People Category: AIAA AVIATION Forum 2021

Edgar "Ed" Waggoner

Edgar Waggoner is responsible for translating ARMD’s research portfolio requirements and program balance into specific, actionable programs. He also is responsible for integrating the programs with an eye to risk management and implementing best practices across the programs, as well as overseeing and tracking inter-program requirements changes and their impact to the budget.

Previously, Waggoner was director of the Integrated Systems Research Program. He was also on assignment from NASA to the former Joint Planning and Development Office in Washington, DC, where he served as director of the Interagency Architecture and Engineering Division responsible for technical leadership in the development of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) Enterprise Architecture, Concept of Operations, and Integrated Work Plan. While on this assignment, he served as a co-author of the Mobility chapter for the National Aeronautics Research and Development Plan.

Waggoner began his NASA career in 1982 as a researcher in the theoretical aerodynamics discipline at NASA’s Langley Research Center. He eventually held management positions in Langley’s transonic and subsonic aerodynamics branches responsible for planning and supervision of applied computational and experimental research directed at developing aerodynamics technology for advanced civil and military vehicles.

Prior to NASA, Waggoner was a researcher and project engineer with Vought Corporation in Dallas, Texas, where he worked on advanced wind tunnel testing techniques and performed foundational work in the emerging field of computational fluid dynamics.

He has been awarded several NASA Group Achievement Awards and NASA Special Act or Service Awards and has authored or coauthored 44 NASA technical papers, journal articles and conference publications on computational and experimental aerodynamics, and advanced airspace systems concepts. He is an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Waggoner received a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Auburn University, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Southern Methodist University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering management from George Washington University.

Official Bio

The Honorable Heidi Shyu

Ms. Heidi Shyu is the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)). In this role, she serves as the Chief Technology Officer for the Department of Defense (DoD), mandated with ensuring the technological superiority of the U.S. military, and is responsible for the research, development, and prototyping activities across the DoD enterprise. She also oversees the activities of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the Space Development Agency (SDA), the DoD Laboratory and Engineering Center enterprise, and the Under Secretariat staff focused on developing advanced technology and capability for the U.S. military.

Previously, she served as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)), from September 2012 to January 2016. Prior to this, she was Acting ASA(ALT) beginning in June 2011 and appointed the Principal Deputy in November 2010. As the ASA(ALT), she served as the Army Acquisition Executive, the Senior Procurement Executive, the Science Advisor to the Secretary of the Army, and the Army’s Senior Research and Development official. She had principal responsibility for all Department of the Army matters related to logistics. Ms. Shyu also led the execution of the Army’s acquisition function and the acquisition management system. Her responsibilities included providing oversight for the life cycle management and sustainment of Army weapons systems and equipment from research and development through test and evaluation, acquisition, logistics, fielding, and disposition.

Prior to her government service, Ms. Shyu was the Vice President of Technology Strategy for Raytheon Company’s Space and Airborne Systems.

Ms. Shyu holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Canada, a Master of Science Degree in Mathematics from the University of Toronto, Master of Science Degree in System Science (Electrical Engineering) from UCLA, and the Engineer Degree from UCLA. She received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the UNB. She is also a graduate of the UCLA Executive Management Course Program.

A member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board from 2000 to 2010, she served as the Vice Chairman from 2003 to 2005 and Chairman from 2005 to 2008. Ms. Shyu is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and AIAA Honorary Fellow.

Official Bio

Linda Cadwell Stancin

 

Linda Cadwell Stancin is the Vice President of Research and Technology in Lockheed Martin’s Chief Technology Organization within Engineering and Technology. Research and Technology includes: Global Research and Innovation, Research Programs, Technology Integration and Intellectual Property, Tech Collaboration, and Emerging Operations Technologies. Her team leads mid horizon and long horizon research and technology domain portfolios aligned with 21CWF Strategy. She also serves as the Chair of Lockheed Martin’s Technology Council, executive sponsor of the LM Fellows Program, Chair of the EO Intellectual Property Board, and represents Engineering and Technology on the EO Diversity and Inclusion Council and the corporate Sustainability Leadership Group.

She joined Lockheed in March 2018 from Spirit AeroSystems to stand up Emerging Technologies as an operations technology delivery organization for Digital Transformation. At Spirit AeroSystems, Linda was the executive leader of Research and Manufacturing Technology for the corporation. She led teams across multiple sites, including a research site in Scotland. Her teams provided research enabling Airbus, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, regional jets and other business wins and commitments. She was also the technical executive responsible for Intellectual Property strategy and the sponsor of the Technical Fellowship. Prior to this role she was the Director of Corporate Structures Engineering and Technology, including laboratories, structures analysis and certification, material and process engineering, and executive skill team leadership for Engineering.

