In this session, Parimal Kopardekar will be lecturing about Advanced Air Mobility: NASA’s Research and Development Focus. and will include a question-and-answer session.     Parimal Kopardekar, Mission Integration Manager for the Advanced AIr Mobility (AAM) Mission, NASA   Parimal Kopardekar (PK) is the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Mission Integration Manager. His appointment as Mission Integration Manager will allow additional focus of PK’s broad expertise on the AAM mission. And in particular the coordination of ARMD wide activities supporting the AAM mission goal of developing a validated AAM system architecture that defines a safe, certifiable, and scalable AAM system.   

PK also serves as a senior leader and advisor for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate with a keen focus on airspace operations and integration including unmanned aircraft systems, advance air mobility, wildland fire management, autonomy, and future airspace operations. In this capacity, he is responsible for exploring new trends, research areas, collaborations, and partnerships relevant to aeronautics enterprise.     

PK was named among 25 most influential people in drone industry. He serves as the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Aerospace Operations and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics as well as Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He also serves as an adjunct faculty and teaches undergraduate and graduate-level courses related to operations management, supply chain management, and innovation. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy from University of Cincinnati and a Master of Science degree from University at Buffalo in Industrial Engineering, and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from University of Bombay in Production Engineering.