commanding Officer, Capt. Dan Keane, was relieved by Capt. Michael Chien. Capt. Keane held command since May 1, 2020. He retires with 24 years of service.
During Capt. Keane’s tenure, the command operated seamlessly during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research continued and the approved portfolio was executed. Highlights included the command celebrating its 50th anniversary, providing foundational work for strategic unmanned systems (UxS), establishing the first-in-the-nation virtual Auxiliary unit, signing a memorandum of understanding with Space Force, partnering with Project Oceanology to evaluate the NextGen Automatic Identification System, and partnering with the Commandant’s Emerging Policy staff (DCO-X) to conduct significant EVERGREEN events focused on space and climate change.
Capt. Chien reports from the Office of Cyberspace Forces, Coast Guard headquarters, where he served as the cyber strategy division chief, leading an integrated team focused on developing and implementing cyberspace capabilities to advance national and international objectives for cyber infrastructure protection. His portfolio has included a broad array of interagency engagements with the National Security Council and the Department of Homeland Security-led Cyber Incident Reporting Council.
A 2001 graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, Capt. Chien also holds Master of Science degrees in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University and engineering and management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Systems Design and Management program.