Before joining Spirit, Linda worked at the Boeing Company for 16 years. Her last role was as senior manager for Composites, Interiors and Finishes Technologies for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. She also led the multidisciplinary skill area for the enterprise. Prior to this role she led corporate research and technology support (BR&T) to BCA Product Development, delivering technologies for Airplane Programs, Production, Engineering, NAPD and multiple Defense shaping research initiatives. Prior to joining management, she held a variety of scientific positions.

Linda is currently on the Board for the Manufacturing Institute MxD. She represents LM on the Technical Operations Council of the Aviation Industries Association. She advises and was an affiliate professor at the University of Washington in Seattle. She received her Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with research in materials science. She has multiple publications and patents.

Robert D. Cabana

Robert D. Cabana is a former NASA astronaut, currently serving the agency’s associate administrator, its third highest-ranking executive and highest-ranking civil servant. Before taking that position, Cabana was director of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In that role, Cabana managed all NASA facilities and activities at the spaceport, including the team of civil service and contractor employees who operate and support numerous space programs and projects.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Cabana graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps and completed Naval Flight Officer training in Pensacola in 1972. Cabana then served as an A-6 bombardier/navigator with Marine Air Wings in Cherry Point, North Carolina, and Iwakuni, Japan.

Returning to Pensacola in 1975, Cabana began pilot training and was designated a naval aviator in September of 1976, earning the Daughters of the American Revolution award as the top Marine to complete flight training that year. He graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1981 and served in the Flight Systems Branch at the Naval Air Test Center until 1984. During his career, Cabana has logged over 7,000 hours in 50 different kinds of aircraft.

Cabana was selected as an astronaut candidate in June 1985 and completed his initial astronaut training in July 1986. He was assigned to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Astronaut Office, serving in a number of leadership positions, including lead astronaut in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory; Mission Control Spacecraft Communicator, famously known as CAPCOM; and chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office.

A veteran of four spaceflights, Cabana has logged 38 days in space, serving as the pilot on STS-41 and STS-53 and mission commander on STS-65 and STS-88. His fourth flight was the first assembly mission of the International Space Station in December of 1998. Following his retirement as a colonel from the Marine Corps in September 2000, Cabana was appointed a member of the Federal Senior Executive Service. He served in numerous, challenging senior management positions at Johnson Space Center in Houston, ultimately becoming deputy director.

In October 2007, Cabana was appointed director of NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. A year later he was reassigned as the tenth director of the John F. Kennedy Space Center.

Cabana’s many achievements have been recognized with induction into the Astronaut Hall of Fame and being named an Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a Fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. He has received numerous personal awards and decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award, and the National Space Club Florida Committee’s Dr. Kurt H. Debus Award.  He also is a recipient of the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement’s National Space Trophy.

Official Bio

Susan E. Northrup, M.D

Current Job Description

Dr. Susan E. Northrup is the Federal Air Surgeon for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. In this capacity, she leads the Office of Aerospace Medicine in Washington, D.C. She leads strategic management of the FAA’s aviation medical programs, which oversee all pilots. Together with the Deputy Federal Air Surgeon, she shares responsibility for the direction and management of all FAA medical programs.

This includes the development and establishment of airman medical certification, the air traffic control specialist medical qualification policy, the application of that policy in medical decision making, the medical appeals process, and the oversight of aviation industry drug and alcohol testing programs. Dr. Northrup oversees the FAA’s aeromedical education programs, the planning and conduct of aerospace medical and human factors research, and the investigation of aircraft accident medical factors.

Professional Knowledge and Experience

A private pilot, Dr. Northrup is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel. She is board certified in aerospace medicine and in occupational medicine. She is an acknowledged expert in aviation. She has authored several scientific papers on accident investigation, the use of sleep aids by pilots, cabin air quality, and bioterrorism. While serving in the Air Force, she was the U.S. Head of Delegation to NATO’s aeromedical working group.

Education, Certification and Awards

Dr. Northrup is a senior FAA aviation medical examiner. In 1985, Dr. Northrup earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry with Honors in Liberal Arts from The Ohio State University. She earned a medical degree, also from Ohio State, in 1989. She was awarded a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Texas in 1994.

Professional Associations

Dr. Northrup is a past President of the American Society of Aerospace Medicine Specialists and the Civil Aviation Medical Association. She also was vice-president for the Aerospace Medicine Association. Dr. Northrup spent nine years (2007-2016) as a trustee for the American Board of Preventive Medicine. She is on the adjunct faculty for the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine and is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medicine Association

Official Bio

Ian Levitt

 

Dr. Ian Levitt is a Mathematician at NASA Langley Research Center, serving as Principal Engineer for ATM-X UAM Airspace subproject. Previously, he spent 12 years with the Federal Aviation Administration at the WIlliam J Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, NJ. His interests are in the area of integrated Research, Development, Test, & Evaluation, with a focus on the mission to identify clear pathways for aviation research to transition into production and ultimately operationalization.