Emerging Tech Horizons (Dr. Arun Seraphin)

Join Daniel Ateya, Managing Director of RTX Ventures, as he discusses how best to integrate the VC community into the defense industrial base to promote innovation and get new companies and investors involved in the development and deployment of emerging technologies.  How does the VC world view the defense market? How do defense primes like RTX think about integrating their VC initiatives with their traditional defense contracting work? What more can the Pentagon do attract VCs into the defense market and keep them engaged? 

RTX Ventures: https://www.rtx.com/who-we-are/ventures

DOD Office of Strategic Capital: https://www.cto.mil/osc/

ETI National Defense Magazine - Strengthening Defense With Private Capital:

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2024/12/6/emerging-technology-horizons-strengthening-defense-with-private-capital

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How do we get hypersonics into the hands of the warfighter? How does industry leverage academia to field innovative solutions? How can we make sure the workforce is capable of meeting the need?

In this episode, Dr. Mark Lewis sits down with John Otto, Program Director, Raytheon Missile Systems, to discuss hypersonics, the challenges of transition, and the way forward with this emerging technology.

Today's podcast guests are the Honorable Alan R. Shaffer, Director of Washington Operations at MIT Lincoln Laboratories, and ETI Associate Research Fellow, Wilson Miles, who will discuss their new paper, "Enabling the Joint Warfight: Challenges & Opportunities." The paper is based on a series of workshops organized by ETI on the Joint Warfighting Concept. In this episode, the Honorable Shaffer and Wilson outline the key findings and policy recommendations for enhancing the joint force.

To read the report, click here:

www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/Publications/Research Papers/JWC

Gen. Hyten (Ret) discussing the Joint Warfighting Concept at the rollout of the Emerging Technologies Institute: https://www.c-span.org/video/?513684-1/joint-chiefs-staff-vice-chair-defense-technology

Gen Milley's (Ret) article on the 2023 update to the Joint Warfighting Concept: https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Portals/68/Documents/jfq/jfq-110/jfq-110_6-15_Milley.pdf?ver=XE5o7a8f80Ro99ue8Vh-IQ%3d%3d

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This episode is sponsored by Raytheon. https://www.rtx.com/raytheon __________________________________________________________

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Join us for a conversation with Dr. Reed Skaggs, Lewis Burke's Chief Strategy and Business Operations Officer.

Listen as Dr. Skaggs explores the DoD S&T budget and priorities using the FY2024 President's Budget Request as a launch point. How do these priorities translate into success in the critical technology areas? What about addressing workforce challenges, or improving our ability to rapidly develop and deploy new capabilities? Listen in to today's podcast to find out.

Join us for Part Two of the discussion of the ReaganInstitute’s 2024 National Security Innovation Base Report Card with Rachel Hoff (Reagan Institute) and Dale Swartz (McKinsey & Company). What data and methodologies were used to determine the grades? Why did DOD get a failing grade for “customer clarity”? Is the defense market getting more or less interesting to VCs and other private investors? How can we strengthen the defense technology workforce? What is the role of Allies and Partners in defense innovation? What are some policy options to address some of the bad grades in the report?

Read more and download the report card here: https://www.reaganfoundation.org/reagan-institute/centers/peace-through-strength/national-security-innovation-base-program/Read a report from McKinsey & Co. about the future of defense innovation here: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/a... __________________________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ __________________________________________________ To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

What are our current microelectronics challenges? What is the now-passed CHIPS and Science Act, and what will it do? How can the Department of Defense and the defense industrial base buy, use, and secure semiconductors?

Join Dr. Seraphin and Dr. Michael Fritze for a conversation on the future of microelectronics for defense systems.

Join us for a new type of episode, ETI On The Road, where we interview guests at various NDIA and ETI conferences and events. This special SOFIC episode features Dr. Arun Seraphin and guest Mina Khalil, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Manager at the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Tune in for a conversation about SOCOM’s SBIR programs, aligning requirements with transition, working with innovative businesses, and more.

Are commerically dervied technologies superior to the governemnt's systems? Are they inferior?

How does the government's data management fare against the commericial sector? What can the private sector teach the governement. Which practices should the DOD adopt?

Join us in this week's episode of Emerging Tech Horizons with Dr. Mark Lewis and Collin Carroll, Head of Federal and Defense Business at Applied Intuition as they discuss the private sector's and government's ability to manage it's data.

This webinar is presented by SCHOTT. SCHOTT is a leading global manufacturer of specialty glass, glass-ceramics, and finished optics. With over 50 years of operation in the United States, SCHOTT North America employs over 1,000 people across 7 facilities, including our R&D Center in Duryea, PA., providing decades of support to multiple DoD programs and mission critical development efforts. https://www.schott.com/en-us/about-us/company/research-and-development.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International and Industry Engagement Justin McFarlin joins the podcast to discuss the Department of Defense’s National Defense Industrial Strategy, and its implications for defense industry. The NDIS offers a strategic vision to build a modern defense industrial ecosystem, including deep cooperation between the U.S. government, private industry, and allies and partners on topics including resilient supply chains, workforce readiness, flexible acquisition, and economic deterrence. DOD website on the National Defense Industrial Strategy: https://www.businessdefense.gov/NDIS.html ETI's second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference will take place August 7-9, 2024 at the Washington DC Convention Center.

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Description:

What are the emerging technologies that will shape future national defense and how will they be fielded? Ahead of the upcoming Emerging Technologies Conference, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu joins to preview timely conference topics including government-industry partnerships to accelerate procurement pathways, Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), contested logistics, and Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) interoperability. She shares how her professional background informs her current position and the initiatives her team is leading, including rapid prototyping and fielding of innovative technologies.

Registration is now open for the second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference!

Please click here to learn more and register: https://www.ndiatechexpo.org

To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up  http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org ______________________________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ ______________________________________________________

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Join us for a new type of episode, ETI On The Road, where we interview guests at various NDIA and ETI conferences and events. This special SOFIC episode features Dr. Arun Seraphin and guest Chad McCoy, Co-Founder and VP of Business Development for Firestorm Labs and former Director, Doolittle Institute. Learn more about working with USSOCOM and DEFENSEWERX, increasing user input, hope for transitioning the “valley of death”, and more.

How well is the DoD positioned to field systems at the speed of relevance? Has the DoD effectively used additional Congressional acquisition authorities and its new Adaptive Acquisition Framework to deliver warfighting capabilities at a lower cost and accelerated schedule? Shelby Oakley, Director, Contracting and National Security Acquisitions, for GAO joins today’s podcast episode to discuss the GAO’s 22nd Weapons Systems Annual Assessment, which analyzes the characteristics and performance of 108 of DoD’s costliest weapon programs to include their implementation of leading practices for product development and software development approaches.

