Dr. Kristy Kiernan is the Associate Director for the Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She holds an academic appointment as an Associate Professor, teaching in the Master of Science in Aviation Safety program. A former Coast Guard aviator, Dr. Kiernan was an aviation safety officer, crew resource management instructor, and chief pilot for technical issues in the Falcon 20. Her current research investigates the positive contribution of human performance to aviation safety. She is an expert contributor to Forbes.com in aerospace and defense and serves as the curator of the World Economic Forum Drone Transformation Map. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from Brown University, a Ph.D. in Aviation from Embry-Riddle, an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with a Falcon type rating, and a Remote Pilot Certificate. Until recently, she was also an actively flying commercial pilot in the SR-22 and TBM 850.