Vince Harris

Dr. Vince Harris is Chairman and CEO of Metamag, and founded the company in 2008. Under his leadership, Metamag has developed and commercialized multiple technologies from laboratory demonstrations to products deployed on a variety of defense platforms and programs, expanding U.S. industrial strength in magnetic and RF devices.

Vince is a globally recognized leader in magnetic physics, electronic materials, and defense-critical technologies whose 35-year career has been dedicated to strengthening U.S. national and global security. An engineer, physicist, inventor, and entrepreneur, he has held influential positions across government, academia, and industry, each reinforcing his role as one of the world’s foremost authorities on advanced magnetic materials, rare-earth technologies, and their strategic applications.

Vince began his professional career at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), where he rose to become Branch Head of the Materials Physics Branch. At NRL he directed multidisciplinary research programs in magnetics, RF materials, multifunctional ceramics, and electromagnetic protection. His technical leadership contributed to the development and qualification of materials and components for major defense platforms, including the DD-21 Zumwalt-class destroyer and the F-35 Lightning II. His work underpinned Navy initiatives on the More Electric Ship, secure communications, advanced antenna systems, radomes, and high-power electromagnetic technologies, establishing him as a key architect of next-generation defense materials.

Following his federal service, Vince joined Northeastern University, where he was appointed University Distinguished Professor and Dr. William Lincoln Smith Chair Professor—one of the institution’s highest academic honors. At Northeastern, he built internationally recognized research enterprises in magnetics, magneto-optical systems, spin-based devices, power electronics, and electromagnetic protection. His academic contributions include more than 450 peer-reviewed publications, over 19,000 citations, and more than 20 U.S. and international patents, establishing a body of work that continues to influence materials science, electrical engineering, and applied physics.

As a Jefferson Science Fellow at the U.S. Department of State, he advised on critical-materials policy, China strategy, and science diplomacy. As a Fulbright Fellow to Southeast Asia and a Foreign Expert Fellow, he worked directly with leaders in rare-earth mining, processing, and technology, including field work at the world’s largest rare-earth deposit.

Vince’s achievements have been recognized with major awards, including the W. David Kingery Award and Edward C. Henry Award from the American Ceramic Society, the Distinguished Scientist Award from TMS, and selection as an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer on RF magnetoceramics. He is an elected Fellow of the AAAS, APS, IEEE, IoP, and NAI, among other honors.