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This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ ____________________________________________________

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Join Chairman & CEO of Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc., Robert Geckle for a discussion of how the commercial and global innovation can best be leveraged to support national security missions. What are some current successful efforts to adopt commercial technologies in areas like autonomous systems into defense programs? What barriers and challenges need to be overcome when working with commercial and global firms? What changes do we see happening with a new Administration coming in?https://airbusus.com/To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

NDIA’s Emerging Technologies Institute visited the Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. ETI's Executive Director, Dr. Arun Seraphin, is joined by Letterkenny Army Depot's director of strategic management, Kate Williams, and Chris Ghigliotti, an electronics engineer. Kate spoke about the weapons maintenance, safety, and modernization process and the return of supplies to soldiers. Chris also spoke about the work that the depot does in collaboration with Penn State to test new technologies. He also talked about how Letterkenny outreach activities, including their STEM-pilot program to generate student interest in directed energy. Lastly, Kate added the importance of inter-service cooperation for warfighters and the different emerging technology projects the Depot has done with other services.

https://www.letterkenny.army.mil/

This episode is sponsored by Raytheon. https://www.rtx.com/raytheon

How did the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bill impact DoD's critical technology areas and technology transition efforts for emerging technologies? What changed in the Fiscal Year 2025 President's Budget Request? Join us for a conversation with Dr. Reed Skaggs, Lewis Burke's Chief Strategy and Business Operations Officer, and Jacob Winn, one of NDIA ETI's own Associate Research Fellows, to learn more. 

Read the FY2024 Appropriations Act: https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20A%20Defense.PDF

Explore the FY2025 Budget Request documentation: https://comptroller.defense.gov/Budget-Materials/

Lewis-Burke Associates: https://lewis-burke.com/

Listen to our FY25 DoD S&T Budget Priorities webinar with The Honorable Heidi Shyu, Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering (USD(R&E)), and other leadership from the defense S&T enterprise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSDZSYfHqjI

View the slides from the webinar here: https://www.ndia.org/-/media/Sites/ETIEvents/FY25-Budget-Priorities/PUBLIC-RELEASE-SLIDES-PDF.ashx

ETI's second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference will take place August 7-9, 2024 at the Washington DC Convention Center. 

ETI Conference Page: ⁠⁠https://www.ndiatechexpo.org/⁠⁠ To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up ETI Website: ⁠https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/⁠  https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

What are the biggest financial vulnerabilities in the defense supply chain? How are global market and economic conditions affecting supply chains? How can the Department of Defense use advanced financial data analytics to better understand their complex supply chains? Join James Gellert, the Executive Chair of RapidRatings International, as he discusses how DOD can assess financial and economic risks consistent with the ways that the commercial financial, aerospace, and pharmaceutical sector firms do to strategically strengthen and create resiliency within their supply chains.

RapidRatings: https://www.rapidratings.com/

NDIA ETI Hypersonics Supply Chain Study: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/research-papers/hypersonics

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This episode is sponsored by Raytheon. https://www.rtx.com/raytheon

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What does digital twinning mean? How does it work? Can the DOD replicate the successes the private industry had made through digital twinning?

Join Dr. Mark Lewis and Steve Carlson, Director of Aerospace and Defense Solutions at Cadence Design Systems to find out the DOD can utilize digital twinning.

This webinar is presented by SCHOTT. SCHOTT is a leading global manufacturer of specialty glass, glass-ceramics, and finished optics. With over 50 years of operation in the United States, SCHOTT North America employs over 1,000 people across 7 facilities, including our R&D Center in Duryea, PA., providing decades of support to multiple DoD programs and mission critical development efforts. https://www.schott.com/en-us/about-us/company/research-and-development.

In December, the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law. This major annual policy legislation once again includes many provisions that will affect the Pentagon's efforts to manage its supply chains and chooses it suppliers and the way it operates its complex acquisition system. Join acquisition expert Moshe Schwartz as he unpacks some of the key provisions within the NDAA and discusses their impact on defense and commercial industry.

FY25 NDAA Bill Text and Report Language: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5009 Etherton and Associates: https://www.ethertonandassociates.com/

 To receive updates about the upcoming (August 27-29) 2025 NDIA Emerging Technologies Conference and Exhibition please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up

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Tune in for Part 2 of our conversation with Moshe Schwartz, President of Etherton and Associates, as we continue to discuss the FY2024 NDAA and what it will mean for national security and emerging technologies. We also touch on defense issues related to small businesses, regulation, and Congressional oversight.

Part 1 is available here: https://youtu.be/72I2cAUQ5Po

Read the FY2024 NDAA: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2670

Etherton and Associates: https://www.ethertonandassociates.com/

ETI's second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference will take place August 7-9, 2024 at the Washington DC Convention Center.

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Securing a place in the defense intelligence sector can be an uphill battle for small companies, universities, and other organizations aiming to participate in national security and intelligence-related projects. Today, we’re exploring the unique challenges faced by these innovative players as they navigate stringent security requirements, costly infrastructure upgrades, and the complex world of classified projects. Unlike large defense contractors, these emerging entities often struggle with limited budgets and resources, hindering their ability to contribute groundbreaking ideas to national security. Our guests, the Hon. Sue Gordon, President of Gordon Ventures and former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Sean Blackman, Co-founder and CEO of Nooks, offer insights into overcoming these obstacles and share the work currently being done to help small innovators bring their vision to the defense landscape. Nooks: https://nooks.works/ DIB Report: Lowering Barriers to Innovation: https://innovation.defense.gov/Portals/63/2_%2020240118%20DIB%20LBI%20Study.pdf To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

Join Stephanie Halcrow, Senior Fellow at the GMU Baroni Center for Government Contracting, and Anna Kim, Associate Research Fellow at ETI, as they discuss ETI and GMU's joint upcoming report on how to take full advantage of prototyping activities for defense technologies. The podcast covers why prototyping is so valuable for defense innovation, what obstacles often hold government and industry back when directing prototyping activities, and recommendations for how DoD and the DIB can most effectively capture and leverage the knowledge created through prototyping.

GMU Baroni Center for Government Contracting: https://business.gmu.edu/centers/center-government-contracting

Power of Prototyping Symposium: https://www.ndia.org/events/2025/2/28/power-of-prototyping-symposium

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How does the DoD ensure the industrial base is ready to meet the warfighter's needs? Can new manufacturing techniques be quickly transitioned to the supply chains that need them? On this episode, our host and veteran DoD expert, Dr. Lewis is joined by Tracy Frost, Director, Manufacturing Technology Program to discuss how emerging technologies are changing manufacturing and how the DoD is using this to benefit national security.

In recent years, the United States has fallen behind its competitors when it comes to industrial innovations and policies. How did this happen?

Find out in the eye-opening discussion with Dr. Mark Lewis and William Bonvillian, Senior Director, Special Projects, at MIT's Office of Digital Learning. He previously served for seventeen years as a senior policy advisor in the U.S. Senate. His legislative efforts included science and technology policy and innovation issues.

Does increased precision and speed of decision-making outweigh having a human in the loop? How do we define success in war and defense? 
 
Join Dr. Lewis and Professor Mary Ellen O’Connell, Notre Dame Law School, in this spirited discussion over autonomous weapons systems and the ethical implications of their use, international humanitarian law, and the rules of armed conflict.

