Emerging Tech Horizons

Emerging Tech Horizons

By: Dr. Arun Seraphin

Language: en-us

Categories: Science, Physics

ETI provides research and analyses to inform the development and integration of emerging technologies into the defense industrial base. This podcast will feature topics and speakers focusing on emerging technologies.

Episodes

Empowering Innovation in Defense Manufacturing and Policy
Oct 24, 2025


Join Arun Seraphin at the 2025 Women in Defense Conference for a conversation with Halimah Najieb-Locke, Senior Vice President of Global Public Policy at Darkhive. Halima explores how innovative defense technology startups can transform industrial policy and autonomous systems manufacturing, emphasizing the importance of distributed manufacturing, multi-agency partnerships, and strategic supply chain development for national security operations.

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Duration: 00:15:42
Innovation in AI-Powered Disaster Response
Oct 22, 2025

Join guest host Dr. Mark Lewis, President and CEO of the Purdue Applied Research Institute, for a discussion at the 2025 Emerging Technologies Conference with Dr. Kimberly Elenberg from Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Ellenberg explores how autonomous AI systems can enhance disaster response and mission-critical operations, emphasizing the importance of multi-agent swarm technologies, sensor integration, and collaborative approaches between government, industry, and academia.

Learn More:

https://autonlab.org/welcome.html

https://www.darpa.mil/research/challenges/darpa-triage-challenge/about

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Duration: 00:21:05
Leveraging AI to Advance DoD and Industry Collaboration
Oct 17, 2025

Join guest host Dr. Mark Lewis, President and CEO of the Purdue Applied Research Institute, for a discussion with Dr. Will Roper, CEO of Istari Digital, at the 2025 Emerging Technologies Conference . Dr. Roper explores how AI-driven tools can make innovation and collaboration more efficient, emphasizing the need for data control, software-based processes, and a unified framework that enables both new and established industries to compete and innovate effectively.

Learn More: https://www.istaridigital.com/about-us

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http...

Duration: 00:22:30
Thinking Like the Brain: Neuromorphic AI and the Future of Defense Computing
Oct 15, 2025

Join host Dr. Arun Seraphin for a conversation with Dr. Steve Harber of Parallax Advanced Research and the Ohio Aerospace Institute. In this episode, Dr. Harber discusses neuromorphic artificial intelligence, an approach to AI that models computing after the human brain's efficient, adaptive neural networks. The discussion highlights the advantages of neuromorphic AI over traditional computing in power consumption, processing, and its ability to intuitively learn, as well as possible defense applications in edge computing, UAS operations, and electronic warfare. The episode dives into the maturity of the technology and the challenges to developing an entirely new way of...

Duration: 00:53:33
Women in Defense 2025: Exploring Planetary Protection
Oct 10, 2025

Join host Arun Seraphin at the 2025 Women in Defense Conference for a conversation with PhD Candidate Adrienne Rudolph and Professor Brent Barbee of the University of Maryland. Together, they discuss the importance of gender solidarity in the defense sector while sharing their expertise in planetary defense systems. Highlighting the need for asteroid and meteoroid deterrence capabilities, they also review the roles of key government agencies and the technologies currently engaged in this mission.Learn More:https://science.nasa.gov/planetary-defense/To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-uphttp://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.orghttps...

Duration: 00:23:14
NATO DIANA: Transatlantic Security and Defense Innovation
Oct 08, 2025

Join guest host Dr. Mark Lewis, President and CEO of the Purdue Applied Research Institute at the 2025 Emerging Technologies Conference, for a conversation with James Appathurai, Interim Managing Director of NATO DIANA. Together, they address key security and defense issues on NATO’s agenda, including military support for Ukraine, challenges in innovation and acquisition, and priority emerging technologies.Learn More:https://www.diana.nato.int/To receive updates about the conference 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

Duration: 00:23:20
Inside Latvia’s Defense Tech Sector
Oct 03, 2025

Join Emerging Technologies Conference 2025 guest host Dr. Mark Lewis, President and CEO of the Purdue Applied Research Institute, for a conversation with Elīna Egle, CEO of the Federation of Security and Defense Industries of Latvia. Egle shares insights into Latvia’s growing defense and security sector, highlighting its strengths as well as its vulnerabilities. The discussion covers topics such as funding acquisition, international cooperation, NATO procurement systems, and barriers to innovation in Latvia’s key areas, including logistics services, industrial heritage in aircraft building, space technologies, and autonomous drone systems.


