The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University announces the addition of Alexander Peabody, as education and workforce development manager for NIAR’s Advanced Materials Research group.

Peabody’s extensive experience across the public and private sector and his passion for integrating advanced manufacturing capabilities make him the ideal candidate for this new position. In this role he will develop, scale, and promote advanced manufacturing education and training to industry and government partners.

A captain in the U. S. Navy Reserve, Peabody recently completed a three-year mobilization in support of Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), primarily supporting NAVAIR’s Additive Manufacturing (AM) team as senior fleet liaison officer. In addition to working with fleet leadership on AM operations, he managed development of the Naval Aviation School for Additive Manufacturing, AM system networking, exercise coordination with the fleet, and advanced manufacturing technologies. 

In his 31^st year of U. S. Navy service in both active and reserve capacities, Peabody has served as a naval aviator, aerospace maintenance duty officer, director for NAVAIR’s Forward Deployed Combat Repair (aircraft battle damage repair), and officer-in-charge of unmanned aerial vehicle detachments in Afghanistan.

In the civilian sector, he taught for 15 years in upper elementary grades in both traditional city/county schools and public charter academies, and coached school soccer teams.

In this position, he will leverage funding and resources made possible by the Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge through South Kansas' "Driving Adoption: Smart Manufacturing Technology" initiative to develop and implement training programs focused on advanced materials and additive manufacturing.

Peabody has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Mississippi and a master’s degree in education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.