Paul Eremenko
Paul Eremenko | |
|---|---|
| Born | Pavlo Oleksandrovych Eremenko 1979 Lviv, Ukraine |
| Occupation(s) | Technology executive, innovator |
| Known for | CTO of United Technologies Corporation; CTO of Airbus; CEO of Airbus Silicon Valley innovation hub; leader of Google's Project Ara; founder of Universal Hydrogen |
Paul Eremenko (born 1979 as Pavlo Oleksandrovych Eremenko) is a Ukrainian-American leader in technology and innovation. He held the position of Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President at United Technologies Corporation. Prior to that, he was the CTO of Airbus and served as CEO of Airbus' innovation hub in Silicon Valley. Eremenko also occupied senior roles at Google, where he spearheaded Google's Project Ara, a program dedicated to creating an open, modular smartphone platform.
Acknowledged by FORTUNE Magazine as one of the Top-10 Tech Leaders in 2015, Eremenko is a vocal proponent of research in artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. His professional aspirations include advancing starship technology development.
Early life
Eremenko was born in Lviv, Ukraine. His father is the Ukrainian mathematician Alexandre Eremenko. At the age of 13, he relocated with his family to the United States.
Education
He holds a bachelor's degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT, a Master’s degree in Aeronautics from Caltech, and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. Additionally, he completed pilot training at Aretz Airport, located near Purdue University.
Universal Hydrogen
On 23 September 2020, Eremenko founded Universal Hydrogen, a company dedicated to developing aviation conversion systems based on hydrogen fuel cell technology.
United Technologies Corporation
Eremenko was named Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at United Technologies Corporation on 30 November 2017, with his tenure commencing on 1 January 2018. In this role, he directed research, engineering, and development strategies across global aerospace and building system divisions, managing the United Technologies Research Center. He resigned on 18 September 2019 to explore new ventures.
Airbus Group
On 29 May 2015, Eremenko took on the role of founding CEO for Airbus Group's technology and business innovation center in Silicon Valley, establishing Airbus’s footprint in the region. He advanced to Airbus Group CTO in July 2016 and departed from the company on 31 December 2017, citing challenges balancing professional responsibilities with family life.
During his tenure at Google, Eremenko initiated and led Project Ara, which aimed to democratize mobile phone hardware design and extend internet connectivity to billions more users. This initiative also produced a functional 3D printer capable of customizing phone modules. Google’s ATAP division sought to emulate DARPA’s model of innovation within a corporate environment.
Motorola
Prior to joining Google, Eremenko served as Vice President of Advanced Technology at Motorola. There, he launched Project Ara before Motorola Mobility was acquired by Lenovo, maintaining stewardship over the project throughout.
DARPA
At DARPA, Eremenko held the roles of Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Tactical Technology Office, managing programs involving drones, robotics, experimental aircraft (X-planes), and satellite systems. His leadership included projects such as Adaptive Vehicle Make, designed to transform military system design and production; System F6, focused on fractionated spacecraft; and the ambitious 100 Year Starship initiative. He also oversaw XC2V, a crowd-sourced military vehicle project aimed at revolutionizing automotive manufacturing.
In addition to technology development, Eremenko contributed to education initiatives at DARPA by creating the MENTOR program to cultivate manufacturing workforce skills and InSPIRE, which provided high school students access to operate the SPHERES robotic platform aboard the International Space Station.
Booz Allen Hamilton
Eremenko started his professional journey as an associate within Booz Allen Hamilton's defense division, where he provided consulting services primarily for DARPA, an agency he eventually joined.
Controversies
While leading DARPA's drone and robotics initiatives, Eremenko was interviewed in the 2013 Nova documentary Rise of the Drones regarding the potential dangers of artificial intelligence. He downplayed fears of a "Rise of the Machines" scenario, emphasizing that embedding adaptive cognitive functions into technology would represent a significant advancement.
The 100 Year Starship project, which Eremenko directed at DARPA, was named by U.S. Senator Tom Coburn as one of the 100 most wasteful government undertakings. Coburn specifically criticized a workshop titled "Did Jesus die for Klingons too?" that explored Christian theological perspectives in the context of extraterrestrial life.
Other work
Eremenko played a key role in developing and promoting value-driven design, a systems engineering methodology focused on producing products that are more versatile and adaptable.
Personal life
Paul Eremenko, son of Ukrainian-American mathematician Alexandre Eremenko and great-grandnephew of Semion, brother to Marshal Andrey Yeryomenko, is recognized as one of the highest-ranking aerospace leaders who openly identifies as gay.