Latvian Companies Mentioned:

...

Duration: 00:22:25
Rations to the Warfighter: Innovation and Vulnerabilities
Oct 01, 2025

Join guest host Dr. Liz Specht for a conversation with Nicole Favreau Farhadi, Senior Research Biochemist at the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s (DEVCOM) Soldier Center, Combat Feeding Division (CFD). This episode, the final installment of our five-part biomanufacturing series, explores food research within the Department of Defense and the intersection of food biomanufacturing innovation with warfighter readiness. The discussion highlights the Defense Department’s responsibilities in combat feeding, logistical vulnerabilities in military food systems, the integration of new biotechnologies for food processing, and the optimization of combat rations for nutrient density, weight, and shelf life.

Lear...

Duration: 00:37:16
DARPA’s Role in Protecting the Agricultural Supply Chain
Sep 24, 2025

Join guest host Dr. Liz Specht for a conversation with Dr. Michael Koeris, Director of the Biological Technologies Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This episode, the fourth in our five-part series, explores national security and defense readiness cases for food manufacturing and DARPA’s role in driving innovation in this sector. The discussion examines DARPA’s broader position within the Department of Defense’s innovation ecosystem and highlights current federal programs that safeguard American agricultural supply chains.https://www.darpa.mil/about/offices/btoTo receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https...

Duration: 00:37:19
Hackathons – Delivering Relevant Tech to the Warfighter Ahead of Requirements
Sep 19, 2025

Nick Sinai, former U.S. Deputy CTO and venture capital investor, is a leading authority on federal innovation policy and defense start-ups. 

We spoke to Nick about how hackathons are being used by DOD to address real operational problems outside the formal requirements process.  

Nick explains that these events build networks of talent, expose participants to new tools and datasets, and foster ideas that can sometimes even mature into field-ready solutions. Hackathons give both industry and government a rapid, low-risk way to experiment and learn what the warfighter actually needs.

To receive updates ab...

Duration: 00:14:50
The Age of Biology: Safeguarding America’s Bio-Industrial Edge
Sep 17, 2025

Join host Dr. Liz Specht for a conversation with Dr. Michelle Rozo, Vice Chair of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, to discuss why biotechnology is becoming a critical pillar of U.S. national security. Dr. Roso explains how breakthroughs in biomanufacturing promise to secure DoD supply chains and create new defense capabilities, producing key materials like synthetic blood or advanced polymers. The episode explains the evidence that the United States risks losing its lead to China in biotechnology, and outlines legislative recommendations to strengthen the domestic bio-industrial base, including innovative industrial policy tools like advanced market commitments.<...

Duration: 00:33:01
NDAA 2026: Breaking Down the Biggest Changes
Sep 15, 2025

Join host Arun Seraphin for a conversation with defense acquisition expert Moshe Schwartz to discuss how the FY 2026 NDAA is shaping up. Arun and Moshe lean on their deep expertise in the authorization process to break down new provisions that could significantly change how DoD creates requirements, budgets for systems, and works with commercial and non-traditional contractors.

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Duration: 00:41:31
Beyond the Pitch Deck: Venture Signals for Defense Startups
Sep 12, 2025

Join guest host Dr. Mark Lewis and Meritech Capital Partners cofounder Paul Madera for a talk on Series C/D investing, how VCs judge business models, and where defense tech actually fits. A former Air Force fighter pilot turned investor, Paul helped build one of Silicon Valley’s leading late-stage venture firms. In this episode, he dives into the real economics of late-stage venture and what it takes to scale emerging defense technologies. He explains how customer dependence, not pitch decks, drives investment decisions, why AI’s compute costs are bending business models, and why there’s finally an invest...

