Russell Tokarski

Title
Adjunct Faculty, College of Aviation
Email
Department
Department of Aeronautics
College
College of Aviation

Dr. Russ Tokarski is an adjunct professor in the College of Aeronautics. Dr. Tokarski holds a Ph.D. in Aviation Science and an M.S. in Aviation Human Factors from Florida Institute of Technology. He worked as an aircraft maintenance technician in the U.S. Army and for Textron Aviation before moving to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to work in human factors with airway systems technicians and air traffic controllers. 

Dr. Tokarski specializes in aviation maintenance, human factors and safety culture, specifically, how an organization's culture of safety relates to errors committed in maintenance.  He had the unique opportunity to apply his research findings while in the position of aircraft maintenance manager at Textron Aviation's Citation Service Center in Orlando, FL. The focal point of his tenure was to prioritize safety and quality of work, in turn building a customer base that trusted the facility to perform all their maintenance needs, ensuring the financial growth of the facility. 

With the FAA, Dr Tokarski has worked with the Air Traffic Organization's Safety Culture and Human Performance teams, aligning organizational priorities with the goal of a more positive safety culture and reduced safety events. He is currently developing a safety culture assessment tool and dashboard based on the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) safety culture model. This project will include a workforce perception survey, identification of key performance indicators of safety culture, a dashboard for executive management, and a dashboard for operational managers to understand the state of their safety culture and how to influence it positively. 

As a graduate student assistant at the Florida Institute of Technology, Dr. Tokarski published two research papers on trust theory, one on the public trust of airline pilots perceived to be hostile to other crew members and the other pertaining to the public trust of the use of drones by law enforcement and fire departments. He was also a member of the Florida Institute of Technology's Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility, and Sustainability (PEGASAS) research team, working on two projects. Project 20 General Aviation Runway Incursions identified and classified general aviation runway incursions using the ASIAS database. Project 30, Scenario-Based Training for Rotorcraft, looked at the effectiveness of scenario-based training for rotorcraft pilot proficiency. 

In addition to his academic and career achievements, Dr. Tokarski is also a private pilot with a tailwheel, complex and high-performance endorsements. He is also a certified A&P technician with Inspection Authorization and continues to maintain, own and operate vintage aircraft. 

  • Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy in Aviation Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology
  • M.S. - Master of Science in Human Factors in Aeronautics, Florida Institute of Technology
  • B.S. - Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics: Management and Aviation Safety, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • Private Pilot - Federal Aviation Administration
  • Mechanic - Federal Aviation Administration
  • AMNT 260: Aircraft Electrical Sys Theory
  • AMNT 271: Airframe Systems & Application
  • AMNT 280: Reciprocating Engine Thry& App