2022 MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
Quarter 4
Maya Tryfona
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
"I strongly believe that the future lies on FAIR data principles: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. This is why I am supporting and promoting the use of open standards and the openBIM framework."
BIOGRAPHY
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Maya Tryfona is working as a Data Engineer/Semantic Data Modeler in the Information Management team of the Asset Management Department of Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands. This team is working on the implementation of a new digital environment for the Asset Management Department, which is based on linked data. Maya is designing and updating the data model that contains the information needs for the life cycle of the assets. She is also maintaining mappings from this data model to existing vocabularies, as well as national and international open standards. She is also involved in stakeholder engagement and translates their information needs into technical processes and solutions.
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Since 2017, she is an active member of the working group of the Airport Room of buildingSMART International. Since 2020, she is a member of the working group of the Airport Entities Project. Since 2018, she is a member of the Airport Room Steering Committee of buildingSMART International and since 2020, she is in the BIMcert Assessment Commission of buildingSMART Austria. In the past, she worked in academic projects as a Land Surveyor for the restoration of historical monuments and for the land surveying of parts of cities. She did a BSc and a MSc in Surveying Engineering at National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), with specialization in Photogrammetry and later, a MSc in Geomatics Engineering at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft).
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HOW DID YOU GET INSPIRED TO WORK IN AVIATION?
In 2017, when I was working as a consultant for Schiphol Airport during an introduction day, we visited the airport traffic control tower, the area of the baggage handling system and the airport’s own fire brigade. I immediately started thinking of all the necessary data flows behind the scenes that make the running of an airport possible. It was on that day that I realized the complexity of an airport, and this inspired me to work in aviation. It fascinated me the fact that it is such a dynamic environment, where everything needs to be maintained while it is open and it is operating 24/7/365. It is a multidisciplinary environment, with so many stakeholders and projects - where they all need to ensure the smooth, safe, and undisrupted functioning of the airport.
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WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES YOU'VE ENCOUNTERED ALONG THE WAY?
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The complexity of airports is very fascinating, but at the same time it is one of the most challenging environments. The size of such an organization easily leads to silos and many topics become more political than expected.
With our team, we are working on a project that aims to create a brand new digital environment for the asset management department of the airport based on linked data. The volume of available data will increase over time, and it is crucial to work on a data-centric approach rather than an application-centric approach, which has typically been the norm. Change is difficult for everyone, including organizations. Schiphol Airport is one of the front-runners in such projects, but this is not always easy within an organization that has been working in a specific way for many years. It is hard to change the mindset of people, and this is a daily challenge.
Related to this, I had the opportunity to participate in conferences, workshops, panel discussions, round tables, and summits where I was able to meet very interesting people and be part of very thought-provoking discussions.
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FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY - WHERE DO YOU SEE IT?
With regard to data management, which has nowadays a great impact on most of the processes of the aviation industry, I strongly believe that the future lies on FAIR data principles: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. This is why I am supporting and promoting the use of open standards and the openBIM framework.
Optimizing data management will lead to better decision making and aim to provide more knowledge, shared data, improved data quality, cost reduction, and improved efficiency. These aspects will play a key role towards sustainability and circular economy.
Quarter 3
Torrie Meliska
Wisk Aero
Vertiport Lead and Advocate of Connecting People Through Air Transportation
BIOGRAPHY
I am the Vertiport Lead on the Product Management team at Wisk Aero, specializing in all things vertiports! I am working with standards development bodies and infrastructure partners to define vertiport requirements, both physically and operationally. I also contribute to NASA’s Transformative Vertical Flight Working Group on Intra-City AAM as a vertiport expert. In my graduate work at Northwestern University Transportation Center prior to Wisk, I focused on optimizing vertiport locations. I created temporal and geographic demand forecasting models to determine optimal vertiport placement, developed vertiport/infrastructure requirements, and optimized fleet strategies using mode choice and machine learning models. As a transportation engineer, I aim to promote AAM as a sustainable mode of transportation and generate its public acceptance. I firmly believe that transportation is the ultimate connector, bringing people together and providing access to health, wealth, and happiness. I am also a certified SAFe Agile Product/Project Manager with experience in digital technology consulting.
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HOW DID YOU GET INSPIRED TO WORK IN AVIATION?