Duration: 00:20:43
Synthetic Strength: Positioning Biomanufacturing as a U.S. Strategic Asset
Sep 10, 2025

Join guest host Dr. Liz Specht for a conversation with Matt Spence, the managing director and global head of venture capital banking at Barclays. In this episode Dr. Spence discusses the role food security plays in national security and how the government can incentivize and support biotechnology research and development. The episode explores how synthetic biology can be leveraged into additional defense uses and dispels common misconceptions about synthetic biology and national security.

To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://www.emergingtechnologiesinstitute.org/sign-uphttp://emergingtechnologiesinstitute.orghttps://www.facebook.com/EmergingTechETIhttps://www...

Duration: 00:34:22
The Future of U.S. Food Security
Sep 03, 2025

Join host Dr. Arun Seraphin for a conversation with Dr. Liz Specht, a Horizon Institute Public Service Fellow with the Emerging Technologies Institute. This episode launches a five-part series exploring the intersection of national defense and biomanufacturing. Dr. Specht opens the series by examining vulnerabilities in food manufacturing and explaining how emerging technologies can help build resilient agricultural supply chains. Drawing on case studies such as U.S.-China trade dynamics, the discussion highlights key lessons for the Department of Defense.


To receive updates about the conference please join our mailing list here: https://w...

Duration: 00:30:20
Beast in the Machine: The Future of AI and Robotics in War
Aug 20, 2025

Join host Dr. Arun Seraphin for a conversation with Dr. George Dougherty, who is a retired Air Force Colonel with deep experience in the Air Force Science & Technology Enterprise. In this episode, Dr. Dougherty discusses his forthcoming book Beast in the Machine: How Robotics and AI Will Transform Warfare and the Future of Human Conflict. This episode provides a preview of the book's central themes and a discussion about the future of robotic warfare and AI-enabled systems. Additionally, we go over some interesting stories from past uses of robotic warfare and the lessons learned from those examples.  

Duration: 00:53:49

Fostering Defense-Tech Innovation Across the NATO Alliance
Aug 13, 2025

Join host Dr. Arun Seraphin for a conversation with Mr. Tom McSorley, General Counsel the NATO Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, or DIANA. In this episode, Mr. McSorley discuss the role NATO DIANA plays in supporting the development of critical emerging technologies for defense and security across all 32 NATO-member nations. Additionally, Mr. McSorley previews the role DIANA will play at this year’s NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition. This episode provides a deep dive into NATO DIANA’s mission and how they practically accelerate the development of critical defense technologies to aid the warfighter.

Duration: 00:51:34
DOD-Industry Collaboration in Science & Engineering Technology
Aug 07, 2025

Join host Dr. Arun Seraphin for a conversation with Dr. Reed Skaggs, Chief Strategy and Business Operations Officer at Lewis-Burke Associates, and Jennifer Walsh, Director of Divisions at the National Defense Industrial Association – NDIA. In this episode, Dr. Skaggs and Ms. Walsh discuss the upcoming NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition and the role the Science and Engineering Technology Division will be playing. This episode provides a deep dive into the S&ET Division’s programming and other initiatives. Finally, we go over S&ET’s efforts to support the integration of Artificial Intelligence across the Pentagon to sup...

