The National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State university announces the addition of 40-year advanced materials expert Chris Boshers.

Boshers joins NIAR with 40 years experience in the application of composites and advanced materials in air vehicle structures.  In his new role as technical director and chief engineer of NIAR’s Advanced Technologies Lab for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS), Boshers oversees the development of new materials and fabrication methods for the next generation of military and commercial aerospace vehicles.

“Chris brings decades of advanced materials and manufacturing research experience to our manufacturing innovation center at NIAR,” said Waruna Seneviratne, ATLAS Director and Composites & Structures senior research scientist. ”His expertise will guide us to accelerate insertion of novel materials and agile manufacturing strategies to meet the demand for high-rate manufacturing of advanced structures.”

Boshers previously served as director of materials and specialty engineering at Lockheed Martin, where he provided functional leadership for material and process (M&P) engineers, reliability and maintainability and other specialized engineering functions. Chris also supported research and development activity in the areas of advanced M&P, manufacturing technologies, and model-based engineering research. 

Boshers spent most of his career at Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, KS. As senior director and chief engineer for Spirit AeroSystems Defense division, he led technical development activity during Spirit AeroSystems’ transition from solely commercial manufacturing to becoming a significant defense contractor with over $600 million in annual revenue. His technical leadership activity on V-280, CH-53K and classified defense projects established Spirit as a solid defense aerostructures performer.

Over the course of his engineering career, Boshers has performed in a variety of roles, including stress analysis of composite and metallic structures, development of FAA-approved material property allowables, and development of innovative strength-prediction software tools for aerospace structures.  He has participated in the development of dozens of new aerospace vehicles, including the Lockheed Martin F-22, the Boeing 787, the Airbus A350, and many others.

He holds a B.S. in aerospace engineering from the University of Tennessee and a M.S. in engineering mechanics from Virginia Tech.