Yi Gao, Ph.D.

Yi Gao is the first director of the School of Aeronautics at Kent State University's College of Aeronautics and Engineering. An internationally recognized scholar and academic leader, Dr. Gao brings extensive experience in aviation education, research, and industry engagement.

Dr. Gao joins Kent State from Purdue University, where he served as an associate professor with tenure in the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. He chaired the Graduate Education Committee and served as an elected university senator. Previously, he held senior academic leadership roles at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, directing aviation programs and overseeing accreditation and curriculum development.

Dr. Gao has secured more than $2.5 million in competitive external funding, primarily through the Airport Cooperative Research Program of the National Academies. His research addresses airport congestion pricing, air cargo planning, loyalty programs, and airport economics, with publications in leading journals including the Journal of Air Transport Management and Transportation Research Record.

He serves on Transportation Research Board committees focused on airport operations and ground access and was elected to the board of trustees of the University Aviation Association. He has also led global industry initiatives, including launching Purdue's partnership with the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading Foundation.

As director, Dr. Gao envisions the School of Aeronautics as a student-centered, nationally distinctive leader in aviation education, research, and engagement that prepares graduates to lead and shape the future of aviation.