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Division of Leadership Education and Development
Rau_PM.pngDouglas H. Rau Ph.D.; CAPT, USN (ret)

Class of 1961; Chair and Distinguished Professor of Leadership Education

  •  Phone: (410) 293-6009
  •  E-mail: rau@usna.edu
  •  Department of Leadership, Ethics, Law Luce Hall (Mail Stop 7-B) 112 Cooper Road Annapolis, MD 21402

Douglas H. Rau retired from the U.S. Navy in 2004, after 30 years of service, and is currently the Professor of Leadership Education (PLE) at the U.S. Naval Academy. The PLE position, funded by the USNA Class of 1961, is within the Division of Leadership Education and Development (LEAD), to enhance leadership development at USNA.

Douglas H. Rau was awarded his Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, Texas. His research is in the field of public service motivation. He has served as a member of the VADM Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership at the U.S. Naval Academy and supports Capstone Character Seminars at the Academy.

Douglas H. Rau is a native of Mountainside, New Jersey. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland in 1974 and received a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering.  He holds a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California.  He qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer onboard the USS FOX (CG-33) and after two surface Department Head tours transferred to the Engineering Duty Officer community. His other sea assignments include Chief Engineer aboard USS RATHBURNE (FF-1057), Squadron Engineer DESRON 35, and Chief Engineer aboard USS NIMITZ (CVN-68).

Douglas H. Rau’s Navy shore assignments include; DD963 Project Manager at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Engineering and Planning Department Head at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Fellow on CNO’s Strategic Studies Group (SSG), and Executive Assistant to the Commander Naval Sea Systems Command.  In August 1999 Captain Rau assumed Command of the Naval Research Laboratory, the Navy and Marine Corps Corporate Lab, and in June 2004 he completed 30 years of Naval while serving as the Director, Engineering and Weapons Division at the US Naval Academy. 

Douglas H. Rau’s Navy decorations include the Legion of Merit with three gold stars, Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, Navy Commendation with one gold star, Navy Achievement Medal, and various unit citations and campaign ribbons. 

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