I took a course in Air Transportation Operations in my final semester of college, which instigated my interest in air transportation systems. Having already accepted an e-commerce consulting position, I looked for in-roads to an aviation career - taking additional online aviation courses, joining transportation working groups, and networking with aviation professionals. Learning more about air transportation only increased my hunger to contribute to the industry.
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WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES YOU'VE ENCOUNTERED ALONG THE WAY?
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My career thus far has not been direct or predictable. In college, I studied Electrical Engineering, struggling to find my passion. Even after learning about the air transportation industry, I didn’t know which part of it was the ideal fit for my interests and abilities. It required a deviation into e-commerce consulting and a terrible experience at an air transportation company for me to find Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). When I was first exposed to AAM, I didn’t initially realize the impact it would have on my career. Following the traumatic job experience, I wasn’t ready to work in a corporate environment. So, I traveled around the world, moved to LA to work at a spin studio, then began a master’s program in Transportation Engineering. It was only recently that I felt recovered enough to rejoin the corporate workforce. Now, I love my job, coworkers, and industry and I am much more confident in my career path.
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WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FOR OTHER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN AVIATION?
Talk to everyone to learn about their jobs and interests. Networking will help you learn about new niches of aviation and will help your career progress!
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Quarter 2
Julia Nagy
HMMH
"Addressing systemic inequality in the aviation industry needs to take priority today (and in the future). The future of the aviation industry needs to be inclusive, not only for people working for and at airports, but also when considering the airport’s impacts on surrounding communities, the people that they serve (and don’t serve), and the planning processes that affect and influence them."
BIOGRAPHY
Julia Nagy is a Senior Consultant with HMMH, a consulting firm specializing in sustainability planning and the study, assessment, and mitigation of environmental impacts on communities from new and existing transportation infrastructure. Julia’s work focuses on environmental analysis and sustainability projects for the aviation and surface transportation industries - including sustainable airport master plans, waste studies, carbon accounting, and noise compatibility planning. She has experience working on multiple projects completed under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and state regulatory processes.
Julia has worked on multiple Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) projects with a focus the social side of sustainability, most notably she is currently serving as Principal Investigator on the recently awarded ACRP Project 02-99, Incorporating Environmental Justice and Equity Principles and Data into Airport Decision-Making and she previously served as Assistant Project Manager for ACRP Report 221, Measuring Quality of Life in Communities Surrounding Airports.
Additionally, Julia is an active member of the Transportation Research Board AV030 Standing Committee on Environmental Issues in Aviation and has served as the Committee Communications Coordinator since 2019.
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HOW DID YOU GET INSPIRED TO WORK IN AVIATION?
"I have an academic background in Environmental Science and Policy; my passion for sustainable infrastructure and environmental work evolved from internships early in my career at Portland International Airport and the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Environmental Affairs Committee. As someone who had learned of the carbon intensity of the aviation industry in college, I was inspired and fascinated by the industry’s commitment to reducing its emissions and the recognition that innovation was needed to move beyond reliance on fossil fuels to guarantee a sustainable future. I was also impressed by the camaraderie of the industry, including the willingness to share best practices and collaborate to develop and champion sustainable solutions."
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... AND WHAT KEEPS YOU INSPIRED?
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"I have been with HMMH for over four years and enjoy my job because truly every day is different; tasks may include project management, stakeholder engagement, data analysis and visualization, technical writing, strategizing with colleagues, researching, proposal development, developing communications and outreach materials, and the list goes on. I am proud to work at HMMH, which is certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and is recognized as an Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) by the U.S. Small Business Administration. I am grateful to work for a company with transparent leadership and women in leadership, who encourage career advancement and technical excellence. Working as a consultant for a small firm has provided me with many unique opportunities and skills. I am so grateful to work with and learn from some of the most respected leaders in the aviation environmental space."
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THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY - WHERE DO YOU SEE IT?
"Addressing systemic inequality in the aviation industry needs to take priority today (and in the future). The future of the aviation industry needs to be inclusive, not only for people working for and at airports, but also when considering the airport’s impacts on surrounding communities, the people that they serve (and don’t serve), and the planning processes that affect and influence them. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) considerations are topics of significant concern in the aviation industry, particularly in the context of infrastructure funding and industry/economic recovery from COVID. As mentioned above, I am the Principal Investigator for the recently awarded ACRP Project 02-99, Incorporating Environmental Justice and Equity Principles and Data into Airport Decision-Making. HMMH is excited to partner with the Thrivance Group and The Ohio State University to tackle this critical research project. Recognizing that environmental impacts of aviation often disproportionately fall on the shoulders of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people, the objective is to create a toolkit and resources for airport practitioners to inform their decision-making and planning processes using an equity lens."
