Agility Summit, Powered by NavalX, promotes teamwork, collaboration and innovation
A “collision event” to share ideas and best practices; platforms to connect people and expand networks; and the opportunity for collaboration among government, industry and academia – this is what the Agility Summit, powered by NavalX promised… and delivered last month in Alexandria, Virginia.
The Agility Summit is one of many initiatives brought forth by NavalX and its Tech Bridges--all of which are focused on breaking down barriers that impede collaboration, and promoting knowledge sharing and innovation. There are 15 geographically dispersed Tech Bridges, from Hawaii to London, which have generated over $50 million in projects, to include prize challenges and small business innovation research (SBIR) projects.
Kicking off Tuesday, with opening remarks by NavalX director, Capt. Ben Van Buskirk, the Agility Summit brought together stakeholders from across the Navy and industry partners to interface and learn from one another.
“This event hosted by NavalX was an incredible team effort across several Navy commands and programs,” said Tech Bridge director Whitney Tallarico. “Our equipment was on loan from PEO MLB; we had Marines from Fort Meade helping with set-up and registration; shipyard employees helping with IT set up; ONR sponsoring the challenge and materials; it is teamwork at its best.”
NavalX takes a three-pronged approach to cultivating an innovation environment, according to Van Buskirk. “We enable naval workflow to deliver capability, and we do this by partnering with folks in and across the Navy and DOD to find solutions,“ He also spoke about changing Naval culture and about NavalX as a platform for connecting—with the Agility Summit being the perfect example of that platform in full effect.
Over the four days, in-person and virtual attendees were able to listen to presenters and panels, view exhibits and tour collaboration and innovation spaces, including the Garden—the collaborative space where NavalX is located—as well as the Naval Air Warfare Center’s (NAWCAD) mobile laboratory, the FabLab, outfitted with 3-D printers and laser-cutters.
With Tech Bridge directors from the various locations present, along with industry, several collaborative opportunities were identified.
“I met with the folks from Data Robot, and we talked about how to use Artificial Intelligence to assist in flight test at Patuxent River Naval Air Station,” said Rick Tarr, Southern Maryland Tech Bridge Director and NAWCAD’s Technology Transfer Director.
Cassie Muffley, Central Florida Tech Bridge Deputy Director, spoke about the Aviation Alliance being formed among her Tech Bridge and the one in Southern Maryland, along with industry and academic partners. The alliance was created to bridge the gap between training systems and flight testing. “This alliance model can be set up with any technology area, and we hope our Aviation Alliance is the first of many that will advance technology,” said Muffley.
These productive outcomes were also highlighted by the Under Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Meredith Berger, during her opening remarks on the final day, which she delivered virtually.
“Events like this—the Agility Summit—are crucial in making the Navy stronger and enable us to move forward to be adaptable, flexible and innovative,” Berger said. “We are building an ecosystem of excellent minds to attack complex problems with diverse thinking.”
The four day event culminated in a Prize Challenge, facilitated by the Navy Junior Officer Council with six teams presenting their ideas, methods and capabilities that will contribute to making unmanned systems a trusted and sustainable part of the naval force structure. The solutions presented were in direct support of the Navy’s Unmanned Campaign Plan and Framework.
The winner, Lt. Sam Royster, a student at Naval Postgraduate School, presented to an esteemed panel of judges including, Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, Director of Warfare Development in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; Brig. Gen. Benjamin Watson, Commanding General, Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory/Futures Directorate and Vice Chief of Naval Research; Dr. Richard Carlin, SES, Code 36 Naval Accelerator, Office of Naval Research, and Craig Sawyer, Science and Technology Advisor and Unmanned Systems Requirements Manager at Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV).
Royster’s idea, which is akin to a ‘nautical Roomba.’ The [insert name of tech] will improve ship sustainment by allowing for ships and submarines to be cleaned without needing to pull into dry docks. Additionally, Royster projected that the [tech] has the potential to provide cost savings by reducing drag and fuel consumption and by preserving the integrity of the ships’ paint, allowing it to last longer. The $100,000 prize will go toward ….
Tech Bridge Director Tallarico congratulated all the teams for their pitches, and noted that those that did not receive the prize money would have additional opportunities to fine-tune their ideas with monthly reviews and quarterly pitches. “They are all great ideas that can be implemented at some point. They will not be put on a shelf, but rather refined,” she said.
In his closing remarks, Van Buskirk said, “we sowed the field and have to keep watering it to see it grow. It is an active effort, and we’ll continue to push forward and keep an eye on the North Star, which is to put capability into the hands of the warfighter, so we can win in combat.”
All presentations from the Agility Summit can be viewed on the NavalX YouTube channel.
NavalX connects the workforce to resources that can solve problems and focuses on scaling non-traditional agility methods across the DON workforce.
| Date Taken: | 10.04.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.11.2021 20:44 |
| Story ID: | 406752 |
| Location: | ALEXANDRIA, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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