How does energy impact the U.S Department of Defense’s strategies and operations? What is the Chief Sustainability Office and what are its responsibilities?

Find out on this week’s episode of Emerging Tech Horizons with Dr. Arun Seraphin and Joseph Bryan, Senior Adviser on Climate, Office of the Secretary of Defense and Chief Sustainability Officer, United States Department of Defense. 

Today’s episode of Emerging Tech Horizons features guest host Dr. Arun Seraphin, Deputy Director of the Emerging Technologies Institute, and Bill Greenwalt, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Listen in for a discussion of acquisition reform, the legislative process, the AT&L split, and what could have been done differently. 

On this week’s episode, Dr. Arun Seraphin is joined by Evelyn Kent, Program Director, Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-serving Institutions, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Join us for a conversation about how the Pentagon works with HBCUs and is accelerating efforts to connect these colleges and other minority institutions to defense industry and DOD research activities.

In this Part 2 episode, guests Mark Neice and Rebecca Wostenberg continue their discussion of ETI’s recently released report, Directed Energy Weapon Supply Chains: Securing the Path to the Future. The report assesses the state of directed energy weapon supply chains while providing actionable recommendations for their development, health, and resilience.

Part 1 is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToLPPEOzR8A&list=PL5oQnv75FK5aCB0IeYAWVPon0C7Xa75sr&index=1

Find the report here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/research-papers/directed-energy-24

Report Launch Event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CmHy2AsfUs

Directed Energy Professional Society: https://www.deps.org/

See other reports in this series: Hypersonics Supply Chain Report: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/research-papers/hypersonics

ETI's second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference will take place August 7-9, 2024 at the Washington DC Convention Center.

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How can the United States set the terms for technological advancements? Are there blurred ethical lines that give China an advantage over the United States? Is Washington D.C. prepared to suffer major losses? Given how connected the Chinese and American economies are what are the implications for National Defense?

Join us in this week's episode with Dr. Mark Lewis and Dean Cheng, Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Potomac Institute/Senior Advisor at USIP, to find out where China's emerging technologies fares against the United States'. 

This webinar is presented by SCHOTT. SCHOTT is a leading global manufacturer of specialty glass, glass-ceramics, and finished optics. With over 50 years of operation in the United States, SCHOTT North America employs over 1,000 people across 7 facilities, including our R&D Center in Duryea, PA., providing decades of support to multiple DoD programs and mission critical development efforts. https://www.schott.com/en-us/about-us/company/research-and-development

What is the blended wing body concept? Why is the BWB receiving more attention than ever before? What advantages does it provide? How can it be utilized for National Defense? Join us in this episode with Dr. Mark Lewis and Dr. Fay Collier, Associate Director for Flight Strategy, Integrated Aviation Systems Program at NASA to learn about the Blended Wing Body and the future of air superiority.

Has the United States fallen behind in the development of quantum computing to it's competitors?

Is it even possible to build a general purpose one-million qubit quantum computer? Where and how could this technology be used?

Join us in this week's episode of Emerging Tech Horizons with Dr. Arun Seraphin and Dr. Pete Shadbolt, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at PsiQuantum, as they discuss the potential applications of quantum computing.  

This webinar is presented by SCHOTT. SCHOTT is a leading global manufacturer of specialty glass, glass-ceramics, and finished optics. With over 50 years of operation in the United States, SCHOTT North America employs over 1,000 people across 7 facilities, including our R&D Center in Duryea, PA., providing decades of support to multiple DoD programs and mission critical development efforts. https://www.schott.com/en-us/about-us/company/research-and-development.

Join the CEO of the Space Foundation MG (Dr.) Heather Pringle, USAF (Ret.) as she discusses how space has become such a key element of national security and how the Pentagon should strive to work with commercial and defense industry to develop and deliver new space technologies and systems.  MG Pringle discuss the work of the Space Foundation, the evolution of the space industry into one dominated by commercial companies, and how DOD can best leverage the best of the commercial innovation for its unique needs in space. Space Foundation https://www.spacefoundation.org/ 40th Space Symposium https://www.spacesymposium.org/ Space Report https://www.thespacereport.org/ ETI Report on State of the Space Industrial Base https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/workshop-reports/state-of-the-space-industrial-base To receive updates about the upcoming 2025 NDIA Emerging Technologies Conference and Exhibition please join our mailing list here:  https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

How can small businesses get involved with government contracts? How do we transition from research and development into product acquisition?

Join us for a conversation with ML Mackey, CEO and a Co-founder of Beacon Interactive Systems on small business innovation, the Department of Defense as a customer, NDIA's Small Business Division, and more.

On this week's episode, Dr. Mark Lewis is joined by Wes Hallman, NDIA's Senior Vice President of Strategy and Policy and Nick Jones, NDIA's Director of Regulatory Policy. Tune in to hear them discuss NDIA's signature report, Vital Signs: The Health and Readiness of the Defense Industrial Base, including an overview of the 2021 report and preview of new topics for the 2022 report.

On this episode, Dr. Mark Lewis is joined by Federico Sciammarella, President and CTO of MxD (Manufacturing x Digital), a public-private partnership Innovation Institute. Tune in for a conversation on digital manufacturing, partnering with academia, developing the future digital workforce, and more.

Energy is critical for anything we do. Power beaming is an emerging technology that could reshape how we generate and distribute energy and how our devices and autonomous systems are powered. Today’s guest is Tom Nugent, CTO and Co-founder of PowerLight Technologies. Tom walks us through power beaming and what it might provide to both the Department of Defense and commercial industry. Tom is the author of "Power Beaming: History, Theory, and Practice", which provides a foundation needed for researchers, technology developers, and end users to understand the promise and challenges for power beaming.

The book is available here: https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12438#t=aboutBook.

PowerLight Technologies: https://powerlighttech.com/

Registration is now open for the second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference! Please click here to learn more and register: www.ndiatechexpo.org

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 In 2020, the DoD adopted the Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF), a major shift aiming to make DoD procurement faster, more flexible, and closer to commercial innovation models.

Five years in, what progress has been made? Join GAO’s Shelby Oakley and Robert Bullock as they break down the results of a new GAO study, covering how “iterative” acquisition is actually playing out, and the importance of modular contracts, agile funding, and digital support tools.

To receive updates about the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition on August 27-29, 2025 at the Washington D.C. Convention Center, please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up

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This week’s episode of Emerging Tech Horizons features guest Gen. Arnold Bunch, USAF, Commander, Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC). Tune in for a conversation on how AFMC is supporting the Secretary of the Air Force’s operational imperatives, the impact of the Space Force AFMC efforts, notable technical successes, opportunities for the future, and more.

How can journalism impact national security strategies and policies? Why does the public need to be informed? Is it possible to have too much transparency? Find out more this week with Dr. Mark Lewis and Sean Carberry, Managing Editor of National Defense Magazine. Tune in to hear more about Sean’s journey from journalism to government and back, and lessons learned along the way.

