By Michael Watkins

To say that Rockwell Collins Senior Systems Engineer Paul Lyman is a complex thinker might be akin to saying that water is wet.

"I like to know the nature of things - politics, philosophy, and engineering all fascinate me for the same reasons," said Lyman, who was raised in Denton, Texas. "But of the three, engineering is the most tangible. In engineering, you can test it, probe it and take it apart. You can build a representation of how you think it should work, and then it either works or it doesn't."

From the time he was eight years old, Lyman paid close attention to his father, who had an electronics shop in Denton that did work for Texas Instruments. It was a cornucopia of possibility and opportunity for the father and son alike.

"It didn't take long for me to realize that I had an ability to make things work," recalled Lyman, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Wichita State University. "But once I discovered that talent, I began to break everything just so I could fix it again."

Today, Lyman is responsible for finding new ways to make configurable software appear customizable, and for automating processes to ensure quality in our company's Cabin Entertainment Systems (CES).

His work since he joined our company in August 2006 is what led to recognition as one of 10 finalists for the Rockwell Collins 2007 Engineer of the Year award. And, while he is honored to have received such accolades, he is quick to admit he does not work alone.

"I wouldn't have been able to accomplish what I did if it weren't for the collaborative efforts of everyone on my team," said Lyman. "Being nominated for this award is a great credit for our team. It's a wonderful honor, personally, but it really emphasizes the team we've been able to put together."

Built to specifications

While our CES products won't determine whether an airplane takes off or lands or experiences catastrophic failure, they are expected to work properly.

"If you wanted to buy a Cadillac, you'd go to a Web site and select the type, color, interior and the options," said Lyman. "One month later, your Cadillac would be delivered just as you ordered it. Now, imagine that Cadillac was a multi-million dollar airplane and the options you're choosing are things like the number of DVDs and Satellite TV sets, monitors, touch screens and seating layouts.

"Perhaps you want an integrated printer and dual redundant Internet access while you fly," he continued. "The number of options creates thousands upon thousands of unique designs, and the list of options continues to increase."

For each of these options, there is code - sometimes in multiple files - and Lyman's group was responsible for auto-generating the code for each of the options so the configuration of each airplane was quick and reliable. In the end, this reduced the overall cost and time it took to configure an airplane.

Lyman's analytical passion for his work is what prompted Senior Engineering Manager Bill Lee to nominate his colleague for our annual Engineer of the Year award.

"Paul is 100 percent dedicated, and he's a forward-thinker who inspires those around him," said Lee, who works in CES Systems Engineering in Cedar Rapids. "He's a visionary who understands that tomorrow most likely will not be the same as today when it comes to technology. He allows himself to imagine a different tomorrow and how our company can thrive in that setting."

- Michael Watkins is a freelance writer.