Arthur Pyster, PhD
11061 Tottenham Lane  Reston, VA 20194
703-717-8110  art@pyster.com
Summary
Dr. Pyster has more than thirty years of experience as a successful senior executive, researcher,
engineer, educator, and program and project manager in government, industry, and academia. He
has created, delivered, and operated numerous leading edge systems and technologies in
telecommunications, aerospace, defense, air traffic control, and information technology domains.
Currently a Distinguished Research Professor at Stevens Institute of Technology and the Stevens
Director of the Applied Systems Thinking Institute, he lectures and conducts research on systems
engineering, software engineering, and process improvement. Dr. Pyster is also the principal of
Pyster Associates LLC, through which he consults with government and corporate clients on
systems engineering, software engineering, program management, and development governance.
In January 2008, he will become the Chairman of Corporate Advisory Board of the International
Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) and a member of the INCOSE Board of Directors.
Most recently, he was the Senior Vice President and Director of Systems Engineering and
Integration for SAIC. Previously, Dr. Pyster was the Deputy Chief Information Officer and the
Chief Scientist for Software Engineering at the Federal Aviation Administration, Chief
Technical Officer at the Software Productivity Consortium, a Director at Digital Sound
Corporation, Manager of Systems Engineering at TRW, and an Assistant Professor of Computer
Science at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Among his accomplishments are establishing and operating the Federal Aviation
Administration’s information security program; directing the creation and application of three
Capability Maturity Models – the FAA integrated CMM, Integrated Product Development
CMM, and the Systems Engineering CMM; architecting TRW’s first integrated digital
environment; prototyping the first version of the spiral process for software development; and
directing the creation and application of advanced methods to design real-time systems, reuse
software, and specify real-time requirements. Dr. Pyster has a Ph.D. in Computer and
Information Sciences from Ohio State University, is a distinguished Alumnus of the Engineering
College of Ohio State University, and has authored two editions of the book Compiler Design
and Construction.
Additional personal info: Born in Chicago, Illinois, he is married and has three children.
Currently he holds a TS/SCI security clearance.
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Curriculum Vita
Education
November 1975
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
PhD in Computer and Information Sciences
Dissertation: “Semantic-Syntax-Directed Translation of Formal Languages”
June 1973
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
MS in Computer and Information Sciences
June 1971
University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
BS in Mathematics
Awards
2006
SAIC CEO award for excellent performance and high potential
2004
SAIC CEO award for excellent performance
2004
Department of Transportation Award for Advancing Information Systems Security
2003
FAA Leadership in Process Improvement Award
1998
Distinguished Alumnus of Ohio State University College of Engineering
Publications
2007
Richard W. Selby, editor, Software Engineering: Barry W. Boehm's Lifetime
Contributions to Software Development, Management, and Research, Wiley, June
2007. A. Pyster wrote the introduction to the Chapter on Software Tools.
2005
A. Pyster and R. Thayer, “Guest Editorial: Software Engineering Project Management
20 Years Later”, IEEE Software, September-October 2005. This paper introduces a
special issue on Software Engineering Project Management that was originally
published in 1984 and articulates progress made in the past 20 years and anticipates
the future.
2005
A. Pyster, “What Beyond CMMI is Needed for Program Success”, Software
Productivity Workshop, Beijing, China, May 25-27, 2005. Also published in Unifying
the Software Process Spectrum by Springer-Verlag in Lecture Notes in Computer
Science, Vol. 3840. This paper analyzes weakness in the CMM Integrated and how
the Department of Defense has misunderstood the CMM Integrated. Its
recommendations on how to address those weaknesses and misunderstandings
influenced actions by the Department of Defense and changes in the CMM
Integrated model.
2004
L. Ibrahim and A. Pyster, “A Single Model for Process Improvement: Lessons
Learned at the US Federal Aviation Administration”, IEEE IT Professional, May-June,
2004. This paper summarizes the use of the iCMM at the FAA between 1997 and
2004.
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2000
R. Anderson, T. Bollinger, D. Brown, E. Draier, P. Machanick, G. McGraw, N. Mead,
A. Pyster, H. Schmidt, and T. Shimeall, “Roundtable on Information Security Policy”,
IEEE Software, 17(5), 2000. This is an edited report from a discussion among
information security professionals on the key issues and challenges facing the
community.
1993
ADARTS Guidebook, SPC-91104-MC, Software Productivity Consortium, Herndon,
Virginia, 1993. The Software Productivity Consortium produced ADARTS, which, at
the time, was one of the most advanced real-time design methods. As Chief
Technical Officer, Dr. Pyster oversaw the creation of ADARTS, which was used by
many Consortium’s member companies.
1991
Synthesis Guidebook, SPC-91122-MC. Software Productivity Consortium, Herndon,
Virginia, 1991. The Software Productivity Consortium produced “Synthesis”, which,
at the time, was one of the most advanced reuse and product-line methods. As Chief
Technical Officer, Dr. Pyster oversaw the creation of ADARTS, which was used by
many Consortium’s member companies.
