People Category: AIAA Aviation Forum 2020

P. Barry Bulter

In 2017, P. Barry Butler became the sixth president of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world’s leading institution of higher education focusing on aviation and aerospace.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University offers more than 100 bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts & Sciences, Aviation, Business, Engineering, and Security & Intelligence. Embry-Riddle educates more than 34,000 students annually at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona, as well as through the Worldwide Campus at locations in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and through online programs.

Under his presidency, Embry-Riddle continues to expand discovery-driven degree programs and its research park is home to new aerospace patents, technology transfer and startups. Butler has encouraged collaboration with industry, resulting in expedited hiring initiatives with leading aviation and aerospace industries. He is expanding the university’s interest in aviation cybersecurity, aviation data analytics and autonomous vehicles. The university also created new partnerships to prime the aviation/aerospace pipeline.

As a strong advocate for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, Butler supports a dual-enrollment program with the Gaetz Aerospace Institute. The institute offers more than 40 university courses to students in 84 Florida high schools. At the Arizona Campus, the STEM Education Center serves as a hub of enrichment for students, faculty, researchers and the community.

Previously, Butler was Executive Vice President and Provost of the University of Iowa. He was responsible for more than 100 academic programs in 11 colleges. For ten years, he served as Dean of the College of Engineering.

Butler is on the board of the Hoover Presidential Foundation and The Wings Club. He is a member of The Civic League of the Halifax Area. He is a private and glider pilot.

He earned three degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: a bachelor’s in Aeronautical Engineering, a master’s in Astronautical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering.

Muni Majjigi

Muni has a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Muni has been with GE Aviation since October 1978. His areas of expertise include aircraft
propulsion system acoustic design & technology development, jet shock cell, turbomachinery noise, acoustic liner design & modeling and in-depth knowledge of national & ainternational regulations and standards for aviation noise.

Muni has contributed to successful development, design and noise certification of several
modern GE Aviation products such as GE90 series, GEnx series, CF34 series, LEAP series and Passport 20. He is providing propulsion acoustics design and technology leadership to GE’s new engines such as GE9X which powers Boeing’s B777X and GE’s Affinity engine which powers Aerion’s AS2 supersonic business jet under development.

He led the GE Aviation acoustics team in developing jet noise reduction technology for NASA’s High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) program. He also contributed to acoustics technology development for innovative concepts such as GE’s UnDucted Fan (UDF) and later generation open rotors. He has multiple publications and patents to his credit.

Muni provided industry inputs to CAEP as the Chairman of International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Association (ICCAIA) for Environment during CAEP/10 cycle (2013-16) when CAEP decided on the first ever CO2 standards for global aviation. He served as the Vice-chair during CAEP/9 cycle (2010-13) and provided industry inputs when CAEP decided on the Chapter 14 noise regulations which become effective in 2017. Muni continues to provide practical and industrial inputs to both national and international noise regulatory bodies for new initiatives such as supersonic commercial aircraft.

Mo Samimy

Dr. Mo Samimy is the John B. Nordholt Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the founder of the Aerospace Research Center at The Ohio State University. Dr. Samimy has educated a large number of engineers and scientists who are currently in academic positions, national laboratories, and industry. He has served on various national committees and editorial boards and has lectured extensively in the U.S. and abroad. He is a fellow of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Physical Society, and American Association for Advancement of Science. His research interests are in flow physics and control and jet aeroacoustics. He has published over 300 technical papers on these topics. He has received several teaching, mentoring, and research awards from OSU, including the Ohio State University’s Distinguished Scholar Award. The University Distinguished Scholar Award, one of the highest awards within the university, recognizes a select number of faculty who have demonstrated scholarly activity, research, or other creative works which represent exceptional achievements in their fields.

Dennis Huff

Dennis L. Huff is a Research Aerospace Engineer in the Acoustics Branch at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland, Ohio. Previously, Huff was Deputy Chief of the Aeropropulsion Division and Chief of the Acoustics Branch, and led teams from NASA, industry, and universities to develop engine-noise-reduction technologies. Projects included chevron nozzles and swept/leaned stators that have been proven to reduce jet and fan noise and are being implemented by industry.

Huff received both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Akron. After working at Sikorsky Aircraft, Huff began his NASA career in 1985 and was awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 2002 and the NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership in 2005 and 2014. Huff was the Chairman of the Aeroacoustics Technical Committee of the AIAA and served on a Naval Research Advisory Committee (NRAC) on jet engine noise reduction. He has written many papers on unsteady aerodynamics and aeroacoustics. He served on two Independent Expert Review Panels for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and presented recommendations for aircraft noise goals at CAEP/9 in Montreal, Canada. He has also participated in ICAO’s Working Group 1 to evaluate noise for future supersonic aircraft.

Grazia Vittadini

Grazia Vittadini has been appointed Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Airbus and a member of the Airbus Executive Committee, effective 1 May 2018.

Furthermore, she serves as Director of the Airbus Foundation Board and as a member of the Inclusion and Diversity Steering Committee.

Previously, Vittadini was Executive Vice President Head of Engineering since January 2017 and member of Executive Committee of Airbus Defence and Space.

Prior to this position, she had been Senior Vice President Head of Corporate Audit & Forensic, responsible for Airbus Group audit activities worldwide.

Since January 2013 and for one year and a half, Grazia was Vice President Head of Airframe Design and Technical Authority for all Airbus aircraft.