Duration: 00:44:56
Does the DOD need Warfighter-Portable Drones in the Indo-Pacific?
Jul 24, 2025

Join host Dr. Arun Seraphin for a conversation with Dr. David Bray, Director of the Loomis Accelerator Program and Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center, and Jeffrey Wright, recently retired Special Operations Officer and Founder of SplashOne Robotics. In this episode, Dr. Bray and Mr. Wright discuss whether the DOD needs to develop and deploy warfighter-portable small unmanned aerial systems in the Indo-Pacific, and potentially other theaters. Additionally, we cover the current barriers to implementing small-UAS in the Indo-Pacific region and what changes need to be made to DOD acquisition processes and culture to better prepare for future conflicts.  Duration: 01:04:20

How DIU is using AI to Connect Commercial Innovation to the Warfighter
Jul 02, 2025

Join host Dr. Arun Seraphin for a conversation with Cheryl Ingstad, Deputy Director for Digital Platforms & Developer Ecosystem at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). In this episode, Ms. Ingstad discusses DIU’s new Digital OnRamp Platform that connects commercial technology companies to DOD award opportunities, fulfilling warfighter needs. Additionally, we cover who this platform is made for, how it incorporates emerging AI technologies, and how industry can get involved in shaping the platform. DIU wants the help of the commercial sector and academia to support the rollout of the Digital OnRamp this Fall.

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Duration: 00:42:58
Lessons Learned from DOD IT-Acquisition Failures
Jun 25, 2025

In this episode, we are joined by John Weiler, CEO of the IT-Acquisition Advisory Council, to discuss the past, present, and future of DOD IT acquisitions. We discuss the past failures of DOD IT-acquisition programs and how the Pentagon can learn from those mistakes. Additionally, Mr. Weiler details the best commercial practices the Department of Defense should adopt to successfully procure and deploy the best software for their mission.  


Executive Order 14222 - Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency“ Cost Efficiency Initiative:  https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency-cost-efficiency-initiative/


DOD Memo o...

Duration: 00:41:27
Supporting the Defense Acquisition Workforce with AI
Jun 11, 2025

In May 2025, the Emerging Technologies Institute and MITRE Corporation released a report that explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can improve the Department of Defense’s acquisition system and support its workforce. Several of the authors, including Adam Bouffard (Group Leader and Principal Decision Analyst at MITRE), Chris Barlow (Senior Acquisition Analyst), and Wilson Miles (Associate Research Fellow at ETI) joined the podcast to discuss both the opportunities of inserting AI into the acquisition lifecycle and barriers to implementation. Additionally, the guests describe several potential paths forward to accelerate the adoption of AI for acquisition needs.

Accelerating the Fu...

Duration: 00:37:33
Building the Future of Maritime Mobility
May 28, 2025

In this episode, we are joined by Tom Huntley, who is Vice President of Government Relations and Defense at REGENT, to discuss the future of advanced maritime mobility. We discuss the technological breakthroughs that have allowed for recent developments in Seagliders and the current state of play in the maritime industry. Additionally, Huntley lays out the potential commercial, homeland security, and defense missions that seagliders are well-suited for. 

For more information on REGENT, visit their website: https://www.regentcraft.com/ 

To view the first flight of REGENT’s quarter-scale seaglider, watch this video: https://www.yout...

Duration: 00:49:01
Replacing the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System
May 21, 2025

In this episode, we are joined by William C. Greenwalt, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), to evaluate the state of the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDs). Drawing on the release of his new report, “Required to Fail | Beyond Documents: Accelerating Joint Advantage through Direct Resourcing and Experimentation,” Greenwalt discusses the need to reform JCIDs to ensure military capabilities serve joint force needs rather than individual services, driving interoperability across services, and connecting strategy to acquisition by validating the alignment of new requirements. Additionally, Greenwalt highlights opportunities to improve how the United States aligns warfighter need...

Duration: 00:47:01
Grading the U.S. National Security Innovation Base
May 14, 2025

In March, the Ronald Reagan Institute published its third annual National Security Innovation Base (NSIB) Report Card, a scorecard that uses 10 indicators such as 'Manufacturing Capacity and Industrial Base' and 'Innovation Capital' to measure the effectiveness and resilience of the U.S. defense innovation base. Join Rachel Hoff, Policy Director at the Reagan Institute, and Eric Snelgrove, CEO of Revere Federal Strategies, as they discuss how the scorecard is produced and indicators are chosen, why the private sector received higher grades than the government in key areas, which indicators are most important to keep an eye on, and how...

