We are delighted to invite alumni to join us in celebrating this year's Aerosapce Alumni Awards held in partnership with the Cranfield College of Aeronautics Alumni Association (CCAAA), the awards allow us to highlight and commemorate the excellent achievements, innovative thinking, and global impact of Cranfield alumni in the aerospace sector. Two awards will be presented in this ceremony, the Excellence in Achievement Award and the Distinguished Alumnus award followed by a short lecture and Q & A session with the Distinguished award winner.
14.00 Welcome
14.05 Presentation of the Excellence in achievement award
14.10 Acceptance of the Excellence in achievement award
14.20 Presentation of the Distinguished alumnus award
14.25 Acceptance of the Distinguished alumnus award
14.35 Distinguished alumnus lecture
15.05 Q & A session
15.25 Close
Programme & speakers
Your 2022 Aerospace alumni award winners:
Excellence in Achievement Award for Recent Aerospace Graduates: Ziad Jreijiri (MSc Aerospace Vehicle Design 2015) Co-founder and CEO, Oreyeon LDA
Ziad Jreijiri is the Co-founder and CEO of Oreyeon LDA, a start-up developing solutions to enable the aerospace industry to optimize its security using artificial intelligence. Ziad completed his bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering in 2014 at the University of Balamand in El-Koura, Lebanon before attending Cranfield University to complete his MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design degree in 2015. Ziad has also completed an Immersive Entrepreneurship Program at Draper University in 2019.
Ziad returned to the University of Balamand as a lecturer, delivering modules covering Aerodynamics, Aircraft Structures, Aeroplane Systems, Materials, Hardware, and Maintenance Practices, as well as visiting the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi in Vietnam, delivering modules on Aeronautics as a joint project between Airbus and Vietnam Airlines.
Prior to this, Ziad joined a young start-up company working on EVTOL UAVs (fixed wing) and discovered his passion for aviation and entrepreneurship. Ziad found enjoyment in fast-moving environments and wondered why the aviation industry was slow to adopt deep technology solutions. To address this gap in the market, he co-founded Oreyeon in 2019 which has continued to grow over the years to a team of almost 40 people with Tier 1 customers worldwide.
Distinguished Aerospace alumni award winner: Scott McLarty FRAeS MCIPD Senior Vice President Airbus & Business Jet Programs, Spirit AeroSystems
Scott McLarty is the Senior Vice President of Airbus & Business Jet Programs at Spirit AeroSystems, which is one of the world’s largest designers and manufacturers of aerostructures for commercial aircraft, defence platforms, and business/regional jets. Headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA, Spirit employs over 16,000 people in skilled and professional positions across 10 global locations, including over 4,100 in the UK.
Scott holds a PPL (H) private pilot license and is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel Development (FCIPD) and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS).
Scott is influential within the industry and its supporting bodies through various roles he holds including as a Board Member of the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP), serving as Vice Chair of the Scottish Government’s Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board, and as a Global Scot mentor for Small to Medium Enterprises.
Over his 30-year career in Aerospace, Scott has held various leadership roles across Operations, Project Management, Supply Chain, Quality, Business Improvement, Strategy, and HR. He has worked with many customers on development and recurring programs, including Boeing, Airbus, Hawker and BAE Regional Aircraft, and military programs such as the Harrier and Hawk at BAE military sites.