In his three decades as an Air Force Major General, Paul D. Nielsen’s combination of technological expertise and leadership ability led him to great heights—specifically, to posts as technology executive officer and commander of the Air Force’s Research Laboratory. After becoming CEO and director of Carnegie Mellon’s Software Engineering Institute in 2004, he focused on using software development as a means of solving aerospace challenges. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics recognized his contributions by naming him recipient of the 2011 Aerospace Software Engineering Award.
—Kristi Ries (HNZ’07)
