MEDIA, Pa. — Jason Reed, president of the Digital Solutions Group and GATES Wilmington at GA Telesis LLC, an aerospace solutions company based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, spoke with Penn State Brandywine students in Programming Language Concepts (CMPSC 461) and Data Structures and Algorithms (CMPSC 465) classes on Nov. 18. Georgios Eleftherakis, associate professor of computer science who teaches these courses, was connected with Reed through Brandywine Advisory Board member Mo Paknejad.
“This invited talk underscored the vital role of computer science in shaping a future where ethical, secure and efficient solutions positively influence both industry and society,” said Eleftherakis.
“I am deeply grateful to Jason Reed for this outstanding presentation to our Penn State Brandywine computer science students, which gave them an exceptional opportunity to see how their ideas and future implementations as professionals will translate into real-world solutions.”
Reed introduced Wilbur, a blockchain-based system designed to revolutionize the aviation industry by creating digital twins of aircraft parts and maintaining immutable lifecycle records. In his role at GA Telesis, Reed leads global digital transformation initiatives, leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, internet of things and cloud solutions to optimize operations and drive innovation.
The session featured in-depth technical discussions on blockchain implementation, its potential applications beyond aviation, regulatory considerations and related technologies like barcoding and computer vision capture. Students also explored real-world challenges in aviation safety compliance and modernization plans for aircraft maintenance systems.
“Blockchain is not just a buzzword — it’s a tool that can fundamentally change how we manage safety and compliance in aviation,” Reed said. “Wilbur is designed to create transparency, prevent fraud and integrate seamlessly with existing systems, paving the way for predictive maintenance and efficiency.”
Students appreciated the opportunity to connect classroom concepts with industry applications.
“It was fascinating to see how blockchain can be applied to something as critical as aviation safety,” said Jonathan Parsons, a fourth-year student who was in the class. “The discussion on digital twins and immutable records really opened my eyes to how this technology can solve real-world problems.”
The event concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, leaving students saying they were inspired about emerging technologies and their role in shaping the future of aviation and beyond.