The foundation of the NEXT STEP is with us.
TRUST
Because our customers and employees depend on the work we do, we set higher standards than the industry in order to provide quality solutions in a timely manner.
MENTORSHIP
Our leaders understand the vital need to pass on their knowledge and expertise to the upcoming generation. We develop talent by teaming tomorrow’s experts with the trailblazers of our industry.
COLLABORATION
We know the best ideas and solutions come when we work together as a team compiling science, technology, engineering and years of expert experience into one.
ACCOUNTABILITY
At Fifth Gait, we hold ourselves accountable to our customers and employees. Owning successes and failures only makes us better and our products the best on the market.
INNOVATION
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
DR. KATHY DOUGHTY
Founder, Chief Executive Officer
As the founder of Fifth Gait Technologies, Kathy is a radiation-effects scientist with over a decade of experience in the effects of radiation environments on semiconductor devices and materials. Her work has included the prediction and simulation of natural and man-made space nuclear environments as well as performance prediction and testing of solid-state devices subjected to these environments.
Dr. Kathryn Doughty founded Fifth Gait Technologies, Inc., in 2007. Prior to founding Fifth Gait, Kathy served as a subject matter expert at GH Systems, and as a project manager and technical lead at ATK for efforts on the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Nuclear Capabilities Services (NuCS) program and on the Sensors Hardening Technology program. Kathy has also performed simulation and evaluation of the effects of radiation in-pixel mitigation schemes in FPAs under various system conditions and radiation environments.
As a radiations-effects scientist with over a decade of experience in the effects of radiation environments on semiconductor devices and materials, Kathy has performed radiation environment predictions and shielding effects for multiple U.S. Defense Programs. Her background includes the development of detectors and detector materials, testing, simulation and optimization of IR and visible detectors and device performance in degrading environments, including natural and man-made nuclear environments. She holds patent US5978399: Electrically-tunable infrared detectors and method based on intraband transitions in quantum well structures, 1999.
As the founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kathy holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Solid State Physics and a Master of Science in Physics from the University of California – Santa Barbara, and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the California Institute of Technology. She is an active member of the Hardened Electronics and Radiation Technology {HEART) Society serving on the Executive Steering Committee, an SRC Fellow and a member of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society.
******** Fifth Gait Technologies, Inc., a minority woman-owned small business specializing in system survivability, hardened systems, custom advanced sensor systems, operational environment and effects, modeling and simulation, test and evaluation, and program execution and mission assurance.
Favorite Elements:
“My favorite element is Silicon from which all of our fun electronics flow! I’m also a fan of AlGaAs, but that’s not a single element.” ~Kathy
DR. JONATHAN FISHER
Chief Business Officer
As Fifth Gait’s subject matter expert in the areas of modeling, simulation, and testing of space radiation and nuclear weapons effect, Jonathan also engages in systems engineering, hardened design of electro-optical and structural systems, and definition of space and nuclear weapons radiation environments.
Dr. Jonathan Fisher as Fifth Gait Technology, Inc.’s Chief Business Officer is responsible for business operations and development including leading the Applied Physics and Technology group. Dr. Fisher is a recognized subject matter expert in the areas of modeling, simulation, and testing of space radiation and nuclear weapons effects. Prior to his work at Fifth Gait, Dr. Fisher has served as the director and principal investigator (PI) at GH Systems as a scientist and principal investigator at Mission Research Corporation, an Associate Fellow of the Technical Staff at Nichols Research Corporation, and he was also a NASA Space Grant Fellow.
Dr. Fisher’s career has been dedicated to space and radiation hardened technology design, verification, and testing. He has led the development of multiple community-standard modeling and simulation tools, radiation test diagnostics and experiment platforms, and radiation test standards in support of multiple DoD organizations. As the author and co-author of several peer-reviewed journal articles and more than fifty Hardened Electronics and Radiation Technology (HEART) Conference presentations, Dr. Fisher remains active in research and development of his fields of expertise.
Dr. Fisher holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Physics from Alabama A&M University, and both a Master of Science in Physics and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics from Eastern Kentucky University. He is a senior member of IEEE-Nuclear Science Society, a member of the American Physical Society, and an active member of the HEART Society serving as the Junior Past Chair of the Executive Steering Committee.
Favorite Elements:
“I personally like Indium, but my favorite isotope is In-115. Neutrons are my favorite particles, and X-rays are my favorite photon range.” ~Jonathan
DR. RUDY GOLDFLAM
Chief Technology Officer
At the forefront of technological advancements for Fifth Gait, Rudy provides aerospace, defense and commercial industries with novel capabilities and innovations. He is a recognized subject matter expert and an astute leader in areas of survivability, space and missile defense, sensors, and sensor systems.