Always leading transnational teams in multiple locations, she also served as Chief Engineer on the Wing High Lift Devices of the A380 in Bremen from First Flight to In-Service (2005-2009) and then contributed to securing First Flight and Type Certification of the A350 XWB aircraft as Head of Major Structural Tests in Hamburg. The Major Tests for A320 Extended Service Goal, A380 and A400M were also in her scope.

Vittadini began her professional career on the Italian side of the Eurofighter Consortium, before joining Airbus Operations in Germany in 2002 and setting on her path towards senior management positions.

Grazia Vittadini graduated in Aeronautical Engineering and she specialised in Aerodynamics from the Politecnico di Milano.

Noel Duerksen

Dr. Noel Duerksen has a Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Wichita State University. He has authored papers concerning advanced flight control concepts for general aviation including the use of neural networks and fuzzy logic systems. He has been a professor for flight dynamics at Wichita State and supervised several NASA and FAA funded university project as an industry advisor.

Dr. Duerksen worked at Beech Aircraft as a Test Pilot and Advanced Design Engineer for 23 years and became an Engineering Fellow. Notable projects as Test Pilot were the Starship, Beechjet and a fly-by-wire Bonanza with automatic landing for which he was the project engineer, algorithm developer and programmer.

Dr. Duerksen worked at Garmin for 14 years as an Automatic Flight Controls Engineer, Test Pilot and Staff Engineer where he was instrumental in developing Garmin’s avionics systems including synthetic vision, FMS, autopilot, auto throttle, under speed protection, Electronic Stability and Protection system and Fault Tolerant Architecture. He was also the technical lead for the Emergency Autoland system and developed several of the underlying algorithms.

He has and Airline Transport Pilot License, and is type rated in the Beechjet. He is also a single engine, multi-engine and instrument airplane flight instructor as well as a helicopter and helicopter instrument flight instructor.

Dr. Duerksen is now a consultant working with the FAA and NASA to develop a certification path for advanced cockpit concepts.

Borja Martos

Dr. Borja Martos is president of Flight Level Engineering (FLE) and is an expert in fly-by-wire in-flight simulator aircraft and active feel systems. Dr. Martos has an FAA airline transport pilot rating with instrument and multi-engine instructor ratings and a PhD in aerospace engineering. FLE specializes in rapid flight control software and hardware prototyping. FLE owns and operates two FBW in-flight simulator / flight controls testbed aircraft with ground-based simulations, produces active feel systems and automation display concepts, and is a leader in human centered autonomy and simplified vehicle operation concepts.

Gene Holloway

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As our CSO, Gene leads our company’s objective to elevate Aerion as a global thought leader in environmental responsibility and sustainability.

Gene is passionately committed to environmental responsibility and creating a more sustainable world through work at the intersection of advanced technologies, environment, public good, and the protection of our planet. He works with all organizations within Aerion, across our industry team, and with outside organizations to ensure we meet our environmental and sustainability objectives.

Prior to Aerion, his 45-year aerospace career spanned positions with NASA, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin in advanced concepts development, systems integration, and air vehicle production, testing and delivery. Gene’s experience in technology commercialization and licensing, joint venture development, industrial participation, market analysis, and strategic planning will aid Aerion to ensure a global transition to sustainable aviation fuels, ensure natural resource management to significantly increase carbon sequestration from the atmosphere, and effectively communicate, educate, and grow advocacy for Aerion’s approach to a sustainable next generation of global transportation networks..

Gene holds a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University and a Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School.

Tom Vice

Tom is the Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Aerion Corporation. Aerion is a leader in supersonic civil aircraft and advanced design software tools and technologies.

Tom retired from Northrop Grumman after nearly 31 distinguished years of service with the company. He served as President of its Aerospace Systems sector, overseeing an $11 billion global advanced technology business with 23,000 employees. Aerospace Systems is a pioneer in space-based observatories, satellites, fully autonomous systems, combat aircraft, high-powered lasers, and microelectronics.

Previously, Tom was President of Northrop Grumman’s Technical Services sector, a leader in integrated logistics and modernization, defense and government services, and training solutions, with more than19,500 employees in 300 locations in all 50 states and 29 countries.

Tom joined Northrop Grumman in 1986 as an engineer on the B-2 Stealth Bomber. Over the span of his career, he led nearly every aspect of the business: strategy, engineering, program management, advanced programs and technology, manufacturing and operations, supply chain management, business development, and information technology.

Tom earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California.He has completed numerous advanced management programs including MIT’s Corporate Strategy; Northwestern’s Value Creation through M&A; Caltech’s Management of Technology and Innovation; Caltech’s Strategic Marketing of Technology Products; UCLA’s Executive Marketing; and Defense Acquisition University’s Advanced Program Management course.

Tom serves on the board of directors of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA); the board of directors of Local Motors Industries, a technology-enabled manufacturer focus on mobility products; the board of councilors for USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering; the board of advisors for Purdue University’s School of Astronautics and Aeronautics; and previously served on the board of governors for the USO; the board of trustees for the Florida Institute of Technology; and the board of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Tom is the recipient of the 2016 Daniel J. Epstein Engineering Management Award from the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering. The Engineering Management Award was founded in 1978 to recognize industry leaders who have made lasting contributions to science and engineering through exemplary professional accomplishments and contributions to the field of engineering management.

Tom and his wife, Kim, have been married for 33 years and have two daughters, Shannon and Hailey.