Angus Rupert

Biography

I am a research professor who is working on a variety of ERAU affiliated researcg projects. Following a PhD in neurophysiology from the University of Illinois and MD from the University of Toronto I joined the US Navy in 1985. I served operationally as a Navy flight surgeon in the Azores before joining the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory (NAMRL) in Pensacola Florida. At NAMRL I developed programs to explore vestibular psychophysics and the neurophysiological responses to unusual acceleration experienced by pilots, astronauts and operators of high-performance military platforms. In 1993 I was assigned as a military detailee to NASA Johnson Space Center to develop countermeasures to sensory motor problems faced by astronauts including spatial disorientation and space motion sickness.  While at Johnson Space Center I developed the Tactile Situation Awareness System (TSAS) as a device to reduce the incidence of spatial disorientation mishaps and to enhance the performance of pilots, astronauts and divers. In 2008 as a Navy Captain, I retired from the Navy to join the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory in Ft Rucker where I continued to develop practical multisensory solutions to the problems faced by personnel operating in sensory deprived or altered acceleration environments. I have transitioned my tactile cueing device, originally developed for aerospace environments, to balance rehabilitation technologies for personnel suffering balance dysfunction associated with mild traumatic brain injury. In addition, for the past 18 years I have provided perceptual modeling expertise to all branches of the U.S military and the NTSB in support of aviation mishap investigations. In 2017 the U.S. State Department awarded me the 2016-17 Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Advanced Science and Technology to provide the opportunity to transition the TSAS to Australian aviation assets. In 2020 I accepted a position as Research Professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona where I continues my aviation research activities. 

Education

Memberships and Credentials

Florida license to practice Medicine

FAA Licenses: Single and Multi Engine Land and Sea; CFI, Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic; Senior Parachute Rigger; and UAV pilot 

Awards, Honors and Recognitions

2000: Aviation Week and Space Technology 2000 Laurels Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Electronics

2005: Kent Gillingham Award for Spatial Disorientation, Aerospace Medical Association, Kansas City

2016-17: US State Department Fulbright Award: Distinguished Chair in Advanced Science and Technology, Melbourne, Australia