How SoarTech Began Our Journey
Soar Technology, LLC (SoarTech) is a spin-off of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Laboratory at the University of Michigan rooted in cognitive science and innovative multi-disciplinary research. With a deep understanding of human perception, memory, performance, learning, and emotion, our SoarTech team of scientists and engineers from leading universities integrates domain knowledge analysis and systems engineering with user design features that perform the way humans do.
Our AI research has resulted in complex algorithms that learn and adapt to new information and situations providing AI capable of explanation and other key innovations required to enable Legal, Moral, and Ethical (LME) standards. In addition, our Soar Cognitive Architecture is built with a scientific base and encoded with computational cognitive design, and it enables the creation of autonomous software agents that can assess large amounts of human knowledge and put that knowledge to work assisting human decision-making.
At SoarTech, we believe AI is most effective as a force-multiplier for humans.
That is why we pride ourselves in combining knowledge leaders in research and engineering to create unique solutions that save time, money, and lives — solutions for our military’s toughest problems.
SoarTech is Now an Accelint Company
Accelint is a unified organization powered by: Forward Slope, Highbury Defense Group, Hypergiant, SoarTech, and Systems Innovation Engineering. Fueled by the collaboration of 5 industry-leading companies and backed by over 20 years of experience, Accelint provides comprehensive AI-forward solutions designed to deliver the situational awareness, agility, and resilience necessary to maintain a decisive edge in increasingly complex environments.
Accelint recently acquired SoarTech and is dedicated to collaborating with SoarTech’s team of leading scientists and engineers to integrate domain knowledge analysis and systems engineering with user design features that perform like humans do. For more information about Accelint, visit www.accelint.com.
Meet the SoarTech Leadership Team
Dylan Schmorrow, Ph.D.
CEO and President
Meet Dylan Schmorrow, Ph.D.
At SoarTech, Dylan has enabled the advancement of groundbreaking human-machine teaming solutions, a new era of intelligent, autonomous, and collaborative robotic systems. and the integration of AI technologies into domains ranging from training and cybersecurity to decision-support and medical capabilities.
Dylan retired from the Navy with a legacy of expertise as an Acquisition Professional in the Naval Acquisition Corps and his Naval career included such roles as Director at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Program Manager at DARPA, Program Officer at the Office of Naval Research, Chief Scientist for Human-Technology Integration at the Naval Research Lab, Professor at the Naval Postgraduate School, and Scientist at the Naval Air Warfare Center. Recognized with the Navy’s Top Scientists and Engineers Award, Dylan’s accolades underscore his exceptional ability to bridge innovation with operational effectiveness. His dedication has garnered multiple professional and military awards, a testament to his transformative prowess in translating visionary concepts into tangible, mission-critical capabilities.
Dylan is focused on shaping a future where innovation meets action, and propelling SoarTech toward a future of technological brilliance and pioneering solutions. In addition to his Ph.D. in psychology, he earned master’s degrees in operations research, psychology, philosophy, and modeling, virtual environments, and simulation.
Denise Nicholson, Ph.D.
Chief Operating Officer
Meet Denise Nicholson, Ph.D.
She began her career at Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rome Photonics Lab and rose to deputy director of Science & Technology at NAVAIR Training Systems Division. Denise founded the Applied Cognition and Training in Immersive Virtual Environments Laboratory at the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Simulation and Training, where she held joint appointments in the Modeling and Simulation Graduate Program, Industrial Engineering and Management Department and the College of Optics and Photonics/CREOL. In her transition to industry, Denise was the founding GM of DSCI – MESH Solutions, LLC.
Denise has a Ph.D. and M.S. in optical sciences from the University of Arizona, a B.S. in electrical computer engineering from Clarkson University, and is a Certified Modeling and Simulation Professional (CMSP).
A graduate of Leadership Orlando, Denise is dedicated to STEM educational initiatives, serving as coach of the Netrunners CyberPatriot Team and the STEM representative of the Central Florida NDIA Board. She is honored to be the first woman to serve as an Executive Board of Trustee at Lake Highland Preparatory School.
Robert Sottilare
Vice President of Training & Simulation
Meet Robert Sottilare
Dr. Robert (Bob) Sottilare, SoarTech’s vice president of training solutions, has a long history of accomplishments in a career that spans 40 years. He joined the SoarTech team in 2018 as director learning sciences and has guided projects involving groundbreaking technologies like artificial intelligence and digital twins with the Army and the Navy.
Before joining SoarTech, Bob led adaptive training research at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory where he focused on automated authoring, instructional management, and analysis tools and methods for intelligent tutoring systems. He co-created the Generalized Intelligent Framework for Tutoring, an open source, AI-based adaptive instructional software, and he has a long history of participation in international scientific forums, such as NATO and the Technical Cooperation Program.
As an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida (UCF), Bob taught classes in the university’s Graduate School of Modeling, Simulation & Training, and he lectured as visiting faculty at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point.
