Eugene J. Hinman, assistant director of the Applied Physics Laboratory and a staff member there since 1962, has been appointed interim director of the laboratory.

Hinman will serve until the completion of a national search for a successor to Gary Smith, who leaves Hopkins April 15. Smith, a lab staff member since 1970 and director since 1992, will become deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency for science and technology.

"Gene Hinman is an experienced, knowledgeable and very able administrator, and very familiar with the wide range of APL's activities," Brody said. "I am pleased and grateful that he has agreed to step into the director's position for this transition period. I am confident that the laboratory is in good hands."

Hinman has been APL's assistant director for programs since 1994, overseeing and coordinating all APL technical programs and laboratory-wide strategic planning. He headed the Fleet Systems Department, the lab's largest, from 1985 to 1996. In that position, he was responsible for research and development in air defense, strike warfare, and tactical, strategic and satellite communications engineering.

"This is an extraordinarily exciting time for APL as we respond to major opportunities in a number of important areas," Hinman said. "I'm honored to have been asked to serve as interim director of such an outstanding laboratory and will do all I can to sustain our momentum, our relevance and our excellence."