On this week's episode of Emerging Tech Horizons, Dr. Mark Lewis sits down with Colonel John "JV" Venable, USAF (Ret), a senior research fellow for defense policy at the Heritage Foundation. Join Col. Venable and Dr. Lewis as they explore the barriers faced in the introduction of modern technology into the department, the span of control and vulnerabilities of our space systems, the role of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and more.

In December, the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law. What does the bill do to improve the ability to develop and field emerging technologies? Can new commercial technologies improve our force readiness? What does Congress what the Pentagon to do on AI, biotechnology, and quantum? What is a "human readiness level"? Join acquisition expert Moshe Schwartz as he discusses how these issues are covered in the NDAA and provides a preview on what Congress is likely to do next.FY25 NDAA Bill Text and Report Language: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5009FORGE Act: https://www.wicker.senate.gov/2024/12/senator-wicker-announces-pentagon-reform-and-innovation-proposalEtherton and Associates: https://www.ethertonandassociates.com/To receive updates about the upcoming (August 27-29) 2025 NDIA Emerging Technologies Conference and Exhibition please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-uphttp://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.orghttps://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETIhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institutehttps://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

On this week’s episode of Emerging Tech Horizons, Dr. Mark Lewis sits down with Chris Brose, Chief Strategy Officer at Anduril Industries and author of The Kill Chain: Defending America in the Future of High Tech Warfare. Join Chris and Dr. Lewis for a topical conversation on the rise of China, emerging technologies, modernizing the U.S. military, and the future of warfare. 

The Honorable Heidi Shyu, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering joins Dr. Arun Seraphin for a discussion on the upcoming Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference & Exhibition. The Conference will bring S&T leaders from government, industry, and academia to focus on three specific mission areas: Contested Logistics, Counter-UAS, and Operational Energy. During this episode, Ms. Shyu explains why each mission area is critical for DoD and what she hopes to see from defense and commercial industry as well as universities. 

Conference website: https://www.ndiatechexpo.org/

For our first episode of the new year, Dr. Lewis is joined by Dr. Victoria Coleman, Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force. Tune in for an engaging conversation between Dr. Lewis and Dr. Coleman on the role, perspective, and unique influence of the Chief Scientist, how to support the S&T community, what’s next for the Air Force in microelectronics, cyber, and more! 

How can DoD modernize software for defense missions? What came out of NDIA ETI and the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute's workshop?

Listen in as Dr. Arun Seraphin and Dr. Forrest Shull discusses software acquisitions and the role of software for DoD. Also, be sure to check out NDIA ETI and CMU SEI's report, "Coding the Future: Recommendations for Defense Software R&D".

What is the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS)? What does ARLIS do? Are we at a disadvantage when it comes to informational security? How do we defend against information operations?

Join Dr. Lewis and Professor Austin Branch, University of Maryland, in this riveting discussion over how we can prepare to defend against the future of information warfare.

This year’s conference brought Industry together with the Department of Defense Research, Engineering, Acquisition, and Sustainment communities to examine the investment priorities and challenges across the OSD, Components, Agencies and Combatant Commands, including top-level strategy updates from Component and COCOM S&T leadership. Special featured topics for this year will include the S&T needs of the HA/DR mission as well as success stories from the SBIR program.

Join Dr. Arun Seraphin and James Chew, NDIA's S&ET Chair and Senior Global Group Director of Aerospace and Defense at Cadence Design Systems to learn more about what the conference's priorities were.

How close are we to fully autonomous flight? What barriers are there to certification and how can we overcome them? How will autonomous technology change the role of pilots? In this episode, Dr. Mark Lewis is joined by Matt George, CEO, and Ashley Pelzek, Vice President Business Operations, Merlin Labs, to discuss autonomous aircraft operations, the challenges behind implementing autonomous systems, and the future capabilities of AI in flight.

What is the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)? Who produces it, and what does it mean for national security? What did the recently-passed Fiscal Year 2024 NDAA mean for emerging technologies?

Tune in for a conversation with Moshe Schwartz, President of Etherton and Associates, to discuss all of this and more in-depth information about this year’s NDAA. This episode discusses new provisions for developing a quantum science workforce, modernizing DoD's digital systems, and new methods to transition technologies from the lab to the warfighter.

Etherton and Associates: https://www.ethertonandassociates.com/

Read the FY2024 NDAA: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2670

ETI's second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference will take place August 7-9, 2024 at the Washington DC Convention Center.

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What delineates surrogate from intelligent drone swarms? What are the threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences associated with these systems to the U.S. homeland, especially as these technologies evolve? Dr. Daniel Gerstein, Senior Policy Researcher and Professor of Policy Analysis at Pardee RAND Graduate School, joins today's podcast episode to discuss a recently published report titled, "Emerging Technology and Risk Analysis: Unmanned Aerial Systems Intelligent Swarm Technology," which assesses intelligent swarm technology, considering technology availability, as well as risks and scenarios (threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences) in the next three years, three to five years, and five to ten years.

Report: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2380-1.html

____________________________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ ____________________________________________________

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On this week’s episode of Emerging Technology Horizons, Dr. Mark Lewis sits down with Dr. Richard P. Hallion, one of the world’s leading experts and historians of aerospace, a former curator at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, and a former Chief Historian at the Air Force Flight Test Center. Join Dr. Hallion and Dr. Lewis for a deep dive on the U.S. military’s fraught history incorporating emerging technologies and what lessons we can learn from the past and apply to today.

Recent government and public imagery of unidentified flying objects (UFO) has lead to increased Congressional and Pentagon interest in the analysis of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). Dr. Buettner describes the Pentagon's role in UAP analysis under the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), describes some recent incidents that have captures the media's attention, and discusses possible explanations for UAP. Is this just a problem with our sensors? Is it experimental aircraft or commercial drones? Join a discussion of how these kinds of incidents can be technically analyzed to try to understand the nature of these phenomena.

NDIA ETI Tech 101 Webinar: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena 101 https://www.ndia.org/events/2025/3/27/tech-101-uap

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Dr. Nick Maynard, CEO and Co-Founder of U.S. Ignite, speaks on the various uses of 5G technology, including the ability to connect 5G networks with smart city centers. Widely recognized as a critical emerging technology, 5G and Future G capabilities are to be leveraged across industries to support mission-critical tasks with optimal and efficient results. Dr. Maynard also discusses funding for 5G technologies and the advent of sensor data for real-time decision analysis tools. 

For defense-oriented missions, Dr. Maynard speaks about creating independent wireless ecosystems for the U.S. and provides suggestions on policy strategy for 5G, including the support needed for the commercialization of large and small companies.

https://www.us-ignite.org/

https://digital.nationaldefensemagazine.org/publication/?m=46185&i=803324&p=19&ver=html5

This episode is sponsored by Raytheon Technology. 

https://www.rtx.com/

DOD's new Acquisition Innovation Research Center brings together the best minds in academia with experts in defense acquisition to help address some of the thorniest and most challenging acquisition challenges facing the Pentagon. Join Dr. Dinesh Verma, Executive Director of the Acquisition Innovation Research Center, as he discusses the AIRC's research portfolio, how it is helping to address perennial acquisition problems, and how industry and government can access its expertise.

