USD(R&E)
News & Events
News & Events
Updates from Across the R&E Enterprise
McAleese 11th Annual Defense Programs Conference
March 4, 2020
The Honorable Dr. Michael D. Griffin, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, delivered remarks to Defense officials and industry experts at the McAleese 11th Annual Defense Programs Conference on 4 March.
Department of Defense Press Briefing on Hypersonics
March 2, 2020 - DoD News Release
Mark Lewis, director of defense research and engineering for modernization, and Mike White, the assistant director of defense research and engineering for modernization, will discuss hypersonics during a news conference at the Pentagon.
Risk Aversion Impedes Hypersonics Development
June 30, 2020 - , DOD News
Speeding ahead with the development of hypersonic weapons, both offensive and defensive, will require the Defense Department to look back to the 1960s — a time when it was far less risk-averse than it is now, the department's director of defense research and engineering for modernization said.
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Hypersonics Testing Accelerates
June 18, 2020 - By C. Todd Lopez , DOD News
The March 19 test of a hypersonic glide body at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii is just the start for the Defense Department, the assistant director for hypersonics in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering said, and after ample flight testing, the department will move toward developing weapons from the concepts it's been testing.
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DOD Has Pedal to the Metal on Hypersonics
June 18, 2020 - By Jim Garamone , DOD News
Mark J. Lewis, who spoke with Marcus Weisgerber at the Defense One Tech Summit yesterday, noted that Russia has announced fielding a hypersonic capability and that China is investing heavily in the technology.
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DoD Releases Defense Space Strategy
JUNE 17, 2020 - DoD Press Release
Today the Secretary for Defense released the Defense Space Strategy, which identifies how Department of Defense will advance spacepower to be able to compete, deter, and win in a complex security environment characterized by great power competition.
Op-ed | The Space Development Agency must be a constructive disruptor
June 15, 2020 - By Dr. Tournear, Dr. Griffin, and Dr. Porter for Space News
SDA must be allowed to operate outside of legacy acquisition systems until it has had time to innovate, flourish and deliver.
DOD Names Seven Installations as Sites for Second Round of 5G Technology Testing, Experimentation
June 3, 2020 - DoD News Release
The Department of Defense has named seven U.S. military installations as the latest sites where it will conduct fifth-generation (5G) communications technology experimentation and testing. They are Naval Base Norfolk, Virginia; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Joint Base San Antonio, Texas; the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, California; Fort Hood, Texas; Camp Pendleton, California; and Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC) Joint Committee on the Research Environment (JCORE)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 25, 2019
Request for Information Issued on the American Research Environment
OSTP Effort Comes on the Heels of November 5th White House Summit
Today, a new Request for Information was issued on behalf of the National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC) Joint Committee on the Research Environment (JCORE) to solicit input that the Trump Administration can take to “maximize the quality and effectiveness of the American research environment.”
JCORE seeks this input from private industry, academic institutions, professional societies, non-profit and philanthropic organizations, and Federal agencies. The Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Dr. Kelvin Droegmeier, places a strong emphasis on safeguarding U.S. research from threatening foreign government influence as well as ensuring the U.S. research environment is welcoming to all individuals and empowering them to work in a safe and inclusive manner with the highest ethical standards.
On Nov. 5, the White House OSTP held a Summit on JCORE with over 100 attendees from academia, industry, Federal agencies, professional societies, and non-profits. A full read out of the Summit can be found here.
Individuals can submit information in response to the RFI, ensuring Committee solutions and actions reflect input from an expert, diverse, and well-rounded public. The comment submission deadline is on or before 11:59 pm ET on December 23, 2019.
“This effort continues great momentum of our work to improve U.S. research. JCORE is spearheading coordination across all sectors of the Research Enterprise to address some of the most important challenges facing researchers, scientists, companies, and universities. This integrative approach is unique and thorough with the hope of providing substantial remedy to not only the threat of foreign government influence on the U.S. research enterprise, but also improving our research environments for safe, inclusive, ethical standards that allow for openness and fairness. Through this RFI, we are able to ensure all stakeholders of the research environment have a seat at the table and can provide input to important policy initiatives and development already underway,” said Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier, Director of White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
New Technology Has Major Role in Manufacturing Weapons of Future
Published November 8, 2019
By David Vergun
Kristen Baldwin, DOD’s deputy director for strategic technology protection and exploitation, spoke at the Defense One-sponsored panel on “Next-Generation Manufacturing” in Washington.
Ms. Kristen Baldwin outlined four department priorities for additive manufacturing — security, human capital, capturing new technology and adopting new technology.
Draft Request for Proposals for 5G Technology
October 23, 2019 - DoD Release
Dr. Lisa Porter, the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering addressed the audience during the MWC19 in Los Angeles.
