Simulation Group Names Hall of Fame Inductees

The National Center for Simulation (NCS) has announced three distinguished recipients of the 2026 Modeling & Simulation (M&S) Hall of Fame: Merry “Beth” Pettitt, Ph.D.; Robert E. Sottilare, Ph.D.; and Kay M. Stanney, Ph.D.

Established in 2014 through a partnership with Orange County (Fla.) government, including the Office of the Mayor of Orange County and the Orange County Convention Center, the NCS Hall of Fame celebrates outstanding achievement in the MS&T field. With this year’s inductees, the Hall of Fame will have recognized 47 professionals who have shaped the industry.

Dr. Pettitt is recognized for more than 30 years of foundational leadership in military medical simulation. Her pioneering work helped define the effective use of simulation within the Department of Defense, balancing realism with practicality to strengthen decision-making and lifesaving skills. Her contributions span combat trauma simulation, full-body manikins, task trainers, simulated wounds, physiology modeling and training effectiveness evaluation, helping transform how military medics prepare for battlefield operations.

Dr. Sottilare is recognized for his contributions to simulation technology, standards and education. His research helped lay the groundwork for Distributed Interactive Simulation and contributed to the landmark 1994 Synthetic Theatre of War–Europe exercise, helping establish the foundation for today’s live, virtual and constructive training environments. His later work on the Generalized Intelligent Framework for Tutoring (GIFT) advanced open, interoperable architectures for AI-enabled adaptive training.

Dr. Stanney is recognized for her pioneering contributions to immersive and human-centered simulation. Her research on simulator sickness, perception and cognitive workload has influenced simulation design across defense, health care, aviation and commercial industries. Her work in neurophysiological sensing, adaptive human-machine teaming, AI-driven assessment, eye tracking and digital twins has helped shape modern approaches to readiness and human performance.

“Drs. Pettitt, Sottilare and Stanney represent decades of groundbreaking contributions to simulation and training that have made a lasting impact across the military, government, academia and industry,” said George Cheros, NCS president and CEO. “We are proud to honor their achievements and celebrate the lasting legacy they are creating for the next generation of the M&S community.”

The 2026 induction ceremony will take place Sept. 30, 2026, at the Hall of Fame display in the Orange County Convention Center’s South Concourse.