Duration: 00:41:52
Defense Budget Reforms: An Appropriators Perspective
May 07, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Kate Käufer, former Majority Clerk of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and founder of KMK Global Strategies, to review past attempts at financial management reform within the Department of Defense. Kaufer discusses the successes and lessons learned from past attempts at acquisitions, PPBE, and requirements reform, and shares her recommendations for future attempts at change. Additionally, Kaufer highlights the relationship between the DOD and Congress in the quest for more efficient budgeting and appropriations systems. Check out our recent episode with Kate Käufer about the State of Defense Appropriations to...

Duration: 00:22:13
The State of Defense Appropriations
Apr 30, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Kate Käufer, former Majority Clerk of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and founder of KMK Global Strategies, to unpack the complexities of the current state of play in defense funding – including the FY25 continuing resolution, budget reconciliation, and impending FY26 budget processes. Käufer shares insights from over two decades on the Hill, highlighting how defense programs will be affected by the CR and expected funding actions by Congress, and what the potential impacts will be for defense and commercial industry.To receive updates about the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defe...

Duration: 00:35:24
5 Years Later: How is DoD's Adaptive Acquisition Framework Working?
Apr 23, 2025

 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. Co...

Duration: 00:41:16
Building and Integrating Capabilities Using Modular Open Systems Architecture
Apr 17, 2025

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 ND...

Duration: 00:53:03
Understanding Modular Open Systems Approach and Why it Matters for DoD
Apr 09, 2025

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.

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Duration: 00:39:54
Hypersonic Aircraft—Accelerating Toward the Future
Mar 26, 2025

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


To receive updates about the NDIA Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference and Exhibition on August 27-29, 2025 at...

Duration: 00:39:54
Analyzing Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
Mar 19, 2025

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.


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Duration: 00:39:54
The Role of High-Skilled Immigration in Defense
Mar 05, 2025

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 W...

Duration: 00:39:54
Prototyping for the Future
Feb 20, 2025

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...

Duration: 00:39:54
The FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (Part 2): Technology, Innovation, and the Outlook for Future
Feb 11, 2025

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...

Duration: 00:39:54
The FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): Supply Chains and Acquisition Reform (Part 1)
Feb 05, 2025

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 ab...

Duration: 00:32:14
Why Government Space Missions Need the Commercial Sector
Jan 22, 2025

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.s...

Duration: 00:34:28
Pioneering Progress Part 2: An American Industrial Innovation Policy
Jan 15, 2025

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...

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Duration: 00:42:53
Pioneering Progress: Policies to Drive Innovation for National Defense and Economic Growth Part 1
Jan 08, 2025

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

htt...

Duration: 00:43:37
Accessing Commercial and Global Innovation for Defense
Dec 25, 2024

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 ...

Duration: 00:30:39
Connecting Silicon Valley to Defense Industry
Dec 11, 2024

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 Str...

Duration: 00:48:25
Navigating Classification, Part 2: Breaking Into Defense Innovation
Nov 27, 2024

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...

Duration: 00:32:24
Unlocking Innovation: Small Companies in the Classified Space, Part 1
Nov 13, 2024

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, an...

Duration: 00:33:09
The State of Defense Appropriations
Oct 30, 2024

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 a...

Duration: 00:43:45
Bridging Commercial and DOD Production with Booz Allen Hamilton
Oct 23, 2024

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/ ___________________________________________________

To receive updates...

Duration: 00:31:01
Munitions Update at the 2024 Future Forces Capabilities Conference
Oct 16, 2024

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 Arti...

Duration: 00:29:14
Armaments Update at the 2024 Future Force Capabilities Conference
Oct 09, 2024

Nick Perry, NDIA Armaments Division Chair and Director of Global Strategy and Defense Systems at Northrop Grumman, joins live from the floor of the 2024 Future Force Capabilities Conference & Exhibition to discuss the conference, the Armaments Division, and the impact of emerging technologies on armaments. Mr. Perry and host Arun Seraphin cover advancements in UAS and C-UAS, the new generation of munitions, how the division is addressing workforce challenges, and how the government can best support the munitions and armaments industrial base.