The Department of Defense today announced that in November it will issue a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) focused on large-scale experimentation and prototyping of 5G technologies. The draft RFP will include a description of four U.S. military installations where initial 5G experimentation will take place and will give industry an opportunity to provide feedback before the final RFP is issued.
Available Content
- Dr. Porter's speech transcript from MWC19 Los Angeles
- DoD Press Release
USD(R&E) Letter to Universities
Letter Published October 10, 2019
Dr. Michael Griffin
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
For decades, scientists at universities and research centers, supported by the Department of Defense, have made ground-breaking scientific discoveries that underpinned dramatic commercial and national security advances, significantly improving the lives of citizens here and abroad… Yet today, the ability to make similar advances is at risk and research integrity is jeopardized through foreign governments' exploitation that intentionally target U.S. and allied partner research and intellectual capital.
We must find ways to protect research integrity that has contributed to the creation of the finest research institutions in the world and allows us to attract the necessary talent to maintain our economic and national security...
White House Summit on America’s Bioeconomy
October 7, 2019
Panel Session I: The Bioeconomy as a Strategic Priority for America
Dr. Lisa Porter, Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering attending a White House Summit involving America’s Bioeconomy; DUSD(R&E) remarks highlight the DoD emphasis upon the U.S. Bioeconomy for enhanced supply chain resilience and defense responsiveness.
Available Content
5G and Microelectronics
Published September 9, 2019
Dr. Lisa Porter, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, writes to discuss 5G and Microelectronics:
"Microelectronics are fundamental to essentially every technology and capability in the Defense Department and more broadly in the commercial world. Ultimately, 5G is all about ubiquitous connectivity, and 5G elements will depend upon the ability of the microelectronics industry to continue to produce even higher bandwidths and better energy efficiencies, with smaller footprints, as well as increased flexibility and functionality. However, we cannot just chase performance –we must now focus on security as well."
Microelectronics and the Department of Defense: The Way Ahead
Published July 26, 2019
Electronic Resurgence Initiative: Summit 2019
Dr. Lisa Porter, the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering addressed the audience during the DARPA Electronics Resurgence Initiative Summit. Dr. Porter, a keynote speaker, discussed DoD’s investment in microelectronics.
Available Content
- Speech Slides
- Watch the speech on YouTube's DARPAtv.
Dr. Michael Griffin Speaks at NUWC Division Newport
Published July 24, 2019
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport
Dr. Michael Griffin, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, visited NUWC Division Newport along with several dignitaries on July 22. Griffin spoke with employees about the need for better collaboration between government, industry and academia.
Available Content
- News release from NUWC Division Newport Public Affairs
- Video excerpt released on the NAVSEA Facebook webpage
Interview of Dr. Derek Tournear
Published July 24, 2019 - Government Matters
Dr. Derek Tournear, the Assistant Director for Space in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering and the Acting Director of the Space Development Agency discussed on Government Matters the Space Development Agency's plans to orchestrate the future National Defense Space Architecture designed to provide the eight space capabilities called for in the DoD Space Vision.
Click the link below to watch the interview on the Government Matters website.
Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship
The Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship (VBFF) is the Department of Defense’s most prestigious single-investigator award and supports basic research with the potential for transformative impact.
Dmitri N. Basov
2019 Vannevar Bush Fellow
Dr. Basov studies nano-optics, measuring the effects of radiation on thin layers of exotic materials. When formed into a thin film, these materials, from graphine to dicalcogenide, have some exceptional properties...
Dr. Jennifer Lewis
2016 Vannevar Bush Fellow
Dr. Jennifer Lewis, a 2016 Vannevar Bush Fellow, along with fellow Harvard researchers, has developed a technique for 3D-printing vascular channels into stem-cell-derived organ building blocks...
May 1, 2019
DOD Announces 2019 Class of Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship
Maintaining a Technological Edge
March 28, 2019
Dr. Michael Griffin, the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; Bruce Jette, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology; James Guerts, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition; and William Roper, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, testify on the fiscal year 2020 budget request for the Defense Department’s science and technology programs during a hearing in Washington of the House Armed Services Committee’s intelligence and emerging threats and capabilities subcommittee.
White House Unveils FY 2021 Research and Development Budget Priorities
For FY2021, the five R&D budgetary priorities in this memorandum ensure that America remains at the forefront of scientific progress, national and economic security, and personal wellbeing, while continuing to serve as the standard-bearer for today's emerging technologies and Industries of the Future. This memorandum also describes five high-priority crosscutting actions that span all five R&D budgetary priorities and require departments and agencies to coordinate, collaborate, and partner with one another and with the other sectors of the S&T enterprise to maximize success.
These five are:
The Official account for the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E), the Department of Defense's Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
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