Acquisition Innovation Research Center: https://acqirc.org/Systems Engineering Research Center: https://sercuarc.org/AI4SE & SE4AI Workshop: https://sercuarc.org/event/ai4se-se4ai-workshop-2024/Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Acquisition Symposium: https://www.ndia.org/events/2024/10/18/ai-in-acquisition-symposium

__________________________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ __________________________________________________

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Join Jeremy Neufeld, Senior Immigration Fellow at the Institute for Progress, and Wilson Miles, Associate Research Fellow at ETI, as they discuss their new report, "Strengthening the National Security Innovation Base Requires International STEM Talent." The podcast guests describe current workforce challenges facing the Department of Defense and defense industrial base and how foreign-born STEM talent could be leveraged to ensure that talent bottlenecks do not endanger U.S. technological leadership.

Report Link 

https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/research-papers/hsi

Meeting U.S. Defense Science and Engineering Workforce Needs https://ifp.org/meeting-u-s-defense-science-and-engineering-workforce-needs-a-progress-report/ 

The Immigration Advantage in the U.S.-China Strategic Contest for STEM Talent https://www.nbr.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/publications/asiapolicy19-2_neufeld_april2024.pdf

STEM Immigration Is Critical to American National Security https://ifp.org/stem-immigration-is-critical-to-american-national-security/

High Skills Immigration a National Security Issue https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2022/8/19/high-skills-immigration-a-national-security-issue

To receive updates about the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition on August 27-29, 2025 at the Washington D.C. Convention Center, please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up

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How has Estonia, a country of just 1.5 million people, blessed with few natural resources, developed a flourishing defense technology sector? For this NATO and EU member, and vibrant democracy, necessity is the mother of invention. Estonia, where the prime minister is often just an email away, has often been praised for its pioneering efforts in digital “E-government.” Less well-known may be the large bets Estonia’s public and commercial sectors have placed on developing a robust innovation ecosystem specializing in AI and cyber. Joel Burke, a researcher focused on AI and technology policy, joins us to discuss Estonia’s collaborative approach to integrating government and private resources, personnel, and technologies to support national defense.

Book website: Rebooting a NationReference to KAPO's report: https://news.err.ee/1609309593/internal-security-service-publishes-2023-2024-annual-reviewTomas' study on Defence AI in Estonia: https://defenseai.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/daio_study2320_caught_between_today_and_tomorrow_tomas_jermalivicius.pdfE-Estonia briefing center (as the best place for folks to contact to start a collaboration with the Estonian defence-tech ecosystem): https://e-estonia.com/e-estonia-briefing-centre-services/about-us/E-governance Academy: https://ega.ee/Video Testimonies: https://exhibits.stanford.edu/baltic-video/feature/no-boundaries-the-digital-nomads-of-estonia-collection _________________________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ _________________________________________________ To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up  http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

What is the Consortia Model? Why has the defense-based industry adapted the Consortia Model? How has it affected their policies and strategies? What benefits does the Consortia Model bring to the DoD?

This week, Dr. Lewis is joined by Stephanie Halcrow and Moshe Schwartz to talk about their recent report, "The Power of Many: Leveraging Consortia to Promote Innovation, Expand the Defense Industrial Base, and Accelerate Acquisition".

The Hon. Sue Gordon, President of Gordon Ventures, Member of the Defense Innovation Board, and former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Sean Blackman, Co-founder and CEO of Nooks, return for part two of our unclassified discussion on the challenges new entrants face in the defense innovation ecosystem. They examine obstacles for small businesses, including allies and partners, such as navigating classification rules, the clearance application backlog, and streamlining compliance processes. Mr. Blackman shares how Nooks simplifies these steps for businesses, and Ms. Gordon discusses the need to modernize outdated policies and foster collaboration between government, industry, and academia to create an ecosystem that balances security, drives innovation, and attracts top talent.

Nooks: https://nooks.works/

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How healthy is the U.S. defense industrial base? What challenges does it face at a time of accelerating innovation, regulatory challenges, and the need to scale up productive capacity while strengthening supply chains? The National Defense Industrial Association's (NDIA) own Jen Stewart, Executive Vice President for Strategy and Policy, joins today's episode to unpack NDIA's Vital Signs 2024 Report. The report findings are based on over 1,300 survey respondents, including government officials, private sector leaders, and experts from academia, research institutions, and NGOs. This year’s report offers an unmatched perspective on the interplay between government and industry, showcasing the collective vision for a robust U.S. DIB.

Download the report at: https://www.ndia.org/policy/publications/vital-signs

Registration is now open for the second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference! Please click here to learn more and register: www.ndiatechexpo.org

____________________________________________________

This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ ____________________________________________________

 

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How does the government workforce need to adapt to this era of technology development? Can the judicial system keep pace with technology? What is the role of academia and national laboratories in technology development? Will we ever see economic collaboration with China?

Join Dr. Arun Seraphin and this week’s guest, Dr. Daniel Gerstein, for a conversation on the U.S. science and technology enterprise, his recent book titled Tech Wars: Transforming U.S. Technology Development, the connection between economics and national security, a potential new role for the Department of Commerce, and more.

Matt MacGregor, Fellow at the Acquisition Innovation Research Center and Senior Director for Strategic Growth at Anduril Industries, joins the podcast to discuss how Congress plans to fund Pentagon modernization programs. In this episode, they dive into the current state of the Congressional defense appropriations process and their implications for emerging defense technologies, including:

 

- Winners and losers in the House and Senate defense appropriations bills including research and technology programs.

- How high priority technology activities, like the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve, Replicator, and the Defense Innovation Unit, are faring in the appropriations negotiations - given Congressional concerns over innovation funds.

- New budget reform flexibilities like budget line consolidation and portfolio management being considered by Congress to give DOD more ability to move money faster to keep up with emerging technologies and threats, including how they are handling the recommendations of the PPBE Commission.

- Where the appropriations process goes from here in the current political climate.

 

Defense Tech and Acquisition News substack: https://defenseacquisition.substack.com/

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On this episode of Emerging Tech Horizons, Dr. Mark Lewis is joined by Johnathon Caldwell, Vice President of Business Innovation, Transformation and Enterprise Excellence for Lockheed Martin Space. Join Johnathon and Dr. Lewis as they explore the role of digital twins in digital engineering, how they will change the development of emerging technologies, integrating digital twins into the customer review process, and 5G for defense.

How can we increase our understanding of how AI models can fit into our lives? How do we translate data science concepts to subject matter experts? How do we attract the best AI talent? 

Join Dr. Mitchell Sutika-Sipus for a conversation on test and evaluation in AI, building resilience in testing models, AI ethics, and more.