Northrop Grumman: https://www.northropgrumman.com/

NDIA Armaments Division: https://www.ndia.org/divisions...

Duration: 00:26:16
Robotics Spotlight at the 2024 Future Force Capabilities Conference
Oct 02, 2024

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<...

Duration: 00:30:09
DOD's new Acquisition Policy Innovation Engine: The AIRC
Sep 18, 2024

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...

Duration: 00:36:03
How Estonia, the EU’s E-State, Promotes Defense Technology
Sep 04, 2024

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 collabor...

Duration: 00:32:27
Reviewing the 2024 GAO Weapon Systems Annual Assessment
Aug 21, 2024

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.

____________________________________________________

This episode is sponso...

Duration: 00:42:07
Reviewing the 2024 NSIB Report Card (Part 2)
Aug 15, 2024

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 m...

Duration: 00:33:32
Reviewing the 2024 NSIB Report Card (Part 1)
Aug 07, 2024

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...

Duration: 00:31:46
Evaluating AI-enabled Drone Swarms and the Future of Homeland Security
Jul 24, 2024

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.

<...

Duration: 00:37:16
NDIA's Vital Signs 2024 Report with Jen Stewart
Jul 10, 2024

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 co...

Duration: 00:37:41
Previewing the NDIA Emerging Technologies Conference with Under Secretary Heidi Shyu
Jun 26, 2024

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...

Duration: 00:31:15
Reshaping Energy Generation and distribution Through Power Beamin
Jun 12, 2024

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...

Duration: 00:33:21
The Future of the Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT)
May 29, 2024

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...

Duration: 00:35:41
Emerging Technologies in FY24 Appropriations Part 1
May 15, 2024

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/

Duration: 00:30:23
Venture Meets Mission: Public-Private Partnerships to Solve Today’s Problems
May 01, 2024

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/

<...

Duration: 00:40:05
Unpacking INDUS-X with Dr. Sameer Lalwani
Apr 24, 2024

DESCRIPTION:

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...

Duration: 00:35:15
PPBE Commission Report: Moving Money at the Speed of Innovation, Part 2
Apr 17, 2024

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/

...

Duration: 00:32:52
PPBE Commission Report: Moving Money at the Speed of Innovation, Part 1
Apr 02, 2024

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...

Duration: 00:30:27
National Defense Industrial Strategy with DOD's Justin K. McFarlin
Mar 20, 2024

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...

Duration: 00:28:46
What is the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) About? Part 2
Mar 06, 2024

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...

Duration: 00:36:33
What is the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) About?
Feb 21, 2024

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.et...

Duration: 00:42:13
Are Directed Energy Supply Chains Ready? Part 2
Feb 07, 2024


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

Re...

Duration: 00:34:38
Are Directed Energy Supply Chains Ready? Part 1
Jan 25, 2024

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


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/

Duration: 00:32:01

What is the Defense Civilian Training Corps (DCTC)?
Jan 11, 2024

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 fo...

Duration: 00:36:24
Assessing Financial Risks in Defense Supply Chains with RapidRatings International
Dec 27, 2023

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...

Duration: 00:32:26
Hacking your Bureaucracy with Nick Sinai
Dec 13, 2023

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 __________________________________________________________

Duration: 00:43:32
Examining the Joint Warfighting Concept: Challenges & Opportunities w/ the Hon. Al Shaffer
Nov 29, 2023

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...

Duration: 00:43:46
Defense Microelectronics Modernization Challenges and Opportunities
Nov 15, 2023

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

__________________________________________________________

Duration: 00:31:42
Strengthening STEM Engagement with Minority Serving Institutions
Nov 08, 2023

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 sponso...

Duration: 00:14:36
Letterkenny Army Depot Talks About Emerging Technologies, Industry Relations, and Workforce Efforts
Oct 18, 2023

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 co...

