Hans-Joachim K. Ruff-Stahl

My research interest in human factors and safety has been instigated as a fighter pilot. Over the past two and a half decades, my scientific curiosity has evolved via safety science and system safety management to human behavior and management in complex systems such as strategy and politics. I have flown MiG-29 Fulcrum, F-4 F Phantom II, and T-38 Talon fighter jets, for many years as instructor pilot and Fighter Weapons School graduate. Other than that, I am a rated airline transport pilot, flight engineer, and have been involved in major aviation research projects. Among them were the integration of large Unmanned Aircraft Systems into the airspace system and the European Community’s FLYSEC project, aiming to develop an innovative airport security process for passengers, airports, and airlines. During my military career, I served as director of operations at NATO’s Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training in Texas, as a squadron commander, and vice wing commander. My education includes a Master of Science in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle and a Master of Strategic Studies from the USAF Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama. Besides that I have two Ph.D.’s, one in Cultural and Political Sciences from Humboldt University of Berlin and a second in Media and Communications from the European Graduate School. Besides teaching as adjunct associate professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, I served as doctoral dissertation supervisor at City University of London and supervised master’s theses and lectured at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences.