People Category: AIAA SciTech Forum 2020

Thomas Zill

Dr. Thomas Zill is the Head of Air Vehicle Concepts and deputy head of the DLR Institute of System Architectures in Aeronautics in Hamburg, Germany. He earned a diploma (Dipl.-Ing.) in automotive engineering and shortly after a diploma in aerospace engineering from the University of Technology of Braunschweig, Germany. He has received a PhD degree in Aerospace Sciences from the University of Technology Hamburg for his work in the field of collaborative multidisciplinary design optimization for air vehicle design.

Prior to joining to DLR he worked as a Senior Consultant in Program Transformation Management for Capgemini Consulting, where he focused on the digital transformation in supply chain management in the European aerospace sector. He is a certified PMI project management professional (PMP) and has 10+ years of experience in the field of vehicle design and optimization. At DLR his work focuses on the coordination of research projects in the frame of Clean Sky 2 with focus on the mitigation of climate impact of aviation.

Justin Kugler

As Vice President for Advanced Programs and Concepts, Justin Kugler leads new business development initiatives for Made In Space, Inc. focused on space manufacturing and industrialization. He has more than 15 years of industry experience, engineering degrees from Texas A&M and Rice University, and certification in strategic foresight from the University of Houston. Mr. Kugler previously led the industrial R&D portfolio for the International Space Station National Laboratory. He also managed pathfinder projects for the NASA ISS Program Office, developed crew training models for the Constellation Program, and served as an intelligence analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency.

Col. Michael Francis, USAF, Ret.

Dr. Michael Francis is an aerospace executive and technologist with over 45 years of experience in architecting and leading cutting edge research and technology programs spanning government, industry and academia. He currently serves as an independent consultant in aerospace and related advanced technology subjects.

Francis is perhaps best known for his pioneering work in unmanned air systems development, having initiated the original Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) and Micro Air Vehicle programs while serving at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the early-90s. Then Colonel Francis also directed the award-winning US-German X-31 Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability Program through its flight test phase during the same timeframe. He later returned to the Department of Defense (DOD) as the Director for the $4B DARPA-Air Force-Navy Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) Program, the successor to UCAV and the largest unmanned air system development to that point in time.

Dr. Francis began his professional career as an officer in the US Air Force. Many of his military assignments were centered on research and development, including his first at the U.S. Air Force Academy as a research scientist and professor. He later served as a program manager for advanced fluid mechanics and aerodynamics research at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, establishing the Air Force’s first initiatives in flow control. Following graduation from the Defense Systems Management College, he went on to manage advanced space system development efforts at what is now the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. These included satellite programs for the Strategic Defense Initiative, and later classified space system development efforts. In his last military assignment as the chief architect of the Pentagon’s Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office (DARO), Francis led the development of the DOD’s first integrated air and space surveillance architecture in collaboration with the National Reconnaissance Office.

Following his military retirement in 1997, Francis joined unmanned aircraft industry pioneer Aurora Flight Sciences, where he co-founded and served as the first president of Athena Technologies, a start-up control technology company subsequently acquired by Rockwell Collins. He later held executive and leadership roles in the aerospace industry, serving as an executive with both Lockheed Martin and General Atomics. Francis recently served as the Chief, Advanced Programs and Senior Fellow at the United Technologies Research Center (UTRC), where he created and led its initiative to develop Autonomous and Intelligent Systems. From 2011 until 2015, he also served in the dual role of Program Executive, Optionally Piloted and Autonomous Systems at Sikorsky Aircraft. He guided Sikorsky’s Autonomy R&D program that ultimately led to the MATRIXTM autonomous technology suite and Sikorsky’s Autonomy Research Aircraft (SARA). Francis also helped shape UTRC’s initiative in intelligent robotics and led other projects, including aircraft propulsion-enabled control until he retired in December 2017.

Dr. Francis holds B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He has served on several major university engineering advisory boards, and currently serves on the NASA Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. He has authored or co-authored more than 40 open literature publications. Francis became a licensed private pilot in 1964.

Francis’ major awards include the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Wright Brothers Lectureship; Smithsonian Air & Space Museum Trophy (in 1995, for X-31); the German Aerospace Society (DGLR) “Ehrennadel der Deutschen Luftfahrt” Medal; Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Colorado; the AIAA Distinguished Service Award; the AIAA Hap Arnold Award for Aeronautical Program Management; the Israel Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Von Karman Memorial Lectureship; an Aviation Week & Space Technology Aerospace Laurels Award, and numerous military awards and decorations. In 2016, he was elected to the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering.

