MAE 2010 Volume: 5 Issue: 9 (November)
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NEIL BARNAS
Captain (O-3), U.S. Air Force
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Office
PSU Graduate
For the last two years, Neil Barnas has juggled course work in a rigorous online master’s degree program at Penn State with his even more challenging role as a U.S. Air Force captain and flight commander. Barnas leads a team of 50 military and civilian engineers working with electronic warfare threat data files for the B-1, B-2, F-16 and F-22 in the 36th Electronic Warfare Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
Just as he was about to graduate last August, Barnas was also involved in preparations for a new Air Force assignment at the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Office in Arlington, Va., a Department of Defense unit involved with aircraft weapon systems for the U.S. military and its allies. Although he had to miss his graduation ceremony, he had the distinction of being one of the first 27 working professionals from around the nation to complete Penn State’s new Master of Engineering in systems engineering program.
It was worth the investment of his time and effort, Barnas, 31, believes, because “systems engineering is a hot topic in the Air Force, and it’s a discipline that has always made a lot of sense to me. The Penn State systems engineering master’s program was the perfect avenue to fulfill my own interests and to help the USAF improve its acquisition processes.”
The program, offered by Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies and delivered entirely online through the University’s World Campus, focuses on a holistic approach to managing complex engineering projects. Systems engineering was first developed in the aerospace industry and the military and now is being adapted by other industries.
“It’s working professionals like Neil Barnas that Penn State is trying to reach with online education programs,” said Wayne Smutz, Ph.D., executive director of World Campus and associate vice president for Academic Outreach. “Adult learners need accessible education options to keep their knowledge base fresh and their skills updated.”
That’s what Penn State Great Valley’s engineering faculty had in mind when they developed the systems engineering program for online delivery two years ago, said James A. Nemes, D.Sc., division head and professor of mechanical engineering at Penn State Great Valley.
Systems engineering is a holistic approach to managing complex engineering projects that was first developed in the aerospace industry and the military, but is being adapted by other industries. Courses emphasize the identification, modeling, analysis, architecture, integration and management of complex systems and processes.
Commissioned a second lieutenant in 2003, Barnas knows that continuing his education is important for advancement in his Air Force career. “As a military officer and acquisition professional, this degree will help me and the USAF develop and field aircraft, weapons and systems that meet the warfighter’s needs on-time and on-schedule,” he said. “The complexity of these weapons systems seems to grow exponentially. Managing that complexity is perhaps the greatest challenge we face. This degree has provided me the tools and experience I need to meet that challenge.”
Barnas is making use of these tools in his current assignment with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Office. “I am extremely excited to be involved in this program,” he said, “because the F-35 will be the backbone of nation’s fighter force for the next 30 years.”
When he’s not working on the F-35 program, Barnas is a devoted husband and father to his wife Tammera and daughter Ariella.
His advice for servicemembers is to continue their education and training, either by choosing an online degree program like he did or by selecting an on-campus program. “It’s important to keep learning and improving,” he said. “I really wanted a quality education that would make a difference in my career. Penn State really sets itself apart in that regard.” ♦