Join Jacob Winn, NDIA ETI Associate Research Fellow, and Dr. Michael Fritze, an independent consultant, to discuss their new paper, "Modernizing Defense Microelectronics: Challenges and Opportunities." The pair discuss the findings of their research and lay out recommendations on how DoD can integrate more advanced microelectronics into their systems. To read the report, click here: www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/research-papers/modernizing-defense-microelectronics __________________________________________________________

This episode is sponsored by Raytheon. https://www.rtx.com/raytheon

__________________________________________________________

In May 2023, the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA)’s Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI), the Office of the Chief Scientist of the Air Force, and NDIA’s Science and Engineering Technology (S&ET) Division co-hosted a workshop on “Strengthening DoD-Industry-Academia Collaboration to Increase STEM Engagement with MSIS."

Join Wilson Miles, NDIA ETI Associate Research Fellow, to discuss ETI's new report on that workshop. Wilson discusses the workshop's goals, findings, and recommendations for next steps.

To read the report, click here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/workshop-reports/msi-report ______________________________________________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Raytheon. https://www.rtx.com/raytheon ______________________________________________________________________ http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

This week, Dr. Mark Lewis is joined by Dr. Mung Chiang, Dean of Engineering at Purdue University. Tune in to hear Dr. Lewis and Dean Chiang discuss the role of university partnerships in national security, creating a welcoming environment for talent, working with international partners and allies, and announcing Purdue’s new Center for Secure Microelectronics Ecosystem. Dr. Mung Chiang is the John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering and the Roscoe H. George Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University. Previously, Chiang was the Arthur LeGrand Doty Professor of Electrical Engineering at Princeton University, and an affiliated faculty in Applied and Computational Mathematics, and in Computer Science. He received his B.S. (Hons.), M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from Stanford University in 1999, 2000, and 2003, respectively, and was an Assistant Professor 2003-2008, a tenured Associate Professor 2008-2011, and a Professor 2011-2013 before becoming one of the youngest endowed chair professors at Princeton University.

This episode of Emerging Tech Horizons features Craig Mundie, President of Mundie and Associates, and former Chief Research and Strategy Officer at Microsoft. Listen in for a conversation on the future of quantum computing for defense and commercial applications, post-quantum cryptography, what we need to do to maintain digital superiority, and more.

Joining Dr. Lewis for this episode of Emerging Tech Horizons is Nicole Petta, Senior Director, Strategic Operations at Qualcomm. Nicole previously served as the Principal Director for Microelectronics, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and was responsible for a Department-wide look at microelectronics modernization. Tune in for a conversation on the competitive landscape, transitioning to a zero-trust model, and where to go next.

On this week’s episode, Dr. Mark Lewis is joined by Dr. Ravi Ravichandran, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of the Intelligence and Security Sector at BAE Systems. Join Dr. Ravichandran and Dr. Lewis as they explore the evolution of AI and machine learning, where we are now, and the next steps to implementing machine learning in all domain operations.

Join us for a conversation with Jacob Winn, ETI Associate Research Fellow. This episode discusses a brand new ETI report on changes over time in the Department of Defense's "Science & Technology" portfolio, which is the money that the Pentagon uses to invest in the technologies of the future. We talk about how the military has funded science in the past, and how the funding is changing now.

Learn more of what was discussed in this episode in ETI's newest white paper here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/research-papers/sandt-funding-report

In today's episode, our guest Nick Sinai discusses strategies and best practices for navigating the bureaucratic complexities inherent in emerging technology adoption, as well as making an impact when working with or within large bureaucracies.

Hack Your Bureaucracy by Marina Nitze and Nick Sinai https://www.hackyourbureaucracy.com/

__________________________________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Raytheon. https://www.rtx.com/raytheon __________________________________________________________

On this week’s episode of Emerging Tech Horizons, Dr. Mark Lewis is joined by Michael Kratsios, Managing Director at Scale AI, and former Chief Technology Officer of the U.S. Tune in for a conversation about how government can accelerate adoption of AI, the importance of constantly updating and refining AI models to prevent weaknesses, insight into setting the emerging technology agenda, and more.

In March 2023, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Institute released their "National Security Innovation Base" report card, which assesses the health of the U.S.' national security innovation ecosystem. This project is builds on the Ronald Reagan Institutes' 2019 Task Force on 21st century National Technology and Workforce.

Rachel Hoff, Policy Director at the Ronald Reagan Institute, and Eric Snelgrove, CEO of Revere Federal Strategies join ETI Executive Director, Dr. Arun Seraphin, to discuss how the report card measured the effectiveness, productivity, and resilience of our nation’s innovation ecosystem.

Read the report here: https://www.reaganfoundation.org/media/360351/nsib-2023-report-card_final.pdf

How does Texas innovation fit within larger, national defense missions?

At the 23rd Annual Science & Engineering Technology Conference, Dr. Arun Seraphin is joined by Drew Scheberle (Executive Director of the National Security Innovation Council) and Jim Perschbach (President & CEO at Port San Antonio) to learn more about Texas' contribution to the defense industrial base.

In an era where the Global Positioning System (GPS) is increasingly under threat by jamming and other anti-satellite capabilities, what does the future hold for military-grade Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT)? Today's guest is Dr. Alison Brown, President and CEO of NAVSYS Corporation. Alison and NAVSYS focus heavily on this work, providing a variety of PNT solutions. On this episode, Alisons joins us to discuss all things GPS, from what the military uses it for, to threats to the system, to alternatives that can support our military capabilities in a GPS-denied environment.

NAVSYS Corporation: https://www.navsys.com/

Registration is now open for the second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference! Please click here to learn more and register: www.ndiatechexpo.org

To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up

ETI Website: ⁠https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/⁠  https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

What is DoD's Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) system, and how does it succeed and fail to direct resources to the correct programs and projects to ensure that the best-performing capabilities are quickly and affordably delivered to the warfighter? The Legislative Commission on Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) Reform recently published its final report on this topic, proposing sweeping reforms to the process. The Commission, created by the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act, released a suite of recommendations that would change every aspect of PPBE from the way that national strategies are translated into DoD plans, the lines of communication between Congress and DoD, and the actual methods of managing the Department's finances.

Please join us for a conversation with Lara Sayer, the PPBE Reform Commission's Executive Director, and Jennifer Santos, one of the study's Commissioners alongside ETI's own Arun Seraphin.Read the PPBE Reform Commission's final report: https://ppbereform.senate.gov/finalreport/

Read the legislative language which established the independent commission (Section 1004 of the FY22 NDAA): https://ppbereform.senate.gov/section1004-fy22-ndaa/

ETI's second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference will take place August 7-9, 2024 at the Washington DC Convention Center.

To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here:

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In this episode, our guest Karen Thornton introduces us to the recently launched Defense Civilian Training Corps (DCTC) and explains how the Acquisition Innovation Research Center (AIRC)  is partnering with four pilot universities and key DoD organizations to strategically develop talent who can immediately contribute to solve challenging national security problems in collaboration with industry and adapt to the future. The Defense Civilian Training Corps is a congressionally-mandated talent development program that provides a multidisciplinary, active-learning curriculum with summer internship projects at DoD organizations. DCTC is a highly selective pilot program that provides a 100% tuition scholarship and prepares scholars for a direct pathway into DoD acquisition-related careers.

