Charles River Analytics, a developer of cutting-edge technologies for intelligent systems, announces that a student team advised by Principal Scientist, Dr. Ryan Kilgore, received second place in the fourth annual FAA Design Competition for Universities. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) presents awards annually to students or student teams addressing airport operations or infrastructure issues and needs.
Dr. Kilgore’s team, which included four graduating seniors from the Tufts University’s Human Factors program, received the award in the Runway Safety/Runway Incursions Challenge of the competition. The student team designed and evaluated an in-dash display system to prevent vehicle-aircraft collisions in busy airports.
Dr. Kilgore, who is also an adjunct faculty member in Tufts’ Department of Mechanical Engineering said, “The FAA competition is an excellent learning opportunity for students, who are encouraged to put their classroom studies into practice by working with airport operators and industry experts.”
As part of their data collection process, the team members toured Boston’s Logan International Airport, interviewed members of MassPort’s Operations Department, and rode in ground vehicles down the centerline of a non-operating runway while monitoring communications with the ground control tower.
“Being able to experience the challenges of such a unique work environment first-hand was eye-opening for the students and something they will never forget,” said Dr. Kilgore.
Charles River and Dr. Kilgore congratulate the students on their well-deserved award.
