Thanks to a generous grant from the world’s largest aerospace company, we will welcome 22 Boeing Scholars at Embry-Riddle this fall. A $3 million endowment from Boeing funds scholarships for pilot training, aviation maintenance and related studies.
Scholarships are open to all students, but a goal of the program is to prepare military veterans, women and underrepresented students to fill shortages in a workforce critical to our economy.
Brevard County became the Space Coast in the 1960s. Volusia County is emerging as part of the Commercial Space Coast of the 21st Century. Our skilled workforce and specialized labs draw global leaders, such as Arralis, to our research park. This Irish company is building the future of radar, wireless communications and geo-location.
Our research park is at capacity. So is our Applied Aviation and Research Hangar, where Eagle Flight Research Center, SeaMax™ and VerdeGo Aero™ base aviation R&D programs.
The 2.0 version of our research park will include an unmanned autonomous systems (UAS) test facility that will serve a wide range of UAS applications, including law enforcement, agriculture and infrastructure management.
Dr. Janet Kavandi is an astronaut and scientist. Neal J. Keating is the CEO of Kaman Corporation. Alumnus Steve Norlund leads the Boeing NeXt mission.
Just as I rely on our Board for strategic direction, I depend on senior leaders to deliver the best experience to our students. Finding the right Chancellor for Prescott was a top priority. Our search team met with many candidates who impressed us, not only with their talent but because they were eager to be a part of Embry-Riddle.
We made an outstanding choice in Dr. Anette M. Karlsson. Dr. Karlsson was previously a professor and dean at Washkewicz College of Engineering at Cleveland State University.
Embry-Riddle addresses design, manufacturing, training and human factors, IT and aviation infrastructure. We also understand the regulatory environment. Our “big picture” perspective attracted experts from NASA, FAA, the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and industry leaders.
In his keynote, Undersecretary of the Navy Thomas Modly noted the vital role our expertise in aero-cybersecurity plays in protecting our national security and economy. We will leverage our strength in dealing with an increasingly connected industry by drawing on faculty experts and a new lab specializing in avionic cybersecurity.
Our College of Security and Intelligence continues to gain respect and recognition from business and government. Our students produce Eagle Eye Intelligence, a newswire read by industry and federal intelligence agencies.
She first made her mark on the Daytona Beach Campus with signature pieces of art. Pathways to the Sky, a stainless steel sculpture at the James Hagedorn Aviation Complex plaza is the backdrop to countless selfies and group photos. Other gifts include a glass sculpture in the Flight Operations Center and hanging artwork in the College of Aviation atrium. I see Sky King, a bronze eagle, on my way to my office every day.
When Helen learned about a unique aerospace physiology program with the potential to attract more women to Embry-Riddle, she endowed a chair to help the program attract top faculty. Her gift will keep supporting this first-of-its-kind undergraduate degree.
Helen was proud of the difference she made here. She was grateful to give, often joking, "I’m a lucky broad." We are lucky, too.