Katherine Wood is an associate professor of Aerospace Engineering and Business at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus. She came to teach at her alma mater in 2021, following a successful 30-year career in the aerospace industry.
Before joining Embry-Riddle, Dr. Wood served as Director of Nacelle System Product Development for Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies company. During her tenure there, she was responsible for all aspects of nacelle development and production for the Dassault Falcon 6X, the Embraer E190-E2, E195-E2, and E175-E2, and the Boeing 787-9 aircraft platforms, with an average program P&L of $100 million.
Prior to these roles, Wood served for ten years as Director of Engineering and Information Technology at Goodrich Aerostructures, a division of the legacy company Goodrich Aerospace, which was later absorbed by United Technologies. Her tenure at Goodrich commenced in 1996 with Goodrich Landing Gear, where she undertook various engineering and technology roles. Before joining Goodrich, Wood began her career at Allied Signal Aerospace, holding Test, Material Review Board, and Field Support Engineer positions.
Wood was known across the industry for her leadership, particularly for taking over programs that had performance and supplier/customer relationship issues. Throughout her time in the industry, she was an integral part of defining and implementing business processes and technology changes aimed at improving schedule and financial performance.
Wood attributes much of her success in the industry to the education she received at Embry-Riddle. “Coming back to teach was a way to give back to the university that did so much to kick start my career,” she said.
Wood earned her B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering and M.S. in Engineering Management from Embry-Riddle, and then completed her Ph.D. in Business Administration at Trident University in California.
Before joining the Embry-Riddle faculty, Wood engaged with faculty, students, and staff at the Prescott Campus in her role as an alum and university partner. Her return, she said, has been very much a “homecoming.” Having mentored recent graduates, Wood also saw teaching as an opportunity to close gaps in undergraduate engineering education.
Her teaching philosophy is informed by her long and successful career in the aerospace industry, and she aims for her students to make connections between theory and real-world applications.
Besides her recognized leadership skills, Woods brings a blend of viewpoints — alumna, faculty member, and industry partner — to her new role.