 

Defense Civilian Training Corps: https://dctc.mil/

Acquisition Innovation Research Center (AIRC): https://acqirc.org/dctc/

AIRC on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/defense-civilian-training-corps-dctc/

__________________________________________________________

This episode is sponsored by Raytheon. https://www.rtx.com/raytheon

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Are U.S. supply chains capable of bearing the burden of expanded hypersonics production? How do supply chain vulnerabilities affect U.S. national security? What can be done to secure the critical supply chains of the future?

In this podcast, lead author Rebecca Wostenberg, ETI Research Fellow, provides an overview of the first report of ETI’s Emerging Technologies Supply Chain Study, Hypersonics Supply Chains: Securing the Path to the Future. The report assesses the state of hypersonics supply chains and provides policy recommendations – to both government and industry – for their development, health, and resilience. Key categories discussed are critical materials and goods, manufacturing base and workforce, supply chain security, and international partnerships. 

Access the report here: NDIA.org/hypersonics

This webinar is presented by SCHOTT. SCHOTT is a leading global manufacturer of specialty glass, glass-ceramics, and finished optics. With over 50 years of operation in the United States, SCHOTT North America employs over 1,000 people across 7 facilities, including our R&D Center in Duryea, PA., providing decades of support to multiple DoD programs and mission critical development efforts. https://www.schott.com/en-us/about-us/company/research-and-development.

How well does the DOD innovate in science and technology, and how can it improve? Does the DOD acquisition system have some processes worth protecting?  How do we define success in acquisition? 

On this episode, Dr. Mark Lewis is joined by Dr. Jerry McGinn and Eric Lofgren from the Center for Government Contracting at George Mason University. Tune in to learn more about government procurement, S&T investments, innovation adoption, the defense budgeting system, and more. 

In this episode, our guest Arun Gupta describes how strong collaboration between business, government, and society can lead to opportunities to impact social challenges, such as climate change, cybersecurity, disease outbreaks, food insecurity, and education. Arun is the co-author of the book, “Venture Meets Mission,” which explains what is required to join people, purpose, and profit together for world-changing impact, starting with rebuilding trust between business, government, and society. Please join us for a conversation on harnessing private sector entrepreneurship to address societal challenges with Arun Gupta, CEO of NobleReach.

NobleReach Foundation:

https://noblereachfoundation.org/

Venture Meets Mission Book: https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=36446

ETI's second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference will take place August 7-9, 2024 at the Washington DC Convention Center. 

ETI Conference Page: ⁠https://www.ndiatechexpo.org/⁠

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How can Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) support DoD and defense industry workforce needs? How have students from MSIs contributed to defense missions? Why is bringing more MSI STEM students into DoD and the defense industry such a critical focus? Listen in as Dr. Arun Seraphin and Dr. Michelle Atchison dig into the role that MSIs play in defense.

Tune in for Part 2 of our conversation with Lara Sayer, the PPBE Reform Commission's Executive Director, and Jennifer Santos, one of the study's Commissioners who served alongside ETI's own Arun Seraphin. We continue to discuss the PPBE Reform Report's findings. How do the Department's budget plans interact with Congressional appropriations? How can the Department design better budgets?

Part 1 is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a30WVxXtL88

Read the PPBE Reform Commission's final report: https://ppbereform.senate.gov/finalreport/

https://ppbereform.senate.gov/bio-jennifer-santos/ https://ppbereform.senate.gov/staff/

Read the PPBE Reform Commission's final report: https://ppbereform.senate.gov/finalreport/

Read the legislative language which established the independent commission (Section 1004 of the FY22 NDAA): https://ppbereform.senate.gov/section1004-fy22-ndaa/

ETI's second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference will take place August 7-9, 2024 at the Washington DC Convention Center. To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

How is DOD adopting autonomous technologies for both tactical missions and back-end work? How are industry and government working together to deliver those capabilities? Join Randy Yamada, Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton overseeing technical teams and signal processing for control systems, as he discusses Booz Allen's engineering labs, how speed of technological change affects acquisition, and what challenges and opportunities exist for integrating commercial and DOD product development.

Booz Allen Hamilton: https://www.boozallen.com/ ___________________________________________________

This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ ___________________________________________________

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What is the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and what is the role of the Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics (STAA) team? What kind of services does the STAA provide? How does the STAA differ from the Congressional Research Service (CRS)?

Join Dr. Lewis and Dr. Timothy Persons, Chief Scientist for the Government Accountability Office, in this informative discussion on how the GAO’s STAA team provides oversight for the federal science and technology programs and why that oversight is necessary.

Our guests, Dr. Evan Fortunato (President & CEO, Apogee Research), Kirk McConnell (retired Professional Staff Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee), and Robert “Otis” Winkler (Vice President, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions) join the podcast for a discussion on Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA). During this episode, they cover the operational advantages and acquisition risks, how recent legislation affects the Department of Defense’s adoption of MOSA practices, and how to think about standards as a barrier or enabler of modular and open systems. The podcast also discusses potential tools for creating interoperable systems.

To receive updates about the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition on August 27-29, 2025 at the Washington D.C. Convention Center, please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up

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On this week's episode, Dr. Lewis is joined by General Hawk Carlisle, USAF (Ret), President and CEO of the National Defense Industrial Association. Join Dr. Lewis and Gen Carlisle as they discuss ETI's new role within NDIA, the challenges of getting new technologies into the budgeting and acquisition process, and a warfighter’s perspective on integrating emerging technologies into the services.

What is the 2024 National Security Innovation Base (NSIB) Report Card? Have U.S. grades improved since last year? How have venture capital and private equity played a role in defense innovation? Why did we get a D in defense modernization? Rachel Hoff, Policy Director at the Ronald Reagan Institute, and Dale Swartz, Partner at McKinsey & Co., Silicon Valley join the podcast to discuss how the NSIB Report Card’s newest iteration measured the effectiveness, productivity, and resilience of our nation’s innovation ecosystem, and how we fared compared to last year’s metrics. Also, learn about how this year’s report methodology changed from last year’s inaugural report.

Read more and download the report card here: https://www.reaganfoundation.org/reagan-institute/centers/peace-through-strength/national-security-innovation-base-program/ 

Read a report from McKinsey & Co. about the future of defense innovation here: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/aerospace-and-defense/our-insights/a-rising-wave-of-tech-disruptors-the-future-of-defense-innovation

____________________________________________________

This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ ____________________________________________________

 

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Jeff Janey is Chair of NDIA’s Munitions Technology Division, which facilitates technical dialogue between industry and government concerning the development, production, maintenance and demilitarization of munitions. We caught up with Jeff at the 2024 Future Forces Capabilities Conference (FFC) to discuss the state of play in munitions acquisitions, trends in emerging technologies like AI and directed energy, how the munitions industry thinks about cyber threats, and why working in the munitions industry can be so fulfilling.

