People Category: Speaker Types

Steven Barrett

Steven Barrett (@StevenRHBarrett on twitter) is a Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is director of the MIT Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment and leads the MIT Electric Aircraft Initiative. He is also a Visiting Professor at University College London’s Energy Institute, and at Seoul National University’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Departments. Before joining MIT in 2010 Steven was a faculty member at Cambridge University’s Engineering Department, where he completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees in aerospace engineering.

The aim of Steven’s research is to make aviation cleaner and quieter. This includes developing low emissions and noise propulsion technologies for aircraft, improving scientific understanding of the atmospheric impacts of aircraft pollution, and evaluating the sustainability of biofuels and electric aircraft. Steven also has research interests in ground vehicle electrification and broader climate change and air pollution topics. His work in these areas spans fundamental technology development through to environmental policy assessment.

Steven has written approximately 85 journal publications and is current or former supervisor of about 60 graduate theses. Steven’s current teaching at MIT includes the undergraduate jet and rocket propulsion course, and a graduate-level course on aerospace, energy, and the environment. He has contributed to STEM outreach activities since 2003.

Joel Kirk

Joel Kirk leads the engineering systems team responsible for new engine development for emerging markets and products.  He is responsible for leading technology maturation that differentiates future GE products and developing new architectures to meet evolving customer needs.

Prior to this role, Joel led research and technology development for GE Aviation products at GE Research.  He was responsible for maturation of technologies and transition from research laboratory environment to the product development team, which he now leads.

Joel has worked 15 years in technology development and product design at GE Aviation.  In that time, he led the product design of the high pressure turbine module for the LEAP and Passport engines, developed the technology roadmap and strategy for integration of additive manufacturing into the design process and owned module design on several commercial and military demonstrator engines.

Joel earned his MS and PhD from University of Notre Dame in Aerospace Engineering.

Peter Iosifidis

Peter Iosifidis is the Program Manager of the Lockheed Martin X-59 Low Boom Flight Demonstrator program being developed for NASA by the company’s Air Vehicle Design & Technologies of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics – Skunk Works® in Palmdale, California. Peter has been with Lockheed Martin for 35 years including 27 years at Aeronautics and 8 years at Mission Systems and Training.

Peter has a diverse background in the aerospace business with recognized experience in managing and leading programs, as well as developing company strategies to support competitive efforts. Peter’s experience spans from Program Management and Business Development to Operations and Global Sustainment. This is complimented by leadership roles as Program Manager, Capture Manager, and Deputy Director of aircraft modifications.

Peter began his career in the US Air Force at Beale AFB, CA. as a Crew Chief on the Lockheed Martin U-2 Aircraft. Since joining Lockheed Martin, he has held roles of increasing responsibility on programs including Special Mission C-130, X-33 Single Stage to Orbit Vehicle, and the F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter. While at Mission Systems and Training, Peter led the Global Sustainment and Operations organization of a large Foreign Military Sales Program in Taiwan.

Peter holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and Masters of Science in Technology Management from Pepperdine University.

Charles (Chuck) J. Cross

Dr. Charles J. Cross is the Chief of the Turbine Engine Division, Aerospace Systems Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.  In this capacity, he leads a 250 person division in executing a $110,000,000 per year budget to plan, develop and transition advanced turbine engine technologies in order to sustain legacy systems, develop emerging systems, and enable future propulsion concepts.  To fulfill this mission, he is the Tri-service lead for the Advanced Turbine Technology for Affordable Mission Capability (ATTAM) program, ensuring USAF efforts are coordinated across DoD services.

Dr. Cross has been with the Air Force Research Laboratory and its predecessor organizations since 1989.  His multi-faceted technical activities have included serving as an in-house researcher, team leader, group leader, program manager, branch chief, consultant, mentor and technical leader for basic research in structural dynamics, life prediction and failure analysis of turbine engine components.  He is an internationally recognized expert in turbine engine dynamics, mechanics and durability and has led numerous national and international teams to investigate costly turbine engine fatigue and structural dynamics issues to resolve problems that impacted fielded engine systems for many years.  His publication record includes over 110 journal papers, technical reports and proceedings, and one patent.

Mary F. Wadel

Mary F. Wadel serves as the deputy director of Aeronautics at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. In this capacity, she assists in overseeing the center’s investments in research and development projects under the agency’s Advanced Air Vehicles, Integrated Aviation Systems, Airspace Operations and Safety, and Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Programs.

Immediately prior to her appointment, Wadel was the Formulation Co-lead for NASA’s proposed Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration Project, which will advance electrified aircraft propulsion technologies for commercial use. She will continue in this role concurrently until project formulation is complete.

Wadel began her NASA career in 1988 performing experimental research in rocket propulsion. She transitioned to working in aeronautics in 1999 as the project manager for aircraft icing. Since then, she has gone on to hold several project management positions, including stints with the Advanced Air Transport Technology Project, Cryogenic Fluid Management Project and Technology Investments in the Aeronautics Test Program. Wadel also spent eight years as the chief of NASA Glenn’s Aircraft Icing Branch.

The Ewa Beach, Hawaii native is the recipient of several individual and group awards, including the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and The Robert J. Collier Trophy as part of the Commercial Aviation Safety Team. She holds a bachelor’s in aerospace engineering from the University of Cincinnati and master’s in aerospace and mechanical engineering from Case Western Reserve University. Wadel and her family reside in Medina, Ohio.

