John W. Betz, Ph.D.
MITRE Fellow Emeritus
John Betz has contributed to modernizing the Global Positioning System (GPS), devising new signal modulations used on GPS and other satellite-based navigation systems while also developing new theory to describe receiver performance. He served as a leader and technical contributor for the design of the military's GPS M-code signal for satellite navigation.
Dr. Betz also helped design the newest GPS signal, the L1C signal. He has been a key contributor to ongoing technical discussions between the United States and other countries developing their own satellite-based navigation systems, working to improve mutual compatibility and interoperability.
He has served as chair of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, and serves on the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Advisory Board. Among other awards and recognitions, Betz is a Fellow of the Institute of Navigation and a Fellow of IEEE and has been inducted into the GPS Hall of Fame.