Vivek Sharma

Dr. Vivek Sharma is an Assistant Professor and Online Program Chair in the College of Aeronautics at Florida Institute of Technology. He holds a Ph.D. in Aviation Sciences with a focus on Human Factors and Safety. His expertise spans aviation safety, human factors in advanced air mobility (AAM), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and user experience (UX) research. Dr. Sharma advises on FAA initiatives, leads data analysis projects, and promotes drone safety through his role in the FAA’s Safety Team. His recent work includes studies on BVLOS drone operations, urban air mobility, and pilot personality dynamics.

Education: Ph.D. in Aviation Sciences (concentration: Human Factors and Safety).

Research Interests: Dr. Sharma’s work explores aviation safety through interdisciplinary lenses, including data-driven analyses of flight instructor behaviors, wildlife strike patterns, and passenger acceptance of emerging technologies like AI-piloted aircraft. He also examines the intersection of cybersecurity and aviation training, aiming to bridge diversity gaps in tech fields.

Publications: His recent articles focus on AAM system design, wildlife-aircraft collision mitigation, and public perception of autonomous flight. Notable trends include a growing emphasis on AI applications in aviation and UX challenges in human-agent teams.

Advising & Grants: Serves as thesis committee chair and member, and collaborates with the FAA’s PEGASAS Center of Excellence and ATLAS Lab on funded research projects.

Labs/Teams: Active in the ATLAS Lab and FAA’s PEGASAS Center, focusing on data analytics and safety innovation in aviation systems.