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Pioneering the future of aerospace AI
David Del Rey Fernández named Pratt & Whitney Canada Industry-Sponsored Research Chair
David Del Rey Fernández named Pratt & Whitney Canada Industry-Sponsored Research Chair
By Melodie Roschman Faculty of MathematicsThe aerospace industry is at a turning point—where artificial intelligence is no longer a concept of the future but a necessity for advancing safety, efficiency and sustainability. To accelerate this transformation, Dr. David Del Rey Fernández has been named as Pratt & Whitney Canada’s new Industry-Sponsored Research Chair in Industrial Artificial Intelligence, reinforcing its commitment to cutting-edge research that will shape the next generation of aircraft propulsion.
As an assistant professor in Applied Mathematics at the University of Waterloo, Del Rey Fernández will lead groundbreaking interdisciplinary research at the intersection of AI, computational mathematics and sustainable aeronautics. His team’s work will focus on developing machine learning-driven simulation techniques that will revolutionize the way we design, test and optimize gas turbine engines.
“It is an incredible honour to be named the P&WC Chair in Industrial AI,” says Del Rey Fernández. “The work that will be accomplished during this chair has the potential to revolutionize the design and safety of next generation gas turbine engines and will provide a template on how to enhance simulation techniques with machine learning as well as use machine learning to accelerate simulation workflows.”
The new research chair was recognized at a celebration that brought together representatives from Pratt & Whitney Canada, the Faculty of Mathematics and partner institutes across campus. “We are here today because of the vital and continuing relationship between academia and industry in mutually driving innovation,” said Dr. Mark Giesbrecht, dean of the Faculty of Mathematics. “This partnership is only the most recent achievement in the University of Waterloo’s long legacy of interdisciplinary research, co-operative education and collaboration with industry.”
The chair will provide the financial backing to develop a long-term research group aimed at developing machine learning-based algorithms and approaches for aviation simulation algorithms. In addition, Pratt & Whitney Canada will be an active participant in the development of these algorithms, and graduate students will have the opportunity to work directly with Pratt & Whitney Canada research scientists as well as with Pratt & Whitney Canada data.
“Over the past decade, Pratt & Whitney Canada has invested significantly in research and academic collaborations, recognizing that they are essential to the future of aerospace,” said Charles Litalien, executive director of engineering design and research at Pratt & Whitney Canada. “By partnering with leading academic institutions like the University of Waterloo, we are shaping the next era of intelligent aviation—one where sustainability, efficiency and safety take centre stage.”
In addition to his work in the Department of Applied Mathematics, Del Rey Fernández is an associate director of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA), a research cluster lead (modelling) at the Future Cities Institute (FCI) and a graduate officer of Computational Mathematics.
“David’s expertise in numerical methods and infrastructure modelling is invaluable to the Future Cities Institute,” says director Dr. Leia Minaker. “His commitment to innovation and collaboration across disciplines and sectors supports FCI’s mission to build healthy, prosperous cities, and we are proud to have him as a key member of our team.”
Del Rey Fernández is also part of the Data & Artificial Intelligence Institute (Waterloo.AI), which is dedicated to advancing AI-driven solutions across industries through interdisciplinary collaboration. “Del Rey Fernández’s research is at the forefront of Industrial AI, demonstrating how artificial intelligence can revolutionize manufacturing, predictive maintenance, and intelligent automation,” says Dr. Jimmy Lin, professor of Computer Science and co-director of Waterloo.AI. “This appointment underscores the importance of bridging academic research with real-world industry challenges.”
Del Rey Fernández notes that, while he has been named the Research Chair, this work is a group effort. “There are many people that deserve recognition – many more than I can name here – for their unwavering support of this research chair,” he says. He particularly expressed his gratitude to the partners at Pratt & Whitney Canada, Stephanie Whitney and support staff from Math Innovation, Dr. Suzanne Kearns (director of WISA), and Dr. Hans De Sterck (chair of the Department of Applied Mathematics).
“The areas of artificial intelligence, data-driven mathematical modelling, and machine learning, with broad applications in science, medicine and technology, are now among the main focus areas of research and education in Waterloo’s Department of Applied Mathematics,” says De Sterck. “David’s new research chair aligns perfectly with these forward-looking directions, recognizing his pioneering research accomplishments and reflecting the broad strength of the department as a research leader in AI for Science and Engineering. We are all extremely proud of David being named the Pratt & Whitney Canada Chair in Industrial Artificial Intelligence.”
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The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.
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