Rhonda D. Walthall

Senior Technical Fellow, Collins Aerospace

Rhonda D. Walthall is a Senior Technical Fellow at Collins Aerospace in Charlotte, NC, a division of Raytheon Technologies Corporation. In her role, she focuses on Design for Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) and Digital Thread initiatives. She is an industry-recognized leader in the development of standards and best practices for Integrated Aircraft Health Management. Walthall earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University and her master’s degree in Business Administration from Pepperdine University. She began her career as a Flight Test Engineer for the McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Company before working for Northwest Airlines as a Powerplant Engineer. In 2003, she joined Hamilton Sundstrand and has held positions of increasing responsibility, leading to her role today as a Technical Fellow. Walthall is an SAE Fellow and a former member of the SAE International Board of Directors. She is a member of multiple Board-level committees, a member of the SAE Aerospace Council, and a member and Past Chair of three standards committees and two steering groups. She was recognized by SAE as a Top Contributor (2019), and she received the Rodica Baranescu Award for Technical Leadership and Excellence (2018) and the James M. Crawford Technical Standards Award for Outstanding Achievement (2016). She has contributed significantly to numerous SAE publications, including three SAE EDGE™ Research Reports and the book Flight Paths to Success: Career Insights from Women Leaders in Aerospace. Additionally, she is the VP of STEM for the SAE Carolinas Section and she regularly engages with SAEINDIA. S is a Fellow of the PHM Society and a member of their Board of Directors. In 2021, she received the Prism Award from the Society of Women Engineers. Walthall is an advocate for women in aerospace and is a 30-year member of Women in Aviation International. She mentors young engineers at work and at Purdue University through her role in the Industrial Advisory Council of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. In 2020, she was recognized by Purdue as “Outstanding Aerospace Engineer” for her contributions to standards development. She is a 20-year member of Toastmasters International, earning the Distinguished Toastmaster Award three times, serving as a District Leader for 11 years, and mentoring dozens of fellow members to achieve their communication and leadership goals.

Dr. Samir Khan

Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering, the University of Tokyo

Dr. Samir Khan is an Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Tokyo. He studied Control Systems for his doctoral thesis at Loughborough University in 2010. From 2011 to 2015, he was the leading researcher working on the No Fault Found research project at the Through-life Engineering Services Centre at Cranfield University and was instrumental in establishing and growing research activities at the center. Dr. Khan wasthe recipient of the prestigious Japan Society for the Promotion of Science fellowship award in 2016 for developing an informatics platform for next-generation health monitoring services. His track record includes managing a technology laboratory, focusing on demonstrating autonomous systems, and digitalization of spacecraft design. Dr. Khan’s research and teaching are concerned with a variety of practical applications of intelligent systems, usually within the aerospace domain. Specific projects are focused on active health monitoring, advanced sensor networks for spacecraft systems, dynamic modeling and simulation, and the application of machine learning for system health management. His projects are characterized by strong industrial collaboration supported by excellent links with universities and research organizations worldwide.

Paul Nielsen

Managing Director, Proxim, Near Earth

Paul E. Nielsen is an accomplished global executive with over 25 years of experience leading innovation-driven growth across early-stage technology ventures in the telecommunications, IT services, healthcare, and consumer electronics industries. Throughout his career, Paul has held senior leadership roles in sales, marketing, business development, and general management, helping to bring advanced technologies to market that improve operational efficiency, customer engagement, and revenue performance. Paul currently serves as Managing Director of Proxim, a spinout of Near Earth Autonomy focused on transforming Aircraft inspection using drones and artificial intelligence. In this role, he leads the development and execution of the company’s go-to-market strategy and oversees the overall management of the business. By automating the visual inspection process, Proxim is revolutionizing aviation maintenance and enabling safer, more efficient operations. Prior to joining Proxim, Paul held senior leadership roles at Optum, where he directed key strategic initiatives including the Optum College of Artificial Intelligence, the UnitedHealth Group Academy of Technology, and Optum’s strategic partnerships with leading research institutions and global industry players. He also co-founded and served as Executive Director of the Optum Startup Studio, which accelerated healthcare innovation by fostering collaboration between early-stage ventures and enterprise stakeholders. In parallel with his industry leadership, Paul is a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy. He teaches “Entrepreneurial Approaches to Healthcare Innovation,” a graduate-level course and core requirement in the university’s Master’s in Medical Management program. Earlier in his career, Paul helped shape the video gaming and digital video delivery industries. He led the U.S. launch of G-cluster, Inc., an early pioneer in cloud-based gaming, and contributed to the growth of several video technology startups including SeaWell Networks and Verivue, Inc. As a founding executive at SeaChange International, he played a critical role in expanding the company’s global presence and advancing the industry-wide shift from analog to digital video delivery. Paul earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Science and Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.