New lecturers expand center’s expertise
Students enrolled in aviation courses this autumn at The Ohio State University may just get a different perspective on air transportation topics: three new lecturers with broad backgrounds have joined the Center for Aviation Studies.
“As the industry evolves, it’s important to add new voices to the team, in order to prepare our students to enter the workforce,” said Brian Strzempkowski, interim director.
Lecturers Adam Gerhardt, Greg Kociba and Alex Serrano join an experienced team of faculty and lecturers teaching undergraduate courses. The center, which is based in the College of Engineering, primarily provides instruction to students enrolled in three aviation-related majors across the university: air transportation (College of Arts & Sciences), aviation (College of Engineering) and aviation management (Fisher College of Business).
Adam Gerhardt joins the center from the government side of the aviation field. His experience includes working as a human factors analyst, airline pilot, flight instructor and, most recently, senior aviation accident investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). As an adjunct lecturer, he is teaching AVN 3400 Aviation Accident Investigation this semester.
“The world of accident investigation is incredibly specialized and niche, but despite this, the aviation industry as a whole is affected by the work that happens in this small field,” said Gerhardt. “I am looking forward to sharing real-world best practices and investigative techniques with OSU students not only in the classroom, but also at the OSU Crash Lab with real aircraft wreckage.”
With over 30 years of aviation experience, alumnus Greg Kociba aims to share a range of knowledge in his classes. His most recent position was charter department director at NetJets/EJM, and his background also includes ground operations, ground support and flight operations. Kociba’s classes are AVN 2000 Introduction to the Aviation Industry, AVN 3000 Aviation Management and Marketing and AVN 4500 Aviation Capstone, along with co-teaching AVN 4200 Aircraft Dispatch Fundamentals.
“I think a good leader is always a good teacher,” shared Kociba. “They guide their team on the correct path, but still expect them to make and learn from mistakes. I am excited to bring this same approach to the classroom and mix it with some corporate aviation experiences. It will be fun to introduce a new topic to a student, but it will be more memorable for them if I can attach some real events to that same topic.”
On lecturer Alex Serrano’s list of classes are AVN 2100 Private Pilot Fundamentals, AVN 3100 Instrument Flight Fundamentals and AVN 4100 Commercial Flight Fundamentals. He joins the team from FlightSafety International, where he worked as a flight instructor in the Global 6000 aircraft program. His experience also includes being a contract pilot and airline captain.
“Growing up in Columbus and graduating from Ohio State gave me a great foundation to launch my career as a commercial pilot,” Serrano commented. “Having the chance to come back home to OSU and share my experiences as a professional pilot is a wonderful opportunity. I hope that I can help my students as they begin their own aviation journeys.”
Strzempkowski is grateful for the expertise and unique knowledge that the new hires bring. “We are excited to have them join the team,” he said. “Each comes from a different background and brings real-life experiences into the classroom.”
Students interested in learning about class offerings may visit https://aviation.osu.edu/students/current-students/course-schedule for more information.
by Holly Henley, communications specialist
