Suzanne K. Kearns

Last updated
Suzanne K. Kearns
Born
Suzanne Robinson

1979 (age 44–45)
Wiarton, Ontario
NationalityCanadian
Occupation(s)Professor and Author
EmployerUniversity of Waterloo

Suzanne K. Kearns is a Canadian author, academic, and professor of aviation who works at the University of Waterloo. [1] She is the Founding Director of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) and teaches within the Aviation programs. [2] [3] [4] Her research specializations are aviation safety, training methodologies, and human factors. She is best known as the founder of WISA, author of several aviation books and Series Editor of the 'Aviation Fundamentals' [5] textbook series, [6] and for her work supporting the International Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) programme and Global Aviation Training initiatives with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). [7]

Contents

Education

Kearns began flight training at the age of 15 in Wiarton, Ontario, Canada. She completed her fixed-wing training in Wiarton, Ontario and her rotary-wing training in Buttonville, Ontario in advance of her 17th birthday. She then completed the Helicopter Pilot Flight Program (including Commercial Rotary-Wing Pilot license) with Canadore College followed by her Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Science (including Commercial Multi-Engine IFR fixed-wing license/ratings) and Master of Science in Human Factors and Systems Engineering, both from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Kearns earned her Doctorate of Philosophy from Capella University in Education, specializing in Instructional Design for Online Learning. [8]

Career

Kearns began working full time as a lecturer of aviation at the University of Western Ontario in 2004, at the age of 24. She progressed to a tenure-track Assistant Professor in 2008 after earning her PhD and subsequently earned academic tenure in 2014. In 2016 she accepted an invitation to move to the University of Waterloo, as an Associate Professor with Tenure. [9]

Kearns has taught the following academic courses: Introduction to Aviation, Human Factors, Aviation Safety, and Sustainability in Aviation.

Her research focuses on aviation safety and training methodologies. She is the author of a wide variety of aviation trade publications, academic journal articles, and several books. [10] Kearns frequently participates as a speaker at aviation events. [11] [12] [13] She is recognized as a thought-leader in the area of aviation training, specifically teaching methodologies (such as e-learning and competency-based training) and around engaging the next generation of aviation professionals. [14] [15]

In 2017, Kearns (in partnership with Michael Kearns) developed an e-learning course called 'Aviation Fundamentals' (AviFun). The University of Waterloo and the International Civil Aviation Organization jointly distribute the AviFun course. [16] The AviFun course is designed to teach young people about the aviation industry, on an international scale. It is interactive, narrated by Suzanne Kearns, and reviews a variety of aviation sectors (air law, aircraft, operations, air navigation, airports, security, the environment, accidents, and safety). [17] The course is available on the ICAO training website and is completed by thousands of professionals around the world. [18] [19]

Books by Suzanne K Kearns
TitleYearPublisherSynopsis
Canadian Aviation2009Kendall-HuntA textbook that explores sectors of the aviation industry in Canada. [20]
e-Learning in Aviation2010Ashgate/RoutledgeAn academic book that reviews the aspects and structure of high-quality e-learning in aviation, as well as principles of instructional design for online learning. [21]
Competency-Based Education in Aviation: Exploring Alternate Training Pathways2016Ashgate/RoutledgeKearns co-authored with Timothy J. Mavin and Steven Hodge. An academic book that explores the foundation underlying 'competence' in aviation, based on interviews with international training experts, which is the theory supporting evidence-based and competency-based training [22]
Fundamentals of International Aviation2018RoutledgeAn introductory textbook that explores sectors of the international aviation industry, from air law to airports, operations to security. This textbook is designed to support young professionals seeking an aviation career. This is the book that launched the 'Aviation Fundamentals' textbook series [23]
Engaging the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals: An Edited Volume2020RoutledgeKearns is lead editor of a book that will include chapters and case studies from more than 40 aviation academics and professionals from around the world. Thought to be the first academic work on the 'Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP)' issue [24]
Fundamentals of International Aviation, 2nd Edition2021RoutledgeThis text provides a foundation of ‘how aviation works’ in preparation for any career in the field (including regulators, maintenance engineers, pilots, flight attendants, airline and airport managers, dispatchers, and air traffic controllers, among many others). Each chapter introduces a different cross-section of the industry, from air law to operations, security to environmental impacts. A variety of learning tools are built into each chapter, including 24 case studies that describe an aviation accident related to each topic. This second edition adds new learning features, geographic representation from Africa, a new chapter on economics, full-color illustrations, and updated and enhanced online resources. [25]

Awards and Volunteer Work

Kearns is a member of the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) task force, [26] through which she volunteers to support the aviation industry's efforts to attract, recruit, educate, and retain the next generation. She was elected President of the University Aviation Association, 2015-2016, where she represented about 150 colleges/universities with aviation programs. [27]

In 2013 Kearns was the recipient of the Frank E Sorensen award for 'Outstanding Achievement of Excellence in Aviation Research/Scholarship'. [28] In 2017, Kearns was recognized by Wings Magazine as one of the Top 20 under 40 in Canadian Aviation [29] and in the same year she was also elected as a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS). In 2018 the University Aviation Association awarded Kearns the William A. Wheatley award [30] recognizing outstanding contributions to aerospace education.

