Dr. Suzzane Kearns

Dr. Suzanne Kearns is an aviation academic with a focus on education and improving pilot performance. Her research explores how to optimize the next generation of aviation professionals (NGAP) by analyzing processes to attract people to the field of aviation. An accomplished educator both in the classroom and through electronic courseware, she has taught thousands of aviation professionals worldwide. She is a former airplane and helicopter pilot and is internationally recognized within the aviation industry.

Dr. Kearns is the author or co-author of six books, including the textbook “Fundamentals of International Aviation” which is used around the world in multiple translations. In 2021 she founded the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA), a research institute at the University of Waterloo which she leads as its Director. WISA includes more than 70 faculty members and has a mission to become the world’s leading hub for sustainable aeronautical research, technology, and education.