Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) announced Doctor Katrina Avers of Minco, Oklahoma (Class of 2003) as one of the honorees for the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. This recognition highlights her significant contributions to aviation safety and human factors research.
Katrina Avers serves as the Manager of AAM-510 in the Flight Deck Human Factors Rearch Lab for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In this role, she led the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute’s (CAMI) Safe Operations in Aerospace Research (SOAR) Labs, a renowned group of nine research labs focused on human performance and safety in aviation. Her expertise in new and evolving technologies has been pivotal in enhancing airspace systems’ safety and efficiency.
Dr. Avers’s work earned her invitations to present at hundreds of national and international events. Notably, she was the youngest FAA flight deck research manager in the agency’s over half-century history. She facilitated partnerships with universities and manufacturers worldwide, positioning Oklahoma as a leader in collaborative aviation research. Avers spearheaded the development of unique research simulators for various flight operations, enabling timely and adaptive research with cutting-edge technologies.
Under her leadership, SOAR Labs became the first in the world to successfully integrate gaze control, touch control, voice control, and gesture control in a flight simulator. Her focus on innovation, cultivated during her early research career at SWOSU’s Psychology Department, has driven significant advancements in aviation safety.
Outside of aviation, Dr. Avers is a dedicated advocate for Oklahoma excellence, leading multiple executive boards in agriculture, education, and business, including Black & Gold Beef Company, Minco Education Foundation, and True Sky Credit Union. She founded Blackjack Legacy, an Oklahoma Community Excellence program. Avers holds a PhD and Master’s in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma, and has received numerous national aviation awards, including "Outstanding Leadership", "Outstanding Innovator", "Outstanding Team", and "People are Our Strength". She is also an Oklahoma Top 40 Under 40 Achievement winner.
Dr. Avers’ remarkable achievements and leadership have significantly advanced SWOSU’s aerospace and defense workforce development initiatives and training programs. The FAA and Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center are proud to celebrate her induction into the 2024 SWOSU Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.
