Spencer Spiker is a Principal Research Engineer at Carnegie Mellon University. He has lead the Mechanical Team since January 2004 and now is taking on the role as the Operations Team Leader responsible for managing vehicle final development, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, logistics, testing and reliability with Sam Harbaugh & Clark, and anything not covered by other teams. Spencer was heavily involved in the design and implementation of the intrinsic steer-by-wire for H1ghlander during the fall and spring and intends continued involvement with the Mechatronics Team now lead by Nick Miller. Spencer intends to expand into software in the near future.

Spencer separated from the United States Army in October 2003 after 13 years of service in both the United States and Asia. His last assignment was located in South Korea where he was charged with the intermediate maintenance of all theater attack aviation assets. Spencer received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy (USMA) in 1996. He was the Team Leader of USMA’s 1996 Mini-Baja entry that designed and implemented the first all-aluminum chassis for the institution. He also completed a summer internship in 1995 with NASA working on Supersonic Flow with Boundary Layer Bleed relating to the High Speed Civil Transport project at NASA’s Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. He is experienced in management, logistics, planning, safety, and risk management. Spencer has relocated to the Pittsburgh area with his wife, Elizabeth, daughter Sophia, and Son Gustav.

Spencer Spiker enlisted in the Infantry on 14 June 1990. After completing Basic Training, Airborne School, and the Ranger Indoctrination Program at Fort Benning Georgia, Spencer's first assignment was with B Company, 1/75th Ranger Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield, GA. In 1991, He attended the United States Military Academy Preparatory School, SERE (Survival) School, and graduated the United States Military Academy in 1996 with a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Spencer's first assignment following flight school, the Electronic Warfare Officer's Course, and the AH-64A Apache Qualification Course was Attack Platoon Leader in C Troop, 1/6th Cavalry Squadron, Camp Eagle, Korea. In February 1999, He departed Korea for 1-101st Aviation Regiment, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he served as Attack Platoon Leader, Liaison Officer, and the Battalion Logistics Officer. In March 2001, he attended Combined Logistics Captain's Career Course, Army Logistics Management College, Fort Lee, Virginia. Subsequently, Spencer attended the Aviation Maintenance Manager's Course, and the AH-64A Apache Test Pilot Course. In April 2002, He was once again assigned to the 6th Cavalry Brigade. He served five months as the Brigade Assistant Operations Officer at Camp Humphreys, Korea before taking command of G Company, 52nd Aviation Regiment.