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WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FOR OTHER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN AVIATION?
"My advice to other emerging leaders is to work with and learn from as many of your colleagues as possible (both within and outside of your organization) and build a reputation for high-quality work and dependability. Building strong working relationships and perfecting the project/task management and communications components of any job is just as important as the technical work."
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Quarter 1
Martin Rottler
Delta Air Lines
"I was lucky enough to teach 2,000+ students from around the world—seeing their continued success across the entire aviation industry makes me incredibly proud and is a lasting legacy that I encounter on a regular basis here at Delta’s headquarters and beyond."
BIOGRAPHY
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Martin is a professional aviation nerd currently employed as a Specialist in Learning Strategy for Delta Air Lines’ Reservations and Customer Care division, where he has worked since May 2021. Martin has worked in the past as head of collegiate recruiting and outreach for Envoy Air, as a faculty member with the Ohio State University Center for Aviation Studies, and also served as visiting professor at Korea Aerospace University in Seoul. He has two degrees from UND, a BA and an MS, and is also a Commercial Pilot & Certified Flight Instructor. He currently serves as a Director for the National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA), committee chair for the University Aviation Association, and is an appointed member of AV020 and AV040.
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HOW DID YOU GET INSPIRED TO WORK IN AVIATION?
"Growing up under the approach path of the Centennial Airport in suburban Denver, airplanes were a constant presence out my bedroom window. Thanks to creative and supportive family, I had my sixth birthday party at the Stapleton airport and took my first flight lesson at the age of 10. There’s a family video from that day where you can clearly hear my mom exclaim, “Well, we’re either creating a monster, or burying one!” and the rest was history. While in high school, I attended the University of North Dakota’s Aerospace Camp and soloed on my 16th birthday, graduating early to go to UND for school, which is a perfect segue to the next question!"
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CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES YOU ENCOUNTERED ALONG THE WAY
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"Elder millennials such as myself have been blessed with two significant economic downturns in our early careers. I watched pilot hiring evaporate before my eyes as I was getting ready to graduate during the economic downturn of 2008 and was laid off due to the downturn in travel due to COVID. During the first downturn, I shifted career focus from piloting to education and found my way into an awesome first career at Ohio State. While at Ohio State and Korea Aerospace University, I was lucky enough to teach 2,000+ students from around the world—seeing their continued success across the entire aviation industry makes me incredibly proud and is a lasting legacy that I encounter on a regular basis here at Delta’s headquarters and beyond."
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THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY - WHERE DO YOU SEE IT?
"I’ve been presenting and harping on workforce issues since I started participating in TRB activities in 2012. I see continued challenges with professional career pipelines, be it for pilots, maintenance professionals, or management/administrative professionals as we build awareness of the rewarding opportunities in the aviation field. On the bright side, continued efforts towards diversity, equity, and inclusivity across all industry stakeholders will hopefully work to make sure that our workforce resembles the communities we serve. I’m skeptical of some of the industry hot topics finding success, but I know that there’s not many great answers for fixing/maintaining small community air service, an economical replacement for the 9-70 seat aircraft market, or overcoming some of the regulatory and other inertia that comes with new technology."
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WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FOR OTHER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN AVIATION?
"Since 2019 I’ve navigated three major career changes and three cross-country moves. While significant challenges, I also see them as successes, having been able to take on three very different roles in the aviation industry at three very different times. None of this would have been possible without a robust support network and the mentorship and guidance of a group of dedicated friends and colleagues. My network and my ability to network are my greatest strengths—they’ve kept me in mind for opportunities, kept me grounded, and been there when times were tough. My biggest takeaway is to not just connect, but invest in your network and your people. Get involved, ask questions, volunteer, and learn. TRB was the first conference I attended in my professional career. Thanks to that conference and other opportunities, I find myself 10 years later having worked with inspiring professionals and leaders from industry, academia, and the government sector and have had more once-in-a-lifetime experiences than any one aviation nerd probably should. All of that has been made possible by the people I got to know and by stepping up to dive into something I’m passionate about."
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