1989
A. Pyster, “’Synthesis’ – A Reuse/Prototyping Process for Software Development”,
IFIP Congress, 1989, pp. 977-980. Synthesis was an advanced process for reusing
software based on the earlier work of Dave Parnas and information hiding.
1988
A. Pyster and B. Barnes, “The Software Productivity Consortium Reuse Program”,
COMPCON 1988, pp. 242-249. The Consortium has a major software reuse
program that was some of the earliest work on software product lines.
1984
R. Thayer and A. Pyster, “Guest Editorial: Software Engineering Project
Management:, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 10(1), pp. 2-3, January
1984. This is a collection of seminal papers articulating the state of software
engineering project management.
1984
B. Boehm, M. Penedo, D. Stuckle, R. Williams, and A. Pyster, “A Software
Development Environment”, IEEE Computer, 17(6), June 1986.
1982
B. Boehm, J. Elwell, A. Pyster, E. Stuckle, and R. Williams, “The TRW Software
Productivity System”, Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Software
Engineering, pp. 148-156, IEEE Computer Society Press, September 1982. This is
the definitive paper describing the TRW Software Productivity System, and was
awarded best paper for the conference. The subsequent paper (B. Boehm, M.
Penedo, E. Stuckle, R. Williams, and A. Pyster, “A Software Development
Environment for Improving Productivity”, IEEE Computer, 17(6), pp. 30-44, June
1984) described progress during the subsequent two years.
1982
B. Boehm and A. Pyster, “The Impact of Rapid Prototyping on Software Development
Standards – A Position Paper”, ACM SIGSOFT Second Software Engineering
Symposium, Columbia, MD, April 1982.
1982
R. Thayer, A. Pyster, and R. Wood, “Validating Solutions to Major Problems in
Software Engineering Project Management”, IEEE Computer, 15(8), 1982, pp. 65-77.
1981
R. Thayer, A. Pyster, and R. Wood, “The Challenge in Software Engineering Project
Management, Computer, IEEE Computer Society, August 1980. (Reprinted in the
Tutorial: Software Management, Second Edition, edited by Donald Reifer, IEEE
Computer Society, 1981).
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1981
R. Thayer, A. Pyster and R. Wood, “Major Issues in Software Engineering Project
Management”, IEEE Transaction on Software Engineering, 7(4), 1981, pp. 333-342.
The results of a large-scale data collection effort to understand major issues in
software engineering project management.
1980
A. Pyster, Compiler Design and Construction, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1980. (Second
edition published in 1987). A popular textbook in the 1980s, it sold 25,000 copies
and was novel at the time for using incremental design and construction of a single
compiler as a case study to illustrate its points.
1980
R. Krishnaswamy and A. Pyster, “On the Correctness of Semantic-Syntax-Directed
Translations”, Journal of the ACM, 27(2), pp. 338-355, April 1980. The correctness of
semantic-syntax-directed translators is examined. They are a generalization of
syntax-directed translators in which semantic information is employed to partially
direct the translator.
1979
A. Pyster, C. Dana, and R. Wood, “Modeling the Binding Policies of Programming
Languages”, Proceedings of the 1979 Annual Conference of the ACM, pp. 193-202.
1979
R. Meeson and A. Pyster, “Overhead in FORTRAN Preprocessors”, Software
Practice and Experience, 9(12), 1979, pp. 987-999.
1978
A. Pyster and W. Buttelman, “Semantic-syntax-directed translation”, Information and
Control, 36(3), pp. 320-361, March 1978. Introduces the notion of semantic-syntaxdirected translation, which is a generalization of syntax-directed translators.
1978
A. Pyster, “Context-Dependent Tree Automata”, Information and Control, 38(1), 1978,
pp. 81-102.
1978
A. Pyster and A. Dutta, “Error-Checking Compilers and Portability”, Software Practice
and Experience, 8(1), 1978, pp. 99-108.
Professional Activities
International Council on Systems Engineering
 Chair-Elect of Corporate Advisory Board and Member-Elect of Board of Directors since
January 2007
 President of Washington Metropolitan Area Chapter, 1995-1996. Pyster initiated a program
of monthly meetings that doubled chapter membership in two years from 200 to 400
members, making it the largest in the Council.
Enterprise Process Improvement Collaboration
 Chairman of collaboration from 1994-1996 involving the Software Engineering Institute,
Department of Defense, and numerous companies. Created the Systems Engineering
Capability Maturity Model and the Integrated Product Development Capability Maturity
Model.
Stevens Institute of Technology
 Member of Advisory Board of the System Design and Operational Effectiveness Program of
the College of Engineering from 2004 through early 2007. The Board offers strategic advice
to the Dean of the Engineering College and the Program Director.
National Defense Industrial Association
 Member of Systems Engineering Division Steering Committee 2004-2007.
Pyster
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represented SAIC on the steering committee that provides advice to the U.S. Department of
Defense and provides oversight to the CMM Integrated project.
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
 Senior Member since 1988
Ohio State University
 Member and Past Chairman of Visiting Committee of the Computer and Information
Sciences Department from 1995-2005.