Dr. Francis resides in Solana Beach, California with his wife, Barbara.

Lori Garver

Lori Garver is the CEO of Earthrise Alliance – a philanthropic initiative established to fully utilize Earth science data to combat climate change. Garver is the former Deputy Administrator of NASA. She led the NASA transition team for President-Elect Obama and was his lead space policy advisor on the campaign. Previous senior positions have included General Manager of the Air Line Pilots Association, Associate Administrator for Policy and Plans at NASA and Executive Director of the National Space Society. Additionally, She is a Co-Founder of the Brooke Owens Fellowship, an educational organization providing internships and mentorship to collegiate women pursuing degrees in aerospace fields.

Andrew Kwas

Andy has 40 years with NGC/TRW working in advanced space programs specializing in space, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, astrophysics projects and in-space manufacturing.  As a NG Fellow, he supports NGC’s key space customers including NASA, AFRL, NRO, DARPA, Army/SMDC, Space RCO, USMC, and the Navy. He is considered one of the prominent advanced manufacturing (AM) experts in the country and has produced numerous papers in AM, as well as advanced satellite technology, in-space manufacturing using advanced additive manufacturing techniques, unique logistics solutions, and miniaturization of spacecraft components. Andy brings his innovative approach to problems and has won several Corporate awards for innovation. His leadership of applying advanced space concepts to a transitional operational problem has been critical to NGC’s success.

Andy is an appointed Research Scholar at the University of New Mexico and is on their staff in the Electrical and Computing Engineering Department, supporting satellite and space research.  He is on the Technical Advisory Boards for Virginia Tech, U of Michigan, Cornell, and U of New Mexico.  Andy Kwas graduated from the University of Michigan in 1978 with two Bachelor degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, and received a Masters degree in 1980 from the University of Missouri Science and Technology in Astrophysics.

Tia Benson Tolle

Tia Benson Tolle is the Director of Materials & Fabrication for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. In this position she is responsible for the integrated materials portfolio for Boeing’s commercial airplane products. Prior to joining Boeing she held several technical leadership positions in the Air Force Research Laboratory, including USAF Deputy to the DoD Reliance Community of Interest for Materials and Processes, coordinating research interests across Defense Science and Technology. She also served as a Flight Crew Instructor in NASA’s Space Shuttle Flight Training Division.

Tia is a Fellow of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE), an International Past President of SAMPE, and was President of the Materials Research Society. She serves on the Industry Advisory Councils for Iowa State University’s Aerospace Engineering Department and University of Washington’s Materials Science & Engineering Department, and is a Trustee of Edmonds Community College. Tia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington, a Master of Science and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Dayton, and a Masters Certificate in Leadership and Executive Development from the University of Dayton. She is a member of AIAA, ASME, ASC, MRS and SAMPE.

Wesley Smith

Wesley L. Smith is a Lockheed Martin Fellow and Digital Transformation Leader who directs company-wide Artificial Intelligent (AI) enabled software solutions. In this position he is responsible for leading teams of data scientists and software engineers building solutions that reshape business operations. Wes also provides executive leadership for the Factory Operations Research AI business. He serves as the principal representative to Lockheed programs and functional groups on technical matters, and provides management oversight to all engineering activities and requirements in this field.

Wes joined Lockheed in 2003, and since that time has held roles of increasing responsibility in Engineering, Programs, Innovations and Strategy. He developed and managed software engineering teams through 2009 delivering embedded software systems spanning robotic sensors, weapon system communication systems, and missile navigation software. In 2009, Wes joined production operations as the enterprise systems architect establishing executive technology roadmaps and leading cross functional teams for reshaping operations by establishing common enterprise processes, systems, and data interfaces.

In 2010, Wes founded the Factory Operations Research Engineering team focused on deploying end to end AI software. Wes served as the executive leader and chief engineer helping to grow technology into the company’s most used AI & Analytics platform in operations, which was awarded trade secrets and the company’s prestigious NOVA award for technical innovation.

In 2019, Wes moved to a corporate AI team as the principal architect of company-wide digital transformation and AI software systems in manufacturing.

A native of Texas, Wes is a graduate of Texas A&M, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. He holds a Masters of Science in Systems Engineering and a Masters of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University.