Liberty’s School of Aeronautics celebrates first Ph.D. in Aviation graduate

Less than two years after earning his M.S. in Aeronautics Aviation Education through Liberty University Online Programs, Dr. Tom Meyer became Liberty’s first Ph.D. in Aviation graduate, defending his dissertation on July 25, his 70th birthday.

Meyer’s journey exemplifies dedication, resilience, and a profound commitment to advancing knowledge in both aviation and engineering.

“When I looked at the timeline for my dissertation, that was extremely problematic in being able to get all that data collected and analyzed, but I believe in miracles,” Meyer said, noting that the process is not for the faint of heart. “Unless you’re insanely committed to getting a Ph.D., you’re not going to make it, and it’s got to be a family commitment. I had a lot of people help get me through this. Somebody was carrying me, either the Lord or a guardian angel.”

He thanks his wife, Carol, for her support and likened the team around him to that of a NASCAR pit crew: “Without a good crew, you can be the best driver in the world, but you’re not going to finish the race. A tribe believes that it takes a village to raise a child. My village included academics and practitioners who raised me to become a Ph.D.”

He said launching the Ph.D. in Aviation in such a short timeframe, in January 2023, was a major accomplishment for Liberty, which had introduced the Master in Aeronautics program three years earlier with cognates in education, leadership, safety, and a general track.

“Liberty University is excited to be one of the few programs in the country that offers a doctoral-level aviation education,” said Steven Brinly, interim dean of the School of Aeronautics. “Dr. Tom Meyer and others who will follow exemplify how the School of Aeronautics accomplishes its mission of equipping, mentoring, and sending Champions for Christ into the aerospace community. Our Ph.D. in Aviation graduates have a unique opportunity to support the industry’s research, education, and leadership needs from a biblical worldview.”

Associate Dean and Graduate Program Director Julie Speakes, who along with Online Graduate Chair Dr. Andrea Smith served as Meyer’s dissertation chairs, highlighted the unique value of the program.

“Tom is one of several students who transitioned from the M.S. into the Ph.D.,” she said. “There are only a handful of aviation doctorate programs in the nation, and we are grateful for the opportunity to help students further their educational goals.”

Meyer, who earned undergraduate degrees in aviation and engineering from Ohio State University in 1978, traveled from his home in New Braunfels, Texas, to visit Liberty’s campus for the first time in April. While here, he was a special speaker during Research Week and participated on a forum for Aviation Safety Week. Both talks were based on his dissertation about airline pilot trust in artificial intelligence.

For his dissertation, he utilized a System Trustworthiness Scale originally developed for military pilots. There is growing interest among researchers exploring the application of STS in the civilian aviation sector.

A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Meyer’s distinguished post-military career includes significant contributions to engineering and education. He co-authored Kuwait’s building code and was a member of a team that wrote India’s unified plumbing code. He has also consulted and lectured globally and is a member of the London-based Royal Aeronautics Society, supporting its Journal of Aeronautical History.

Meyer plans to return to Liberty in May for Commencement, when his Ph.D. will be conferred over the same weekend that his son, John, who began his doctoral path the same day he did, receives his Doctor of Business Administration.