Lieutenant Colonel Simon S. Ferrel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Meteorology at the US Air Force Academy.

Lieutenant Colonel Ferrel entered the Air Force in May 2010, commissioning through the United State Air Force Academy. Since that time, he has held a number of acquisition and leadership roles, leading high-visibility technical efforts in the Advanced Systems and Capabilities Directorate at the Space and Missile Systems Center and the Directed Energy Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory. Between these acquisitions assignments, he also served as an assistant professor at USAFA, instructing and mentoring cadets in both German and Physics. In all those assignments, Lieutenant Colonel Ferrel has taken on leadership positions and served as a mentor to younger officers and cadets. Prior to his current role, Lieutenant Colonel Ferrel served as the Chief Engineer for Air Defense Programs, Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. In this role, he led a 6-system, $350M portfolio, driving mission success by balancing cost, schedule and performance for directed-energy counter-missile and drone systems. He directed development, integration, test and verification, forged key partnerships with INDOPACOM, USA, USN, DOE and OSW and spearheaded multi-location test campaigns & demonstrations to meet accelerated fielding timelines for the warfighter.

Bachelor of Science, Physics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (2010)

Bachelor of Science, Mathematical Sciences, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (2010)

Master of Science, Applied Physics, Air Force Institute of Technology, Dayton, Ohio (2012)

Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama (2017)

Master of Science, Astrophysics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 2023 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence (2023)

Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence (2024)

Leadership Development Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama (2026)

Student, AFIT, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (2010-2012)

Lead Launch Systems Analyst, Development Planning Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. (2012-2014)

Executive Officer, Development Planning Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. (2014)

Assistant Branch Chief for Booster Propulsion Technology, Advanced Systems and Capabilities Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. (2014-2015)

Instructor of German, Department of Foreign Languages, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (2015-2016)

Director of Personnel and Instructor of Physics, Department of Physics and Meteorology, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (2016-2018)

Executive Officer and Assistant Professor of Physics, Department of Physics and Meteorology, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (2018-2019)

AFIT PhD Student, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Ga. (2019-2023)

Chief Engineer Air Defense Programs, Directed Energy Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico (2023-2024, A55 – Wing Plans and Programs, 378 Air Expeditionary Wing, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) (2023-2026)

Assistant Professor of Physics, Department of Physics and Meteorology, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (2026-Present)

Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster

Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster

Effective Dates of Promotion

Second Lieutenant May 26, 2010

First Lieutenant May 26, 2012

Captain May 26, 2014

Major Dec. 1, 2019

Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 2025