Embry-Riddle Professor Advances Sustainable Aviation Fuel Dialogue at Forum in Singapore

Dr. Rajee Olaganathan, associate professor of Safety Science, and three students from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Asia Campus, recently participated in the Sustainable Aviation Futures APAC Congress, a global forum that brings together government regulators, major airlines, fuel producers and investors to address the systemic challenges of decarbonizing the aviation sector.

“What was clear throughout the Sustainable Aviation Futures APAC Congress was that the conversation has moved beyond whether sustainable aviation fuel works to how scalable, investable systems can be built,” Olaganathan said. “The focus is now firmly on execution, regional alignment and long-term certainty across the value chain.”

Olaganathan served as a key leader at the three-day forum in Singapore last November, acting as Stream Chair for discussions on scaling Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). She led dialogue on technological developments, feedstock opportunities and the need for long-term project certainty to support investment and deployment. As a panel speaker, she highlighted emerging solutions shaping aviation decarbonization and emphasized that progress will depend not on a single technology but on portfolios aligned with regional strengths and operational realities.

Embry-Riddle Asia students Jianxiang Wang, Matthew Chen, and Nayome Valerio joined Olaganathan at the conference.  

“For our students, engaging directly with airlines, regulators, fuel producers and investors provided an invaluable perspective on how sustainability decisions are actually made,” Olaganathan said. “It reinforced that aviation decarbonization is a systems challenge, one that requires technical expertise, policy understanding and financial discipline working together.”

Olaganathan's participation in the congress highlighted Embry-Riddle Asia’s commitment to shaping the future of sustainable aviation.