Dr. Derek G. Spear completed his MS in Aerospace Engineering at the North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC, and his MS in Aviation Systems at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN. He obtained his PhD in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH. He has assumed various roles as executive officer/instructor pilot, flight commander/program manager, test pilot, helicopter flight commander, flight safety officer, director of operations, and commander. He has received many awards, honors, and decorations for his services. He has published white papers and presented his research work at international conferences. Dr. Anthony N. Palazotto is a Distinguished Professor, Aerospace Engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology. He has over 50 years of experience in administration, research, and education within an Engineering College. He supervised and administered faculty within a departmental division. He developed research efforts and course offerings in composite materials, wave mechanics, elasticity, shells, fracture mechanics, and finite element techniques. He is highly involved in technical society activity as chairperson and founder of various committees. He was the author of over 700 presentations and publications, 271 are archival.
