Charles Turnitsa

Dr. Charles Turnitsa was born in New Jersey, where he spent the better part of his childhood. In his high school years, however, he relocated to the state that would mostly be his home ever since - Virginia. In college, he studied history and computer science, and after graduating he worked for NASA as a scientific programmer, developing the software for experimental systems to collect atmospheric science data. Continuing his career, he spent a decade working in research and development, chiefly for NASA and the US Army, working with complex systems, data models, information models, and data visualization systems.

During that time, he met the woman who would become his partner, and spouse of now over 20 years, Anita Culp. After marrying, and the birth of their daughter, however, Charles was feeling the pull to come back to academic study and research. So, in the early 2000s, he took a position as a research scientist, managing a research laboratory for Old Dominion University. This lab was dedicated to research in the area of computer models, and simulators. While serving there, he first completed an M.S. and then a PhD. His area of specialty was, modeling & simulation - combining his career of working with complex systems, integrated computer designs, with a fascination of modeling knowledge, semantics, and human language. All of this, of course, was possible due to gifts, talents, and interests from the Lord.

Following completion of his doctoral degree, Charles took a position with Columbus State University, teaching computer science and modeling & simulation. While this was a wonderful position, personal matters arose that made it important to move back to the state of Virginia. At that time, he took a position as a research professor with Georgia Tech, working in a lab in Virginia. Returning to research has been very interesting work, there wasn't enough opportunity to teach, so that led him back to this latest development in his career - a return to teaching at Regent University.