Stephen Li-Tyson

Curiosity is what guided my career onto a path I didn’t expect nor could predict.

What do you do at the Laboratory?

I leverage multi-agent simulations to determine the efficacy of avionics and the relevance of tactics for advanced aircraft. These analyses inform prototyping and engineering of safer, more reliable avionic technology. My current research involves developing models of avionic systems and those that replicate pilot behavior. A recent effort has been determining how machine learning may improve the simulation of pilot decision making and tactics.

I am also involved with the Civil Space Systems and Technology Office, working on sustainable off-Earth human and agricultural habitats. I lead a subgroup that delves into how we can use technology at the Laboratory to create sustainable habitats in space.

Why do you think the Laboratory is a good fit for you?

The Laboratory prides itself not only in providing technically detailed and clear answers to sponsor questions, but also in striving to see the forest through the trees. We try to understand the larger context and to provide solutions that both solve the problem at hand and provide a path to achieve larger goals. This philosophy matches my own and encourages deeper dives into problems to get to the core of the issue.

Do you have any advice for someone seeking to work in your field?

Develop curiosity and stay open to growth. Although the path forward was murky, I took each step with confidence because I was following what interested me. Continuously growing through improving my interpersonal skills, refining my technical ability, and incorporating feedback from others enabled me to obtain opportunities as they arose and continue taking those next steps.

As one follows their curiosity and puts in the work to grow, they will gradually gravitate toward a field that fits them.

In 2024 you received a leadership award for employee resource group (ERG) excellence. Why did you decide to get involved with an ERG?

I joined the Laboratory’s Black Experience and Cultural Organization Network (BEACON) as there are not many black Americans in STEM and this group provided a community of people with similar backgrounds and experiences. By helping to organize our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration in 2022, I wanted to share with the wider Laboratory community not only the struggles that people of color face in STEM and society, but also the beauty of our cultures and collective history. Through such events, I have witnessed the support and celebration of black American culture, history, and future.