Dr. Katherine Rahill
Current Work & Vision
Dr. Katherine “Katt” Rahill is the CEO + Founder of Neumann Nexus, a pioneering consulting firm at the intersection of cognitive engineering, AI, psychophysics, and human–technology integration. Powered by her work in NASA human spaceflight, DoD warfighter strategy, advanced air mobility (AAM), and academia, her vision is centered around how technology amplifies human potential.
Dr. Rahill’s accolades and visionary direction for Neumann Nexus have been recognized by the International Association of Top Professionals, who selected her as the Top CEO for AI and Human-Tech Integration of 2026. She was also featured on the cover of CIO Views Magazine’s Top 10 Most Empowering Women in Business to Watch in 2025.
NASA & Advanced Air Mobility
Prior to Neumann Nexus, Dr. Rahill’s private-sector experience involved leading initiatives as a COO in the private industry sector, spearheading efforts in eVTOL FAA certification and human performance systems to lay the operational groundwork for next-gen technologies in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).
As the former Senior Scientist for the Chief Scientist Office of NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP), Dr. Rahill’s contributions to NASA’s space exploration have addressed a wide range of human performance risks of long-duration spaceflight. Her strategic oversight spanned contributions for human health countermeasures, space radiation and the design of high-fidelity lunar and Martian analogs, as well as systems for autonomous spacecraft and space habitats for Artemis and Mars.
Academic Background & Lunar Psychophysics
Dr. Rahill received her MA & PhD from Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where she was the Founder/Director of CUA’s Lunar Psychophysics Virtual Reality Laboratory. Her dissertation introduced a novel area of specialization, “lunar psychophysics”, which considers a range of visual, neurological and physiological components of sensory perception and their relationship to optical properties of light, atmospheric light scattering, and psychophysical changes on the Moon. Findings sought to provide novel discussions that enhance understanding of how the visual system interacts with other biological systems, shedding light on human adaptability to novel physical stimuli in extraterrestrial environments.
As a Preeminent Postdoctoral Scholar for the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems at the University of Central Florida, her work received awards from NASA and the American Psychological Association Briggs Dissertation Award for the most outstanding dissertation in the field of Engineering and Applied-Experimental Psychology. Her research has been highlighted in The UK Times, Scotland’s The Last Question Podcast, Singularity University’s “How One Researcher is Using VR to Help Our Eyes Adapt to Seeing in Space” and DC Radio Sputnik.
Military Research, Leadership & Professional Societies
During her PhD, Dr. Rahill completed a 5-year Consortium Doctoral Fellowship at the U.S. Army Research Institute at Ft. Belvoir. She held a pivotal role in the development of the Army Command Climate research program combating issues related to unit performance, such as toxic leadership and sexual assault. She participated in the Army Chief of Staff SSG review of Sikorsky’s contract for Military and Presidential aircraft.
During her time as Chair of Communications for the Society of Military Psychology (APA Division 19), she transformed the online media presence for APA Military Psychologists, and is a graduate of the APA Military Psychology Society Leadership Program. Her work on ethical leadership in the Army received an honorable Presidential Citation from APA Division 19. She introduced the Society of Military Psychology and the Association for Psychological Science at CUA, receiving an Excellence in Teaching and Leadership Award from the CUA Department of Psychology for her contributions to curriculum development.
Early Career & Undergraduate Research
Dr. Rahill received her B.S. from the University of Dayton. As an undergraduate, she conducted research at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where she was a lead contractor of the Multi-Modal Communications Lab in the Battlespace Acoustics Branch / Warfighter Interface Division / 711th Human Performance Wing.
Additionally, she spent 3 years supporting clinical research on domestic violence and re-victimization in the Women’s Psychology Lab, and received department nominations for the Reverend Raymond Roesch Award of Excellence to the Outstanding Students in Psychology.
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