2023 ANNUAL MEETING

November 9, 2023 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST

Hosted by the Griffiss Institute in Rome, NY

Celebrating the theme of Community, Collaboration, and Impact

AGENDA

Thursday, November 9, 2023, 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Griffiss Institute, 592 Hangar Rd STE 200, Rome, NY 13441

7:30 AM

Registration / Check-in Opens

8:30 – 8:45 AM

Welcome Remarks, Introductions, Hub Update, and Space Consortium Announcement

Heather Hage, President and CEO, Griffiss Institute

Emmanuel Giannelis, Co-Director, AFRL Regional Hub Network – Mid-Atlantic, Cornell University

Patrick Govang, Co-Director, AFRL Regional Hub Network – Mid-Atlantic, Cornell University

Greg Ray, Director of Strategic Projects, Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University

8:45 – 8:55 AM

Dr. Escamilla will discuss her new role leading AFRL collaborations and engagements that include the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest Hub Networks.

8:55 – 9:55 AM

The Defense Innovation Unit was recently elevated in the DOD organization and recruited former Apple Executive Doug Beck to lead it.  Hear about the bold new thinking and mission at the DIU and how you can successfully engage with them.

9:55 – 10:35 AM

Project Presentations

Real-time hyperspectral anomaly detection via UAV (theme: edge computing

Jayson Boubin, Assistant Professor, Binghamton University

Exploring ReRAM-Accelerated Neuromorphic Computing for Low-SWaP IoT/Edge Spectrum Sensing, Learning, and Prediction

Nate Cady, Associate Dean for Research, Professor, College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering, Department of Nanoscale Science & Engineering, SUNY Albany

Regenerative cooling to enable high power electric propulsion on orbit

Elaine Petro, Assistant Professor, Cornell University

Light lace for quantifying performance in extreme environments

Philip Buskohl, Materials Research Scientist, AFRL RX

10:35 – 10:45 AM

Break

Coffee and refreshments

Speed Networking Chair: Seth Mulligan, Chief Operations Officer, Griffiss Institute

10:45 – 11:45 AM

11:45 AM – 1:00 PM

Lunch + Speed Networking

Polish up your elevator pitch, grab your business cards and QR links to your vCard, and get ready to feel the expansive network of the Mid Atlantic HUB. This session is a rapid rotation of networking introductions, in pairs and small groups. We will take into consideration any of your preferred connection types indicated in your registration and round them out with other valuable introductions. Too fast – don’t worry, carry your conversations into lunch.”

*Facility Tours - Not interested in Speed Networking? We’re happy to highlight some of the facilities and resources at the Griffiss Institute

Afternoon Workshops

1:00 – 2:00 PM

Workshop #1: Talent Development Workshop

Panel Discussion

Chair: Heather Hage, President and Chief Executive Officer, Griffiss Institute 

Dr. Ngwe Thawdar, AFRL Technical Lead, Ultra-broadband Long-range Terahertz Communications

Kaylon Paterson, CEO, Paterson Aerospace

Beth Bowers, Chief Human Resources Officer and Senior Vice President, Assured Information Security

Dr. Michael Carpenter, Interim Dean of Engineering, Associate Provost for Research, SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Todd Humiston, Chief Talent Officer, Griffiss Institute

Workshop #2: Collaborative Computing Infrastructure

Panel Discussion

Chair: Dr. Lauren Ferguson, Digital Transformation Lead, AFRL RX

Matt Carbone, Assistant Computational Scientist, Brookhaven National Laboratory

Ralph Kohler, Principal Engineer/Senior Advisor, AFRL RI

Andreas Savakis, Professor of Computer Engineering Director, Center for Human-aware AI (CHAI), Rochester Institute of Technology

John Spatola, Innovation Lead, Strategic Portfolio Office, Saab, Inc.

2:00 – 3:30 PM

Working Sessions for Workshops #1 and #2

3:30 – 3:50 PM

Report Outs for Workshops #1 and #2

3:50 – 4:00 PM

Awardee Announcements

Funding award announcements for the Fall 2023 cycle

4:00 – 5:00 PM

Networking

Refreshments and cash bar

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

  • Updates from Hub-funded projects

  • Meet and greet networking with AFRL scientists and engineers

  • Focused workshop on talent and workforce development

  • Focused workshop on collaborative computing infrastructure

  • Announcing our Fall ‘24 partnership funding awardees