Dr. Gerald L. Atkinson is a retired executive of several high-technology research and development corporations which specialized in national security studies, applied artificial intelligence, alternative future energy technologies, terrorism assessments, and nuclear non-proliferation studies. Concurrently, he served as Assistant Professor of Computer Science in a Masters' Degree Graduate Program at the Naval Air Test Center, teaching the Artificial Intelligence track.
From 1972-76, Dr. Atkinson served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and as a member of the U.S./Soviet Standing Consultative Commission on the SALT I agreements. Dr. Atkinson worked under the direction of Hon. Paul H. Nitze, representing the Office of the Secretary of Defense at Interagency Staff conferences on SALT, including the National Security Council's Verification Panel Working Group. He authored classified studies assessing the impact on national security of strategic arms limitation measures. He negotiated directly with Soviet representatives on the procedures related to U.S./Soviet compliance with the ABM Treaty and Interim Agreement. In this connection, he was directly responsible for the negotiating tactics which led to Soviet acceptance of the U.S.-proposed SSBN dismantling procedures.

Dr. Atkinson is a former Navy carrier aviator, Vietnam War combat veteran, Navy Test Pilot, and Landing Signal Officer. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal (4 stars), and the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V. He performed the flight demonstration of the RA5C Vigilante in the 1965 Paris Air Show.