Dr. Rudolf (Rudy) Goldflam is the Chief Technology Officer and a founder of Fifth Gait Technologies, Inc. In this role, Rudy is at the forefront of the company’s technological advancement and development of new ideas. He has served as mentor for other Fifth Gait executives as far back as the 1980’s and continues to provide mentorship to the upcoming generation of engineers and scientists at Fifth Gate. Prior to his role at Fifth Gait, Rudy was a Division Leader at Mission Research Corporation where he established a preeminent group of scientists focusing on survivability and electro-optics. Following the sale of MRC to ATK in 2004, Rudy became the Chief Scientist for the Electro-optics and Space Systems Division with ATK Mission Research. The primary focus of his work since the 1980s has been the development of missile defense systems from advanced interceptor concepts at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to, more recently, the interceptor technologies for government and many aerospace companies. He has developed seminal ideas in design and testing for many DoD systems and components currently in use.
As a recognized subject matter expert and a leader in areas of survivability, space and missile defense, and sensors and sensor systems, Rudy is regularly invited to speak, advise, and instruct for industry corporations, government agencies, and technical society meetings.
Rudy holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Theoretical Physics from the University of Houston, a Master of Science in Experimental Nuclear Physics from the Weizmann Institute of Science – Rehovot, Israel, and a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Nuclear Engineering from Charles University, Prague, Czechoslovakia. He is an active member of the Hardened Electronics and Radiation Technology (HEART) Society.
Favorite Elements:
“Well, Nitrogen makes plants grow, Hydrogen makes water for my showers, and Iron makes my blood work. So, I guess I have three favorites.” ~Rudy
MR. RICHARD HORTON
Chief Strategy Officer
While creating, communicating, executing, and sustaining a unified company strategy, Richard also recruits top notch talent for Fifth Gait. And currently, he oversees the building of state-of-the-art labs as Director of our company’s Microelectronics and Electro-optics Test Group located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Mr. Richard Horton as the Chief Strategy Officer plans and executes company visions and goals. He is also the Director of the Microelectronics & Electro-optics Test Group located at Goldflam Laboratory in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Richard began his career in 1994 as a Raytheon thermal analyst developing thermal and fluid math models of avionics cooling systems for the U.S. Navy E6-B Airborne Command Post. From there Richard continued his thermal analyst career at Lockheed Martin supporting programs at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, providing modeling and simulation for the Crew and Thermal Systems Division, which was responsible for extravehicular activity (EVA) during Space Shuttle missions and construction of the International Space Station (ISS). During his time at JSC, he was the lead thermal analyst for the next generation space suit that was under development for Lunar and Mars exploration missions. He was also the lead thermal analyst for a Mars lander payload under the Mars Global Surveyor program.
In 2000, Richard continued his work with NASA at Marshall Space Flight Center as the lead thermal analyst for a microgravity materials science experiment. In addition to building the thermal and geometric math model device, he supported thermal vacuum testing and design of the experiment. After a decade of working on NASA programs, Richard transitioned to supporting missile defense programs. Under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, he conducted development testing of rad-hard by design infrared optical bandpass filters and cold x-ray testing of infrared optical coatings at the OMEGA laser facility at the University of Rochester, at the L3 Double Eagle facility in San Leandro, CA, and at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL).
Since arriving at Fifth Gait Technologies in 2015, Richard has directed and completed radiation effects testing of micro-electronics and electro-optics, which includes performance characterization of infrared focal planes, prompt dose testing of electronics and circuit card assemblies, and neutron induced upset testing of electronics.
Richard received his B.S. in Physics with a Mathematics Minor from the University of Houston, Houston, TX in 1994. He began Graduate Studies in Astrophysics at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL from 2006-2008.
Favorite Elements:
“I would say that Oxygen is my favorite element, because it keeps me alive. Gold is a close second. Oh, and Beryllium is pretty awesome too.” ~Richard
UNICORN SPOTLIGHT
Caio Motta
POSITION: Senior Electrical Engineer
YEARS WITH FIFTH GAIT: 2.5 years
EDUCATION: MS in Electrical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara
I was a lineman at an airport.
I have to say Captain Piccard, without a doubt! I grew up watching him on TV. He was always consistent in his morals and in doing what was right. Captain Kirk, not so much. I mean, Han Solo is a cool guy and all, but not who you’d wanna be like. Dr. Who? *Cringe.*
I love to build! I’m always interested in talking and learning about UAVs, cameras, and all other sorts of fun multidisciplinary engineering. I like working at Fifth Gait because it gives me gives me the tools to exercise all of my engineering skills and work with others who want to do the same! Also, this place lets me take ownership of my work and allows me to develop my skills and knowledge.
Dune by Frank Herbert.
The die has been cast. ~Caesar
Zachary Robinson
POSITION: Senior Scientist
YEARS WITH FIFTH GAIT: 5+ years
EDUCATION: PhD in Physics, University of Alabama Huntsville
Bar Back at an outdoor concert venue. I carried beer and drinks to concession stands during concerts.
I’m a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan. I also played football in high school and college and earned the Franklin and Marshall Team Award and played in the NCAA Division 3 All Star game my senior season of college.
Whenever I get a break, I enjoy playing video games and watching tv shows. Oh, and getting ready to get married in 2021, and buy a house.
Being able to work on a wide range of projects that challenge me to broaden my skillset and knowledge.
The hay is in the barn.