Acknowledgements
Books such as this are the products of contributions by many people, not just the authors’ musings. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES FOR HUMANITY (Nichols R. K., & et al. 2024) has benefited from the review of numerous experts in the field, who generously gave their time and expertise. In addition to our subject matter experts, this book was reviewed by sources in the two federal agencies who must remain anonymous and by export / procedural / security /OVRP /ADA committees at KSU. Their contributions were constructive in not releasing protected information, CLASSIFIED, or “DEEMED EXPORTABLE” categories. We will name only a few and miss some special friends whose contributions were noteworthy. For this, we sincerely apologize in advance and beg their forgiveness.
There are many people we would like to shout out a special thank you for your guidance, continued support and experience from Kansas State University / Kansas State University Aerospace and Technology Campus (AT), Salina, Kansas: Dr. Richard Linton, KSU President; Dr. Debbie Mercer, Interim Provost, Dr. Richard Myers, retired President KSU; Dr. Kurt C. Barnhart, prior Associate Dean of Research and Executive Director of the UAS Research Laboratory KSU-AT; Dr. Alysia Starkey, Dean & CEO of KSU-AT; Dr. Brad Woods, current RSO, Crag Hager, current FSO, Dr. Terri Gaeddert, Associate Dean for Academics & Success (AT); Professor Troy Harding, Director of Academics, School of Integrated Studies (SIS) KSU-AT; Dr. Donald V. Bergen, prior Director of Graduate Studies KSU-AT; Fred Guzek, Professor and current Director of Graduate Studies KSU-AT; Dr. Kurt Caraway, Executive Director UAS, Dr. Lisa Shappee, Director, KSU-AT Research and Library; Dr. Carolyn S. Jackson and Dr. Emily Finch at New Prairie Press and Pressbooks, Joel Anderson, KSU OVPR and Research Director; Randall Mai, Research Technologist for KSU, a Dragon convert with years of experience in the UAS field operations; Dr. Haley Larson, KSU expert in agriculture and cattle feeding and science. Dr. Michael Oetken is an in-house expert in virtual reality, extended reality, and robotics.
We had some wonderful outside SMEs to bounce ideas off and get our heads straight. They include Dr. Donald Rebovich, Professor Emeritus and SME in Fraud and Identity Theft, Utica College; Professor of Practice and Cybersecurity Director, Joe Giordano, Utica College; Professor Harold B. Massey, Executive Director of UAS Drone Port, UAS Pilot; Dr. Amit K Maitra, Chairman and Founder of Borders and Beyond, Inc.; Dr. Jeff Bardin, President of Treadstone 71, a superior intelligence firm; Richard Lescalleet, CEO HySol Aeronautics; Dr. Julie J.C.H. Ryan, SME in Intelligence and INFOSEC plus current Wildcat author; and Dr. Dan J. Ryan, experienced SME / lawyer in intelligence, cryptography, and global defenses and Dr. Siny Joseph KSU-AT Professor of economics and policy.
We thank Dr. Manual Eichelberger for his brilliant solutions to spoofing attacks on GPS and aircraft signals in his textbook Robust Global Localization Using GPS and Aircraft Signals. (Eichelberger, 2019)
No one could be prouder of the textbooks my KSU Wildcat team produced between 2018-2024. They are: Cyber Human Systems , Space Technologies, and Threats (Nichols, et.al, 2023);Space Systems: Emerging Technologies and Operations (Nichols & Carter, 2022); DRONE DELIVERY OF CBNRECy – DEW WEAPONS, Emerging Threats of Mini-Weapons of Mass Destruction and Disruption (WMDD); (Nichols & Sincavage, DRONE DELIVERY OF CBNRECy – DEW WEAPONS, Emerging Threats of Mini-Weapons of Mass Destruction and Disruption (WMDD), 2022) Disruptive Technologies with Applications in Airline, Marine, and Defense Industries; (Nichols & Sincavage, Disruptive Technologies with Applications in Airline, Marine, and Defense Industries, 2021); Unmanned Vehicle Systems & Operations on Air, Sea & Land; (Nichols & Ryan, Unmanned Vehicle Systems & Operations on Air, Sea & Land, 2020) Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technologies & Operations (Nichols & Mumm, 2020); Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the Cyber Domain, 2nd Edition (Nichols & Mumm, Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the Cyber Domain, 2nd Edition., 2019); and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the Cyber Domain (Nichols & et.al, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the Cyber Domain., 2018).
We were fortunate to have Dr. Suzanne M. Sincavage and Trevor Muehlfelder build our beautiful cover art. We are thankful for contributions from Dr. Patricia E. Ackerman, one of the most respected faculty members at KSU. We have two new coauthors. Rajesh Murthy is an expert on mobile internet structure and IoT. He performed a yeoman’s job on two chapters. The new writer-on-the-block, Brent Knaple, serves as Special Envoy and Advisor to the Diplomatic Mission Peace And Prosperity Trust. There, he works in the UNODC and UN Civil Society Unit. His story about organically feeding the world and how it might be accomplished must be heard.
We are Honored to have engaged Lt. Col (Ret) Jonathan Snowden, U.S.A.F. FSO & OCISO, wrote our foreword. Lt. Col. Snowden has years of experience understanding our priorities and hopes for the future in Space and Humanity and has been a wonderful friend to the KSU Wildcat author team for over eight years.
Senior Professor Randall K. Nichols is Managing Editor/author/coauthor with his Wildcat Team of fourteen textbooks and developer of six master’s and Certificate programs in Cybersecurity, Intelligence, Forensics, Aerospace Cyber Operations, and UAS/CUAS/UUV/Space at Utica College and Kansas State University. In 2024, Nichols was promoted to Senior Professor of Practice at KSU and given full graduate faculty status. In 2023, he was promoted to direct the new GC Space Systems Operations GC program and the Aerospace Cyber Operations GC program. He has five decades of management and technical experience in multiple disciplines and has trained ~11,000 resources to protect the United States from terrorism.
Mrs. Montine Nichols, my God-given Angel of 40 years, deserves a commendation for her help on the final drafts and copy edit work for our book and a living (surviving) this long with a real Dragon who hardly sleeps. Similarly, we recognize Rama, Shreyes, and Sharan Murthy, who held our super-action hero author Rajesh Murthy (who pitched in for two chapters) in the writing mode. We thank Maureen W. Schultheis for her reviews of our newest coauthor, Brent S. Knaple’s chapter. We also found a solid editor for Col. DeMaio’s chapter 1 – his wife, Bobbie DeMaio. Thanks, Bobbie, for your eagle eyes.
Randall K Nichols
References
Nichols, R. K., & et al. (2024). Advanced Technologies for Humanity. Manhattan, KS: New Prairie Press.