Jason Crusan

As Vice President Technology, Jason Crusan is responsible for identifying, developing and maturing technologies that increase production, reduce costs, and enable Woodside’s people to work even more safely and efficiently.

Jason holds Bachelor degrees in Electrical Engineering and Physics, and a Masters degree in Computing Information Systems. Jason has more than 20 years’ experience in leveraging industry, academia and government partnerships to accelerate technology advancements across multiple industries.

Before joining Woodside in 2019, Jason worked for the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration, primarily in human spaceflight. Jason most recently served as the Director of the agency’s Advanced Exploration Systems. In this role, Jason led many partnerships with commercial industry, including the first flights to the International Space Station of human-rated expandable habitats, additive manufacturing printers, and integrated 3D printers and recyclers.

Jason has also served as the Chief Technologist for space operations, and successfully directed various technical and strategic initiatives as program or project manager.

Jason was the founding Director of the Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, formed to advance the utilisation of open innovation methodologies across the U.S. Government.

Skyler Shuford

Skyler Shuford is the founder and Chief Operating Officer of Hermeus Corporation with primary effort devoted to hypersonic aircraft R&D, system analysis and test, company growth and strategy, internal process development, corporate communications and brand, and certification planning. Prior to Hermeus, Skyler was the Director of Avionics and Software at Generation Orbit, where he was responsible for design, analysis, manufacture, and test of the in-house developed flight and facility electronic systems and software and was the technical lead for the GN&C analysis, algorithms, and hardware for the X-60A, an Air Force X-Plane for hypersonic flight research. Skyler worked across the aerospace sector with time spent at SpaceX, Aerospace Corporation, Northrop Grumman, and Aerojet. Skyler holds a Master of Science degree with a minor in Computational Science from Penn State and a Bachelor of Science degree from Cal Poly, both in Aerospace Engineering.

Jason Bowers

Jason Bowers has 24+ years of experience in the technology sector including the telecommunications, general aviation and aerospace industries. He has designed and supported solutions related to aircraft engine controls, telecommunications switches, night vision systems, UUVs and life support systems. As a Staff Engineer with Collins Aerospace – ISRS, he has been a contributor to numerous space and sea programs. Most recently, he was the Design Lead for the power plant electrical system of an unmanned undersea naval vehicle as well as the Intelligent Systems Technical Lead for a deep space Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) demonstration. He is currently on a team tasked with building a fully functional lab based Air Revitalization System (ARS) for NASA and serves as the Technical Lead for a network distributed model of an advanced ECLSS.

Makenzie Lystrup

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Dr. Makenzie Lystrup is vice president and general manager of the Civil Space strategic business unit. She is responsible for Ball’s portfolio of business in astrophysics, planetary science, heliophysics and space weather, Earth science and environmental monitoring, operational weather, and land imaging as well as advanced technology development for those markets.

Dr. Lystrup joined Ball in January 2013 in the company’s Strategic Operations organization where she led Ball’s space sciences activities in Washington, DC. She previously served as senior director, Civil Space Advanced Systems and Business Development, where she managed new business activities for NASA, NOAA and other civilian U.S. government agencies as well as for academia and nongovernmental organizations.

Previously, Dr. Lystrup worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Congressional Science & Technology Policy Fellow. During her time on the Hill, she managed an issue portfolio ranging from technology and privacy to national defense to nuclear energy and nonproliferation.

Dr. Lystrup holds a B.S. in Physics from Portland State University and a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from University College London. She was a National Science Foundation Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Research Fellow spending time at the Laboratory for Atmospheric & Space Physics in Boulder, Colorado, and University of Liege in Belgium. As a planetary scientist and astronomer, Dr. Lystrup’ s scientific work has been in using ground- and space-based astronomical observatories to understand the interactions and dynamics of planetary atmospheres and magnetospheres – the relationships between planets and their surrounding space environments. Prior to graduate school, she was a full-time AmeriCorps volunteer focusing on STEM education.

Dr. Lystrup is actively engaged in the broader science and aerospace communities. She currently serves on boards and committees for Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE), American Astronomical Society (AAS), CO-LABS, and the Boulder Chamber of Commerce.

In 2019, Dr. Lystrup was elected to the rank of Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for her distinguished record in the fields of planetary science and infrared astronomy, science policy and advocacy, and aerospace leadership.

Matt Moran

Matt Moran has been developing power and propulsion systems and technologies since 1982. He led engineering teams and completed projects for NASA, DARPA, Air Force, Navy, Missile Defense, energy, non-profit and commercial organizations. Moran Innovation is the seventh technology-based startup company he has co-founded. Matt acquired $8.5MM in early stage funding and completed 19 successful contract awards in his previous businesses.

He also worked at NASA for 31 years, most recently as Sector Manager for Energy and Materials where he established strategic partnerships, captured new business, and negotiated license agreements. In his prior position at NASA, he managed a portfolio of power and propulsion systems technology development projects and led a team of 40 scientists and engineers.

Matt has developed space and defense systems and technologies for the space shuttle, international space station, launch vehicles, spacecraft, satellites, and underwater vehicles. He has subject matter expertise in cryogenics (e.g. hydrogen, oxygen, methane and xenon), thermal management, MEMS/microsystems, and thermodynamic cycles. He has also provided technology transfer and commercialization consulting to hundreds of organizations over his career.

Matt has an MBA, along with a Bachelor’s degree and graduate work in engineering. He has three US patents and has authored 47 publications. More about Matt can be found on his LinkedIn profile at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-moran-3a54568/