Dr. John P. Thomas has collaborated extensively with aviation, automotive, defense, space, oil & gas, nuclear, chemical, medical, and other industries as they adopt STAMP-based approaches like STPA and CAST. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Systems and is now a member of the aeronautics and astronautics department at MIT. His research for the last 15 years has focused on developing STAMP-based techniques, including techniques for hazard analysis, safety-driven design, analyzing human-automation interactions, requirements generation in software-intensive systems, anticipating undesirable feature interactions, and others. He also has a background in CS, EE, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, and Human Factors and spent a number of years in industry working for aerospace, automotive, defense, and consulting organizations.

Bill received his PhD in the Engineering Systems Division at MIT in 2015. His research focuses on applying system-theoretic approaches to improve operational design and mission assurance in cyberspace. He is applying STAMP/STPA in the security domain as a means to facilitate more effective discourse between operations strategists and cyber security experts.

Bill was commissioned in 1991 after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in Engineering Science. He is also a graduate of the US Air Force Weapons School, USAF School of Advanced Air & Space Studies (SAASS), and the Air War College’s Grand Strategy Program. Bill has interned with NASA, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the Air Force CHECKMATE strategy division at the Pentagon. He is a former Dana Meadows Leadership Fellow with the Sustainability Institute and has more than 2,400 flying hours in various aircraft.