Bob earned his bachelor’s in electrical engineering at UCF and completed the Defense Systems Management College’s Advanced Program Management course. He later returned to UCF where he received a master’s degree and a doctorate in modeling & simulation. Bob’s research efforts have covered networked simulations, distributed simulations, distributed teams, adaptive training methods, simulation augmentations, and simulation interface design. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed technical papers and earned 3262 citations.
Jack Zaientz
Vice President of C4I & Autonomy
Meet Jack Zaientz
Jack was invited to speak at the 2018 Esri Defense and Intelligence Symposium. He has given tutorials on human/computer interaction in modeling and simulation, as well as human behavior representation, at trade conferences and Georgia Tech. Jack has been a judge of the Visual Analytics Science and Technology annual competition since 2011 and he has a long history of working with government and defense entities. He has led R&D efforts for DARPA, the Office of Naval Research, the Naval Air Systems Command, the Navy’s Program Executive Office for C4I, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Army Research Laboratory, and NASA.
Jack earned his bachelor’s in English from the University of Connecticut where he also completed nonmajor coursework in computer engineering. Shortly thereafter he received a certificate in client/server development from Boston Metro University. Jack earned his master’s degree in human/computer interaction from Carnegie Mellon University, where his coursework focused on cognitive psychology, intelligent tutoring systems, user interface architectures, and human factors methods.
Charles Newton
Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Meet Charles Newton
Charles Newton is the Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Platform at SoarTech, where he has been driving innovation in AI solutions for over a decade. After earning his bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Central Florida, Charles joined SoarTech in 2012 as a computer engineer, quickly becoming an integral part of the company’s AI research and development efforts.
Throughout his career at SoarTech, Charles has consistently pushed the boundaries of AI applications in defense and beyond. His work spans a wide range of domains, from developing interactive training simulations and autonomous decision-making systems to advancing natural language processing techniques and exploring AI-driven data analytics.
Charles’ research has been featured in top-tier journal publications and received awards in both industry and academic circles. His co-authored work, “Improving Measurement and Prediction in Personnel Selection through the Application of Machine Learning” (Koenig et al., 2023), was published in Personnel Psychology. In the academic sphere, Charles and his SoarTech colleagues were awarded Best Paper at the 2023 Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society (FLAIRS) conference for their study “A Comparison of Behavior Cloning Methods in Developing Interactive Opposing-Force Agents.”
As a key member of the SoarTech team, Charles continues to lead projects that push the boundaries of AI technology. His work not only contributes to SoarTech’s growth but also reinforces the company’s position as a leader in AI research and development for the defense sector.
Joseph Cohn
VP of Readiness and Medical Solutions
Meet Joseph Cohn
Dr. Joseph Cohn is Vice President of SoarTech’s Readiness and Medical Solutions team, guiding innovative applications of Artificial Intelligence, advanced sensing, and human–machine teaming to enhance force readiness, accelerate diagnostics, and strengthen health surveillance. A retired Navy Medical Service Corps Captain, his career spans over two decades at the intersection of biomedical research, operational medicine, and defense technology innovation.
Prior to joining SoarTech, Dr. Cohn held numerous senior leadership roles shaping multi-billion-dollar research portfolios across the Department of Defense. As the first Chief of the Defense Health Agency’s Research Division, he oversaw the integration of the Defense Health Program’s R&D portfolios into a unified $3B enterprise, advancing capabilities for force health protection and medical countermeasure development. As Military Deputy at the Office of Naval Research, he directed the Warfighter Performance Department’s $300M annual portfolio, driving human systems advancements to enhance lethality and survivability. He also served as the first uniformed Deputy Director of the Navy’s STEM program. As a DARPA Program Manager, he pioneered AI-driven training systems, brain-machine interface technologies, and rapid diagnostic tools for traumatic brain injury.
He has co-authored over 125 publications, co-edited three textbooks and chaired numerous professional panels and workshops. His work has earned awards from the American Psychological Association, Aerospace Medical Association, and Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. An Associate Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association, Fellow of the Society for Military Psychology, and a NATO Member-at-Large to the Human Factors in Medicine Panel, Dr. Cohn’s career reflects a sustained commitment to advancing mission-critical capabilities from concept to fielded solution in support of national security and global health.
Nick Englert
VP of AI-Driven Learning Solutions
Meet Nick Englert
Nick works closely with U.S. Navy stakeholders to design and deploy AI solutions that improve training readiness, streamline content creation, and produce measurable ROI. He has also advanced the commercialization of SoarTech’s technologies, introducing AI-powered tools to new markets beyond defense.
Recognized as a thought leader in AI product strategy, Nick has influenced the Navy’s training strategy, delivered high-profile presentations at major defense forums, and driven the award of multi-million-dollar contracts that expand SoarTech’s capabilities. His work bridges cutting-edge research and real-world operations, producing solutions that are innovative, scalable, and mission-ready.
Nick holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida and a Master of Business Administration from Benedictine University.
WHO WE SUPPORT
In our mission to help the military solve its toughest problems, we’re proud to support both these current and past customers.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
We’re proud to be a part of these organizations and conferences.
