Students & Alumni

Lissa Chetty

My name is Lissa Chetty and I currently work at Rockwell Collins Headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I was a student at ERAU for my undergraduate degree and decided to complete the graduate program as a means of completing my education well-rounded in aviation. I became interested in the program after my mentor/counselor Jim Messerschmitt told me about the Safety Science graduate program.

I was reluctant at first because I was not sure what direction I wanted to follow for my career. After 9/11 I found myself 1 semester before stepping forth into the aviation industry and the job market being what it was at the time, I decided the best thing for me was to continue my education. So I applied to the program in its 2nd year, was accepted and started the fall semester of 2002. As I completed semester after semester I grew closer to the faculty and staff as well other students who were as well passionate about aviation as much as I was, and felt a real sense of belonging. That was a big factor that made me stay and complete the program semester after semester.

The staff had a very diverse background ranging from aviation security/safety, industrial safety, occupational safety and health as well as military aviation experience. That made the program more adaptable for students to focus on exactly what aspect of safety they were interested in based on the various classes offered. After graduating in the spring of 2005 I immediately went to go work for Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I have been with the company ever since and it will be 3 years this year. For the most part the experiences I gained from Embry-Riddle did help me to excel and learn more than I was expecting to out side my field of aviation.

Heather Haug

My name is Heather Haug. I graduated from ERAU in 2004 with a B.S.A.S. After completing this degree I chose to continue my education with the Master of Science in Safety Science (M.S.S.S.). I graduated with my Masters in Safety in 2005, both degrees from the Prescott, Arizona campus.

I chose the M.S.S.S. program because I wanted to enhance my knowledge in the safety field, with the end goal of becoming an aircraft accident investigator. I am also highly intrigued with all safety applications that apply to both aviation and current industries.

Currently I am employed at Pratt and Whitney in East Hartford CT. I work in the Safety Assurance and Awareness Program as an Engineer. My job has me traveling all over the world to both Foreign Military Bases as well as the United States Air Force/Navy Bases teaching Maintenance and Safety critical topics to engine maintainers. The engine that I work with powers both the F-15 and F-16 fighters.

I am a firm believer that my education at ERAU, specifically the M.S.S.S. degree has provided me an opportunity to get ahead in the corporate world. Thanks to the dedication of my professors I have been able to adjust and enter into a fast paced engineering company and become successful. I am so glad that I chose Embry-Riddle because I feel that my education granted me the needed skills to perform my duties with great strides. I strongly encourage you to take the journey of becoming an ERAU Alum and see for your self how great a world-class education can prepare you for a lifetime of success!

Erich S.

My name is Erich S. and I am a 08’ senior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. I am about to graduate with my BS in Professional Aeronautics with minors in aviation safety and aviation weather. Originally, I am from Encinitas, California, which is a little beach town blended in amongst northern county of San Diego. Throughout my time in Prescott I have begun integrating myself into both a successful college student and a professional entity. I have taught a course on campus pertaining to college adaptation and study techniques as well as integrated myself into the community rock-climbing, mountain biking, and kayaking. I guess you could say I am in the middle of both the college world and professional world.

I picked the Masters of Science in Safety Sciences (MSSS) program at Embry-Riddle because throughout my classes I began to find a trend relating to safety and its preservation. After looking at several different options I decided that I really enjoyed the safety program laid out here at Embry-Riddle. The faculty and students are really quite passionate about each subject and different area of safety that they are interested in. No matter what area of safety you want to absorb into, you could be sure it would be addressed in your courses and honed to perfection. Even though the safety program is located on an aeronautical university, it does not mean that aviation would be the only option. I would be able to either take an occupational concentration or an aviation safety concentration, which greatly appealed to me. As well, working in aircraft crash laboratory would be a unique experience only to Embry-Riddle.

I expect this program to greatly help me in my search and education in aviation safety. I imagine I am like many students right now; not quite knowing what area to concentrate on, but simply knowing safety is paramount and a field of great interest. Even though I haven’t started the program I have been working with the staff and faculty in the MSSS program developing my thesis/GRP and have already setup an internship with US Airways Inc. working in their safety department for the summer. Needless to say that already I have been both very impressed and very enthusiastic with the Embry-Riddle MSSS program here.