About Me
Cockpit to Courtroom
I have always been drawn to complex systems, whether mechanical, legal, or human, and to the question:
How do we make them safer, fairer, and more resilient?
This question has shaped my journey across aviation, law, research, sports, and music, tying everything together in a pursuit of performance under pressure and systems that serve people.
CONTACT
Carla Beckmann
Daytona Beach, FL United States
beckmac1@my.erau.edu
A Flight Plan for Justice
My career began in aviation, both practically and academically. I earned a foundation in Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which equipped me with the technical understanding of flight systems. But I did not stop at the theoretical: I applied that knowledge as a helicopter pilot in the German Army, commanding the Eurocopter Tiger, one of the world’s most advanced rotorcraft.
That experience did not just teach me how to fly, it taught me how to lead, troubleshoot, and navigate uncertainty.
Today, I bring that systems mindset to my work as a PhD researcher in Human Factors in Aviation, investigating accident causation and resilient performance in rotorcraft operations. My Aerospace Engineering background gives me a technical lens, while my pilot experience grounds my research in real-world operations.
This is not just theoretical work, it is lived experience.
From Human Factors to Human Futures
But the systems I care about extend beyond the skies.
As a paralegal at The Mandel Law Firm in New York, I have worked on complex family law cases, from divorce and custody disputes to sexual abuse claims. I also serve as a student advocate on the Student Court at Embry-Riddle, deepening my commitment to accountability and institutional integrity.
These roles sharpen my focus on systems of justice; recognizing that, like aviation, the legal world depends on the interplay of human decisions, structures, and policies.
This journey leads to my next horizon: Intellectual Property Law, where I aim to merge my aviation, engineering, and legal backgrounds to protect innovation in aerospace and emerging technologies.
Building Safer Spaces
This same belief drives my work with SpeakEasy, a nonprofit I co-founded to support women navigating sexual harassment. As Chief Legal Officer, I collaborate with legal teams and advocates to ensure that stories are heard and systems respond.
Whether in aviation safety, legal advocacy, or community work, my focus remains the same:
How can we make complex systems safer, fairer, and more human?
Performance Beyond the Profession
Athletics: Resilience in Motion
Athletics has always been more than a pursuit: it’s where I learned resilience, focus, and leadership.
German National Swimming Championship
Soccer coach for women and youth
Table Tennis German Championships
Currently training in bodybuilding, embracing the discipline it demands.
These experiences shape how I approach research, law, and advocacy, reminding me that performance under pressure is about consistency, adaptability, and grit.
As first violinist in the Bad Arolsen youth symphony orchestra, I toured internationally, performing in places like Mexico, where I learned how collaboration and precision create something larger than any individual effort.
Music taught me the value of timing, listening, and leadership: skills I carry with me into every project, legal case, and research study.
Music: Precision in Harmony
And when I need perspective?
You will find me trail running or hiking in some of the most beautiful places in the world: the Dolomites, the Alps, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, or the vast landscapes of Arizona.
It’s where I reconnect with systems larger than myself: terrain, weather, the rhythm of breath and ground beneath my feet.
