Overview
Chris Boshers is a 40-year veteran of the aerospace industry, with extensive experience in the application of composites and advanced materials in air vehicle structures.
In his role as technical director and chief engineer of NIAR’s Advanced Technologies Lab for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS), Chris oversees the development of new materials and fabrication methods for the next generation of military and commercial aerospace vehicles.
Chris joins NIAR after previously serving 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.
Chris spent most of his career at Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, KS. As senior director and chief engineer for Spirit AeroSystems Defense division, Chris 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, Chris 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.
Chris holds a B.S. in aerospace engineering from the University of Tennessee and a M.S. in engineering mechanics from Virginia Tech.