NDIA Munitions Technology Division: https://www.ndia.org/divisions/munitions-technology

Czechoslovak Group: https://czechoslovakgroup.com/en

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Acquisition Symposium: https://www.ndia.org/events/2024/10/18/ai-in-acquisition-symposium

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This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ ____________________________________________________

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On this episode of Emerging Tech Horizons, our host, ETI Director Dr. Mark Lewis and co-host, Deputy Director Dr. Arun Seraphin, talk about Arun’s career path, including why he decided to come to ETI and his work in both legislative and executive positions in government. Arun also discusses some of the challenges that the federal government faces when it comes to attracting and retaining STEM talent—including how the government’s processes and culture can undermine its efforts towards these ends.

Glass is one of the oldest technologies in history. Is there any room for improvement? Is our defense industrial base healthy enough to manufacture and produce in advance materials in mass? What should the DOD do to support it? What are the manufacturing challenges and opportunities related to on-shoring of glass production and processing? How can the DOD assist contractors to improve production? Check out the episode to learn more. This webinar is presented by SCHOTT. SCHOTT is a leading global manufacturer of specialty glass, glass-ceramics, and finished optics. With over 50 years of operation in the United States, SCHOTT North America employs over 1,000 people across 7 facilities, including our R&D Center in Duryea, PA., providing decades of support to multiple DoD programs and mission critical development efforts.https://www.schott.com/en-us/about-us/company/research-and-development.

This week, Dr. Mark Lewis is joined by Dr. Bhavya Lal, Acting Chief of Staff at NASA. Listen in to hear Dr. Lewis and Dr. Lal discuss the importance of civilian space efforts in national security, the benefits of privatization of space, space as an instrument of diplomacy, and more. Bhavya Lal is acting chief of staff for NASA. As the senior White House appointee at NASA, Lal served as a member of the Biden Presidential Transition Agency Review Team for the agency and oversaw the agency’s transition under the administration of President Joe Biden.

Matt Dooley, NDIA Robotics Division Chair and Defense Strategic Initiative Lead at Forterra, and Pat Acox, Head of Government Growth at Forterra, join live from the floor of the 2024 Future Force Capabilities Conference & Exhibition. They discuss featured robotics panels at the conference, how the Robotics Division is focusing on multi-domain operations and cross-industry collaboration, and the development and integration of autonomy for unmanned vehicles.

Forterra: https://www.forterra.com/

NDIA Robotics Division: https://www.ndia.org/divisions/robotics

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Acquisition Symposium: https://www.ndia.org/events/2024/10/18/ai-in-acquisition-symposium

____________________________________________________This episode is sponsored by Booz Allen: https://www.boozallen.com/ ____________________________________________________ To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-up http://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org https://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETI https://www.linkedin.com/company/ndia-eti-emerging-technologies-institute https://www.twitter.com/EmergingTechETI

Join Bill Bonvillian from MIT and author of the new book "Pioneering Progress: American Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy" to discuss the history of the development of our systems to invest in and deploy new technologies to grow our economy and support our national defense. What role has government investment in new technologies played over history? What can advanced manufacturing programs do to create new jobs and deliver warfighting capabilities?  How should the lessons of the past be used to shape the policies of the future?

Pioneering Progress: https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-monograph/5865/Pioneering-ProgressAmerican-Science-Technology-and

https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262549448/pioneering-progress/ (click Open Access)

Manuafacturing Update substack: https://manufacturingatmit.substack.com/

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This week on Emerging Tech Horizons, Dr. Lewis is joined by The Honorable Alan Shaffer. Mr. Shaffer's vast experience, from 24 years in the Air Force to being the former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, makes for a great discussion you won't want to miss. Join Mr. Shaffer and Dr. Lewis as they dive into topics such as digital engineering, technology priorities, and how to develop and introduce technologies more affordably and efficiently.

Hermeus Corporation is a venture-backed aerospace company developing reusable hypersonic aircraft for defense and commercial flight. Join Zach Shore, Chief Revenue Officer, to explore how Hermeus is overcoming technical, regulatory, and funding hurdles to advance U.S. leadership in reusable hypersonic flight.

State of the Company | 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--UFHMHG9B8&t=2sState of the Company | 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlrmfsbyQxUhttps://www.hermeus.com/zach@hermeus.com

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Join MIT's Bill Bonvillian, author of the new book "Pioneering Progress: American Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy," as he describes the elements of an effective industrial innovation policy to support national defense and other missions. What role did the government play in successful technology ventures like Tesla's electric vehicles and Operation Warp Speed?  How can an industrial innovation policy steer clear of the mistakes of the past?  How should policy be tailored in a world of VC investors?  What should the new Congress do to shape new industrial policies?  

Pioneering Progress: https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-monog...

https://mitpress.mit.edu/978026254944... (click Open Access)

NDIA ETI report on Rapid Technology Capability Adoption (including Operation Warp Speed):  

https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/publications/research-papers/accelerating-the-adoption-of-emerging-capabilities

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This week, Dr. Mark Lewis is joined by Sara Carioscia, Johns Hopkins University PhD student in the Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology and Biophysics. Listen in for an early career perspective on STEM defense talent, connecting funded researchers with Department projects, mentorship, and more.

How is the Department of Defense faring with incorporating Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) into its technology development processes? Recent legislation requires acquisition programs to implement a MOSA to the maximum extent practicable. Anne McDonough, Assistant Director at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), joins the podcast to describe what MOSA is, who owns the MOSA approach on a program, and what the benefits and risks are as well as how policy can affect implementation. In this episode, Anne covers a recent GAO report that evaluates the extent to which DoD is able to implement MOSA in its programs.

GAO Report: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-106931

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How is the science and technology relationship between the United States and India evolving? What can we do to increase U.S.-Indian defense industry cooperation? The India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem, aka "INDUS-X", was established in June 2023 to deepen this national security collaboration and build a "defense innovation bridge" between the two countries. INDUS-X has led to a series of partnerships between U.S. and Indian government agencies, companies, and universities to date.

To learn more about U.S.-Indian cooperation and INDUS-X, please join us for a conversation with Dr. Sameer Lalwani, a senior expert on South Asia at the U.S. Institute of Peace and non-resident senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

Read the most recent U.S. DoD fact sheet on INDUS-X: https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3682879/fact-sheet-india-us-defense-acceleration-ecosystem-indus-x/

Read Dr. Lalwani's analysis of INDUS-X for the U.S. Institute of Peace: https://www.usip.org/publications/2024/02/whats-deal-indus-x

ETI's second annual Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference will take place August 7-9, 2024 at the Washington DC Convention Center. 

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This week on Emerging Tech Horizons, Dr. Mark Lewis is joined by Mackenzie Eaglen, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Join us for her perspective on the challenges of military modernization, fielding new acquisitions while carrying legacy systems, what needs to be in the next National Defense Strategy, and competition with China. Press Enter to explore message content, then use Escape to shift focus back to navigate through the message stream.