NextFlex News – July 2021 Newsletter

Dear Members and Friends,

Our annual member meeting, Innovation Days, is fast approaching. As we look forward to hosting hundreds of FHE enthusiasts from around the country, we are extremely pleased with the agenda that our organizing committee has developed. The agenda is stellar and will provide for lots of high-level DoD and armed services interactions. For example, the following speakers and panelists will be participating:

• August 3 – Keynote: Kristen Baldwin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Science, Technology and Engineering.
• August 4 – Keynote: Maynard Holliday, Director of Defense Research and Engineering for Modernization, DoD.
• August 4 – Panel on “How Innovator Teams Accelerate Concepts to DoD Products” Panelists: Matt Williams, Technology Portfolio Manager, Small Business and Technology Partnerships Office, OUSD (R&E) and Major Jason Rathje, Director, AFVenures, Division Lead, RGV, AFWERX, and moderated by Rich Vaia, Chief Scientist, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL.
• August 5 – Keynote: Karen Bradford, Director of the Partnership Office, NASA Ames Research Center.
• August 5 – Panel on “The Great Debate – Overcoming Barriers to Commercialization” Panelist: Craig Herndon, Director, Critical Technologies Innovation Center, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division.

The virtual version of Innovation Days allows for greater interaction from folks such as these, and we are appreciative of their time and willingness to share their expertise with the NextFlex member community. Some of the Innovation Day talks will be available on a public site, so if you are not yet a member of NextFlex, you may register here.

We will have much to report on after Innovation Days, so until then, stay well.

Sincerely,

Dr. Malcolm J. Thompson,
Executive Director