The University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics (UCAH) held its annual spring technical exchange on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, March 11-14.

“The technical exchange gave the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office the opportunity to showcase how we are fielding hypersonics weapon systems,” said Mark Glenn, JHTO director. “Our competitive advantage across the department is strengthened when we have collaboration with our university partners across the innovation ecosystem. The UCAH is an important investment for the STEM workforce of the future.”

The annual technical exchange aims to highlight progress made in aerothermodynamics, propulsion, materials, and navigation. Additionally, the event expanded and developed a growing workforce. The event included job fairs, poster sessions, and in-person engagements among leading hypersonic experts. Four students received challenge coins in recognition of excellence for their research projects from JHTO.

“The UCAH Spring Technical Exchange was successful in supporting the JHTO mission of advancing hypersonic science and technology and workforce development,” said Dr. Rodney Bowersox, senior associate dean for research, Texas A&M University and Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) executive director for the UCAH Project. “The event highlighted results from 30 funded projects, provided job fair opportunities for 90 UCAH student researchers, and described national priorities through lectures by senior leaders.”

Hypersonics is one of 14 critical technology areas the National Defense Science and Technology Strategy prioritizes and a capability the wants to accelerate. Within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology (OASD S&T), the Joint Hypersonic Transition Office (JHTO) has the responsibility to coordinate hypersonic science and technology across the department, industry, and academia.

UCAH is a collaborative network of academic universities, industry, national laboratories, federally funded research centers, university affiliated research centers, and government stakeholders. It is composed of 115 universities, including 10 international universities, 203 industry partners and 18 University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs).

UCAH will host the next technical exchange August 26-28, 2024, in Alexandria, Virginia.

Additional information about the UCAH can be found at: https://hypersonics.tamu.edu.