National Software Summit, 1995
 Summit Chairman. An event that called together leading industrial, government, and
academic visionaries to propose an agenda to advance the cause of software for the United
States. Keynote speakers included Dr. Arati Prabhakar, then Director of the National
Institute of Technology, and Steve Case, then Chairman of America Online.
Association for Computing Machinery
 Member since 1973
 President of Santa Barbara Chapter, 1977-78
RTCA
 Member of team that created DO-278B, the safety assurance standard for ground-based
software
Professional Experience
2007-present
Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ – Distinguished Research
Professor
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2007-present
Pyster Associates LLC, Reston, VA – Principal
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2004-present
Member of leadership in the School of Systems and Enterprises under the
direction of the Dean
Program Director for Software Engineering, responsible for curriculum
development and quality, and for integrating software and systems
engineering together into an interdisciplinary curriculum
Principal Investigator of international effort to create a model curriculum for
graduate software engineering education; DOD-sponsored
Stevens Director of the Applied Systems Thinking Institute, a collaborative
endeavor of Stevens and Analytic Services, Incorporated, focused on
elevating the practice of systems thinking in the government
Advising numerous students developing a masters thesis or doctoral
dissertation
Instructor to a government client in systems engineering
Consultant in systems engineering, software engineering,
management, and development governance
program
Science Applications International Corporation, McLean, VA
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Senior Vice President and Director of Systems Engineering and Integration,
2004-2007
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Led systems engineering and integration function across SAIC
Created first corporate integrated toolset and first corporate systems
engineering processes
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Consulting Employee, January 2007-present
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1997-2004
Support the Director of Systems and Software Engineering in the Office of
the Secretary of Defense, by performing program reviews for large defense
systems (ACAT 1A) and improving how software engineering is taught and
performed within DOD acquisitions
Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, DC
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Deputy Chief Information Officer and Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Information Services, 1999-2004
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As a senior executive, oversaw IT policy, strategy, and practice in the FAA
Created, architected and managed of the FAA’s information security program
Belonged to the FAA’s investment review board, overseeing up to $3 billion
annually
Chaired the FAA’s Chief Information Officer Council
Managed the creation of the FAA’s first enterprise architecture
Led the FAA’s process improvement program, including the implementation
of the FAA integrated Capability Maturity Model
Reviewed numerous large air traffic, safety, and business systems
Supervised more than 100 staff in the CIO’s office and managed up to $40
million annually
Managed operations for many FAA web sites
Managed FAA’s e-government program and implementation of the
President’s Management Agenda
Managed FAA’s IT research
Chief Scientist for Software Engineering, 1997-1999
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1987-1997
Created corporate training on program management and systems
engineering
Created corporate career path for program managers
Participated in proposal writing and program reviews for many large projects
Advised senior leadership on systems engineering policy and practice
As the FAA’s seniormost software professional, responsible for advancing
the practice of software engineering within the FAA
Advised the Assistant Administrator for Research and Acquisitions on
software; he was responsible for acquiring all air traffic systems
Reviewed numerous large air traffic systems
Led the FAA’s process improvement program, including the creation of the
FAA integrated Capability Maturity Model
Software Productivity Consortium, Herndon, VA
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Chief Technical Officer and Vice President 1989-1996
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Directed technical operations within the Consortium as the senior officer
reporting to the CEO
Responsible for delivery of technologies including (1) software product lines
adopted at Rockwell, Lockheed Martin, and other members, (2) ADARTS,
which was the most advanced method for real-time design; and (3) the
Systems Engineering Capability Model and the Integrated Product
Development Capability Maturity Model
Oversaw the creation of the annual technical plan, which was the
commitment between the Consortium and its members for work to be
performed
Regularly briefed the Board of Directors on all technical matters
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Vice President, 1987-1989
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1984-1987
Digital Sound Corporation, Santa Barbara, CA - Director
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1981-1984
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Created new releases of GRC products that supported structured
development and program verification
Analyzed the ability of software to implement the safety systems of nuclear
reactors
University of California, Santa Barbara, CA – Assistant Professor of Computer
Science and Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
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1971-1977
As Chief architect of TRW's Software Productivity Environment, designed
one of the earliest and most sophisticated industrial environments for
software development, including tools for requirements management and
software costing.
Supported large contract programs with the Software Productivity
Environment.
Prototyped what became the spiral process for software development
General Research Corporation, Santa Barbara, CA - Consultant
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1976-1981
Created and oversaw application of rigorous configuration management,
time-box development, spiral development, and daily builds years before
they were common industry practice. Before its acquisition by Unisys, Digital
Sound routinely delivered voice processing computers and pioneering
voicemail systems products with extremely low defect rates
Managed development of real-time Unix operating system for all products
TRW, Redondo Beach, CA - Manager of Systems Engineering
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1977-1981
Managed creation of new technologies and prototypes for all Consortium
products
Founding member of Computer Science Department
Created and taught many of its early courses
Conducted research and supervised masters and doctoral students
U.S. Army Reserves, Columbus, OH and Santa Barbara, CA
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Finance analyst and software developer
Achieved rank of Staff Sergeant
Memberships in Professional Associations
Member of the International Council on Systems Engineering
Senior Member in the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
Member of the Association for Computing Machinery
Member of the National Defense Industrial Association