Innovation in defense is more important than ever … But delivering innovation to the warfighter cannot happen without acquisition.
Hear directly from one of the nation’s leading experts in transitioning emerging technology to the warfighter with speed and scale, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) director Doug Beck, during the Naval Postgraduate School’s (NPS) 22nd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium and Innovation Summit, May 7-8. Following the theme, Creating Synergy for Change: Transitioning Technology to the Warfighter, this year’s event is virtual and will be broadcast to attendees nationwide.
As head of DIU and a senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Beck oversees efforts to accelerate DOD’s adoption of commercial technology throughout the military. Under his leadership, DIU has moved into the next phase of its development – scaling innovation throughout the DOD, and aligning and building a national innovation force.
“The annual Acquisition Research Symposium offers an acquisition professional a unique opportunity to come together with warfighters, practitioners, senior leaders, industry partners and researchers to focus on ways to improve the delivery capability to the warfighter at the speed and scale of relevance,” said Dr. Bob Mortlock, retired Army colonel, principal investigator for NPS’ Acquisition Research Program and a professor of the practice in the Department of Defense Management. “Leading researchers share their research findings and generate discussions about the impact of that research to improve the efficiency and outcomes of acquisition processes.”
Beck will deliver his unique insights into one of the most critical issues facing U.S. defense, bringing innovative technology and unmatched capability to the warfighter with the focus, scale, and speed necessary for strategic superiority. He joins NPS president retired Vice Adm. Ann Rondeau, Ed.D., for a fireside chat on “Innovating Defense,” May 8, during which virtual audience members will be invited to submit questions.
During the discussion, Beck will detail DIU's use of the Adaptive Acquisition Framework and various contracting authorities to speed the development and implementation of new technologies for the warfighter. NPS and DIU recently formalized their partnership through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in April 2024 to accelerate adoption of commercial dual-use technology solutions, while enhancing the advanced education of the defense leaders needed to employ them.
“DIU partners with many Silicon Valley organizations, from tech icons to start-ups as well as universities, and NPS is a natural fit given its defense focus,” Beck said in announcing the MOU. “Through this partnership we will connect companies with NPS talent and technology leaders, providing a catalyst for their learning and applied research to deliver innovative solutions for the joint force.”
“NPS provides a venue to challenge assumptions, try new ideas, and with our industry partners, we serve as an innovation hub to rapidly adapt research concepts into prototype applications and capabilities,” Rondeau added. “This new partnership with DIU will greatly enhance the impact our students can have on the fleet and force through expanded collaborations and greater access to emerging technologies.”
For the first time since 2020, this year’s symposium and innovation summit will be held as an interactive, virtual event. But the annual symposium remains the leading forum for advancing defense acquisition that attendees have come to expect, bringing together scholars, policymakers, military and industry leaders, practitioners, and students to discuss critical topics in defense acquisition and innovation, including technology transition, agile processes, strengthening the industrial base, and developing and scaling new technologies.
Defense leaders uniformly recognize the urgency around acquisition reform is higher than ever, and the field is evolving rapidly.
“Acquisition reform initiatives have been continual for the past several decades, but the pace of technological advances and adversarial threats have made acquisition reform even more critical now than ever,” said Mortlock. “The way the U.S. military maintains its technological edge on the battlefield is through research into how to transition emerging technologies across the ‘valley of death,’ experiment with prototypes and integrate them into warfighting systems.
“Acquisition reform must address challenges in requirements, resourcing, technology and manufacturing maturity levels, stakeholder engagement, and bureaucratic regulations/laws to delivery improved outcomes to the warfighter,” he added.
NPS’ 22nd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium and Innovation Summit will be held virtually, May 7-8 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Central Time.
Additional distinguished keynote speakers and panelists include: Steven J. Morani, performing the duties of Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment; the Hon. Sean J. Stackley, former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition; U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe Jr., Director for Strategic Systems Programs; U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Kurt J. Rothenhaus, Chief of Naval Research; U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Robert Collins, Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (ALT); U.S. Marine Corps Brigadier Gen. Tamara Campbell, Commander, Marine Corps Systems Command; Major Gen, Steve “Bucky” Butow, Military Deputy and Director, Space Portfolio, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Office of the Secretary of Defense; Maria A. Proestou, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Acquisition Policy & Budget; Ms. Van Hendrey, Executive Director, Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems, Naval Sea Systems Command; and many more.
For more information, review the full agenda, and to register for attendance, visit https://researchsymposium.com/.