In 2019, Kearns received the Elise MacGill Northern Lights award [31] (Education Category) recognizing women who make outstanding contributions to aviation and aerospace.

Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA)

The Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) is the world’s leading hub for sustainable aeronautical research, technology, and education. Dr. Suzanne Kearns is the Founding Director of WISA. [32]

Designed to be different, WISA mobilizes the interdisciplinary research capacity of all six faculties at the University of Waterloo to drive meaningful and lasting change within the aviation, aerospace, and space industries.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University</span> Private U.S. university system specializing in aviation and aerospace

Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is a private university focused on aviation and aerospace programs. Founded at Lunken Field in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1926, its main campuses are located in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona. It is the largest accredited university system specializing in aviation and aerospace. It has numerous online programs and academic programs offered at satellite locations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Alaska Anchorage</span> Public university in Anchorage, Alaska

The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) is a public university in Anchorage, Alaska. UAA also administers four community campuses spread across Southcentral Alaska: Kenai Peninsula College, Kodiak College, Matanuska–Susitna College, and Prince William Sound College. Between the community campuses and the main Anchorage campus, roughly 15,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students are currently enrolled at UAA. It is Alaska's largest institution of higher learning and the largest university in the University of Alaska System.

Pilot licensing or certification refers to permits for operating aircraft. Flight crew licences are issued by the civil aviation authority of each country, which must establish that the holder has met minimum knowledge and experience before issuing licences. The licence, along with the required class or type rating, allows a pilot to fly aircraft registered in the licence issuing state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calgary/Springbank Airport</span> Airport in Rocky View County, Alberta

Calgary/Springbank Airport or Springbank Airport is an airport located in the Rocky View County community of Springbank, Alberta, an area to the west of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordon K. Bush Airport</span> Airport

Ohio University Airport or Gordon K. Bush Airport, also known as Snyder Field, is a public-use airport located on State Route 32/U.S. 50 in the village of Albany, about ten miles (16 km) southwest of the city of Athens, in Athens County, Ohio, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ormond Beach Municipal Airport</span> Airport in Ormond Beach, Florida

Ormond Beach Airport, also known as Ormond Beach Municipal Airport, is a general aviation airport located 3 miles (4.8 km) to the northwest of the city of Ormond Beach in Volusia County, Florida, United States.

Language assessment or language testing is a field of study under the umbrella of applied linguistics. Its main focus is the assessment of first, second or other language in the school, college, or university context; assessment of language use in the workplace; and assessment of language in the immigration, citizenship, and asylum contexts. The assessment may include listening, speaking, reading, writing, an integration of two or more of these skills, or other constructs of language ability. Equal weight may be placed on knowledge and proficiency, or greater weight may be given to one aspect or the other.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PATTS College of Aeronautics</span> Private college in Metro Manila, Philippines

PATTS College of Aeronautics, also known as Philippine Air Transport and Training Services, is an aeronautical school at Lombos Ave., Brgy. San Isidro, Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. It was founded by Atty. Ambrosio R. Valdez Sr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Waterloo Faculty of Engineering</span> Canadian engineering school in Waterloo, Ontario

The Faculty of Engineering is one of six faculties at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It has 8,698 undergraduate students, 2176 graduate students, 334 faculty and 52,750 alumni making it the largest engineering school in Canada with external research funding from 195 Canadian and international partners exceeding $86.8 million. Ranked among the top 50 engineering schools in the world, the faculty of engineering houses eight academic units and offers 15 bachelor's degree programs in a variety of disciplines.

Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center is a regional office of the United States Federal Aviation Administration on the grounds of Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City. With around 7,500 direct federal employees, the Aeronautical Center is one of the Department of Transportation's largest facilities outside the Washington, DC area, and one of the 10 largest employers in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. It is named for Senator Mike Monroney of Oklahoma, who wrote and sponsored the Federal Aviation Act of 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Institute of Aeronautical Engineering & Information Technology</span>

Indian Institute for Aeronautical Engineering & Information Technology (IIAEIT) is an aerospace engineering college in Pune, India. It also offers mechanical engineering and other technology related courses. It is known for its full-time face to face B.Tech Aerospace Engineering course (BTAE) which is jointly launched by D.Y Patil University and Aeronautical Engineering and Research Organisation (AERO).