Duration: 00:26:52
5G & Future G Capabilities and What It Means to the Defense Industrial Base
Oct 05, 2023

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...

Duration: 00:26:33
Software Productivity Trends and Issues within the Defense Industrial Base
Sep 20, 2023

The Department of Defense is experiencing an explosive increase in its demand for software-implemented features in weapon systems. The combination of exponential increases in computing power and similar advances in memory density and speed has made software-mediated implementation of system features increasingly attractive. In the meantime, defense software productivity and industrial base capacity have not been growing as quickly. Do we have an impending bottleneck? If so, what are the management implications?
Find out with Dr. Arun Seraphin and Dr. David Tate, Senior Analyst in the Cost Analysis Research Division of the Institute for Defense Analyses.

...

Duration: 00:30:17
DoD's S&T Budget Priorities for FY24
Sep 06, 2023

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.


Duration: 00:34:25
Evaluating the U.S. Innovation Ecosystem with Ronald Reagan Institute
Aug 23, 2023

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.re...

Duration: 00:37:07
How the Department of Defense Benefits from Regional Collaboration in Texas
Aug 09, 2023

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.


Duration: 00:27:21
Previewing the Emerging Technologies Conference with Under Secretary Heidi Shyu
Aug 02, 2023

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/


Duration: 00:29:38
Software Modernization with Dr. Forrest Shull
Jul 19, 2023

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".


Duration: 00:35:36
Evaluating the Benefits of Department of Defense-Minority Serving Institution Partnerships with UTSA
Jul 14, 2023

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.

Duration: 00:21:40
The future of S&ET at the 23rd Annual Science & Engineering Technology Conference
Jun 28, 2023

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 abo...

Duration: 00:23:54
How DoD Funds Science and Technology on Emerging Tech Horizons
Jun 14, 2023

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

Duration: 00:25:25
Redefining Higher Education with University of Texas San Antonio
Jun 08, 2023

Join us for a conversation with NDIA’s new Executive Vice President, Brigadier General (Ret.) Guy Walsh. The podcast focuses on the University of Texas San Antonio’s National Security Collaboration Center (NSCC), which advances research, education and workforce development in cybersecurity, data analytics and cloud computing. The discussion wraps up with Guy Walsh reflecting on previous experience with NDIA, which led him to join the team.

Duration: 00:22:31
Why the Use of Glass to Support Emerging Technologies for Defense
May 31, 2023

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...

Duration: 00:30:32
The Future of Hypersonics Supply Chains on Emerging Tech Horizons
May 17, 2023

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 discus...

Duration: 00:31:41
Is the Department of Defense struggling with its data management?
May 03, 2023

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...

Duration: 00:28:08
Why is quantum computing so important to the Department of Defense?
Apr 19, 2023

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 o...

Duration: 00:36:35
Why is the Department of Defense interested in digital twinning?
Apr 05, 2023

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...

Duration: 00:30:05
The Rise of China's Emerging Technologies with Dean Cheng
Mar 22, 2023

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 lead...

Duration: 00:31:23
Is the United States ready for an Industrial Policy?
Mar 08, 2023

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.

Duration: 00:31:44
How Pentagon Works with Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Feb 27, 2023

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.

Duration: 00:30:31
How Well Does the DOD innovate in Science and Technology?
Feb 08, 2023

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. 

Duration: 00:40:27
Modernizing U.S. Science and Technology Policy on Emerging Tech Horizons
Jan 25, 2023

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.

Duration: 00:31:05
The Blended Wing Body with Dr. Fay Collier, NASA on Emerging Tech Horizons
Jan 11, 2023

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.

Duration: 00:26:32
Journalism and National Defense with National Defense Magazine
Dec 21, 2022

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.

Duration: 00:33:45
Operational Energy, Renewable Energy, and the Future of Energy Technology
Dec 07, 2022

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. 

Duration: 00:23:02
CHIPS Act and Microelectronics with Dr. Michael Fritze on Emerging Tech Horizons
Nov 23, 2022

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.

Duration: 00:28:54