IMA Panel Lunch
"Lessons Learned Associated with Integrated Modular Avionics Development"
Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Dr. John Rushby is a Program Director in the Computer Science Laboratory of SRI International in Menlo Park California, where he leads a research program in formal methods and dependable systems. His group develops mechanized formal verification systems (the latest is called "PVS"), and applies them to problems in computer security, hardware design, and safety-critical and fault-tolerant systems. PVS is being used in industrial projects applying formal methods and automated verification to aerospace problems in collaboration with Honeywell, JPL, Lockheed Martin, NASA Langley, and Rockwell-Collins. Dr. Rushby originally proposed the concept of Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS) in the early 1980s. The MILS concept was adopted by the NSA and AFRL as microprocessor technology made it a more realistic venture. He has published work that was foundational to the concepts of partitioning used in IMA systems. Additionally, Rushby was a member of the RTCA Special Committee 200 that developed the DO-297 IMA certification standard. He received BSc and PhD degrees in computing science from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Ms. Leanna Rierson of Digital Safety Consulting is an independent consultant specializing in the certification of IMA and software-intensive safety-critical systems. She has nearly 20 years of experience in the software and aviation industry. Rierson spent 9 years as a software and avionics specialist at the Federal Aviation Administration; five of those years were in the position of Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor for Aircraft Computer Software. Rierson has also held engineering positions at NCR and Cessna Aircraft Company. Rierson served in leadership positions on all of the teams that developed the following IMA-related material: TSO-C153, AC 20-145, and RTCA/DO-297. She has been involved in the approval of several real-time operating systems and IMA systems for civil aircraft. Rierson has a master’s degree in software engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Wichita State University. She is also an FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) with authority in both software (DO-178B) and complex electronic hardware (DO-254).

Mr. Randy Walter is an Engineering Fellow with GE Aviation Systems. Graduating from Michigan State University in 1974 with a BS in Electrical Engineering, he started his career with Lear Siegler Instrument Division, which was acquired by Smith Industries Aerospace Division in 1988 and subsequently acquired by GE Aviation in 2007. Walter’s been involved in the design and manufacture of commercial aerospace systems for 34 years, holding several key technical/management positions in the Performance Data, Flight Management and Integrated Modular Avionics product lines. Walter is highly regarded in the aerospace industry having contributed to many industry forums over the years and has authored several publications specific to Flight Management and Integrated Modular Avionics.

Mr. Nick Bloom is a Principal Engineering Manager of Commercial Systems Architectures at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He has over 19 years experience in aerospace system development at Rockwell Collins, with over 12 years experience in IMA and integrated systems design. His experience in IMA systems spans both government and commercial markets, with most recent focus on commercial utilization and certification of IMA systems. Bloom has a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Iowa.