Hannah Gwendolen Shone was a British aerodynamicist and educationalist most known for her work on spinning tunnels and aircraft flight-testing during World War II, as well as her involvement in flight education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger</span>

Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger is a full professor, senior executive, an international expert in policy, law and governance on climate change, biodiversity, human rights, trade, investment and financial law and the world's Sustainable Development Goals. She currently serves as Leverhulme Trust Visiting Professor at the University of Cambridge, UK; executive secretary of the global Climate Law and Governance Initiative (CLGI) and senior director of the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL). She is also a Fellow in Law & LLM/MCL Director of Studies at the Lucy Cavendish College; fellow at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law; visiting fellow at the Bennett Institute for Public Policy and Fellow at the Cambridge Centre for Energy, Environment & Natural Resource Governance. Further, she is full professor at the University of Waterloo School of Environment, Enterprise and Development in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, where she is also senior fellow at the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA) and senior advisor to the Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change (IC3). She serves as chair of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Biodiversity Law & Governance Initiative; rapporteur for the International Law Association Committee on Sustainable Natural Resources Management; co-founder member of the board of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) of Canada; member of the International Law Association (ILA) Board of Canada; co-founder and councillor of the World Future Council.

Linda Faye Nazar is a Senior Canada Research Chair in Solid State Materials and Distinguished Research Professor of Chemistry at the University of Waterloo. She develops materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion. Nazar demonstrated that interwoven composites could be used to improve the energy density of lithium–sulphur batteries. She was awarded the 2019 Chemical Institute of Canada Medal.

Jennifer Ann Clapp is a Canadian political economist. She is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Global Food Security and Sustainability at the University of Waterloo.

A multi-crew pilot licence (MPL) is a pilot licence that permits an aircraft pilot to act as co-pilot of a multi-crew aircraft.

References

  1. ↑ "Waterloo welcomes Dr. Suzanne Kearns | Environment". Environment. 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  2. ↑ "Our People | Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics". uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  3. ↑ "Aviation at Waterloo | Aviation". Aviation. 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  4. ↑ Hicks, Jeff (2018-05-03). "Suzanne Kearns has found her calling, encouraging and educating future pilots". TheRecord.com. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
  5. ↑ "Aviation Fundamentals - Routledge". Routledge.com. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  6. ↑ "Product Search - Routledge". Routledge.com. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  7. ↑ "Meeting Reports - All Documents". www.icao.int. Retrieved 2018-01-10.
  8. ↑ "CV" . Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  9. ↑ "Profile in 'Aviation International'". uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  10. ↑ "Suzanne K. Kearns - Google Scholar Citations". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  11. ↑ "Keynote Address for International Women's Day 2017". uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  12. ↑ "Student Education & Careers in Aviation | Halldale". www.halldale.com. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  13. ↑ ICAO - The International Civil Aviation Organization (2017-11-27), #icaoNGAP - PANEL 2 - Aviation careers from the students' perspective , retrieved 2018-01-08
  14. ↑ "Competency-Based Training: The future of the aviation industry?". Civil Aviation Training. 2017-06-23. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  15. ↑ "Register for the Live Webinar on Competency-Based Education". AviationPros.com. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  16. ↑ "ICAO and University of Waterloo to launch e-learning course". Civil Aviation Training. 2017-11-09. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  17. ↑ ICAO - The International Civil Aviation Organization (2017-11-29), Fundamentals of the Air Transport System - Online Course , retrieved 2018-01-05
  18. ↑ "Teaching the Fundamentals of Air Transport, page 4" (PDF).
  19. ↑ "Training Catalogue Details". www.icao.int. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  20. ↑ developer (2016-04-07). "Canadian Aviation". Higher Education. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  21. ↑ "e-Learning in Aviation (Hardback) - Routledge". Routledge.com. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  22. ↑ "Competency-Based Education in Aviation: Exploring Alternate Training Pathways (Hardback) - Routledge". Routledge.com. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  23. ↑ "Fundamentals of International Aviation (Paperback) - Routledge". Routledge.com. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  24. ↑ "Home | Upcoming Book: The Next Generation of Aviation Professionals". Upcoming Book: The N. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  25. ↑ "Fundamentals of International Aviation".
  26. ↑ "Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP)". www.icao.int. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  27. ↑ "Past Presidents - University Aviation Association". www.uaa.aero. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  28. ↑ "Frank E. Sorenson Award - Previous Honorees - University Aviation Association". www.uaa.aero. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  29. ↑ "Aviation professor named Top 20 Under 40 | Aviation". Aviation. 2017-06-27. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  30. ↑ "William A. Wheatley Award - Previous Honorees - University Aviation Association". www.uaa.aero. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  31. ↑ "Northern Lights Aero Foundation – Women. Aerospace. Aviation". northernlightsaerofoundation.com. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
  32. ↑ "About WISA | Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics". uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.