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Sethuraman Panchanathan Confirmed as NSF Director
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Sethuraman Panchanathan Confirmed as NSF Director

Sethuraman Panchanathan has been confirmed to serve as director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). 

“I’m glad Dr. Panchanathan’s confirmation was fast-tracked so he can begin work as soon as possible as the Director of the National Science Foundation," Frank Lucas, a ranking member at the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, said in a statement published Thursday.

Prior to his appointment, Panchanathan held the roles of executive vice president for Knowledge Enterprise Development and chief research and innovation officer at Arizona State University. He also served at the National Science Board and is a member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Lucas said NSF has provided support and funding to research initiatives that will work to potentially treat, detect and mitigate COVID-19.

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Vice Adm. Bill Galinis Assumes Commander Role at NAVSEA
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Vice Adm. Bill Galinis Assumes Commander Role at NAVSEA

Vice Adm. Bill Galinis, former program executive officer for ships at the U.S. Navy, has succeeded Vice Adm. Tom Moore as commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). Galinis will lead more than 83,000 personnel in carrying out research, development, delivery and maintenance efforts for the Navy’s vessels, combat and weapons systems under his new role, NAVSEA said Friday.

Galinis served as program manager at USS San Antonio (LPD 17) and held the role of supervisor of shipbuilding at the Gulf Coast. He also worked at the Norfolk Ship Support Activity as a commanding officer and managed the Navy Regional Maintenance Center as commander.

“We will continue to build on the work this team has done and continues to do,” said Galinis.

Prior to his departure from NAVSEA, Moore led the command in completing 218,000 contract activities, supporting Navy missions and performing 36 active appropriations worth over $230 billion.

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Reps. Jimmy Panetta, Joe Wilson Present Small Manufacturer Cybersecurity Enhancement Act””
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Reps. Jimmy Panetta, Joe Wilson Present Small Manufacturer Cybersecurity Enhancement Act””

Reps. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., and Joe Wilson, R-S.C., have introduced a bill to better protect small defense manufacturers from cyber threats. The legislation, known as the "Small Manufacturer Cybersecurity Enhancement Act" would authorize awarding grants to partnership centers that provide cybersecurity services to these businesses, Panetta's office said Thursday.

These manufacturing extension partnership centers may use the grants to assess and implement cybersecurity, secure needed talent and promote the compliance of manufacturers with standards imposed by the Department of Defense (DoD). The bill aims to bolster the cybersecurity of manufacturers involved in the defense industry's supply chain.

"MEP Centers, public-private partnerships located in all 50 states, are uniquely positioned to assist small businesses with cybersecurity requirements and have worked closely with the Pentagon to bolster defense supply chain resiliency,” Panetta said. 

The bipartisan bill's other co-sponsors include Reps. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., Paul Mitchell, R-Mich., and Salud Carbajal D-Calif.

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BlackBerry Launches AtHoc Managed Service to Establish Crisis Communication Capabilities; Christoph Erdmann, Rob Enderle Quoted
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BlackBerry Launches AtHoc Managed Service to Establish Crisis Communication Capabilities; Christoph Erdmann, Rob Enderle Quoted

BlackBerry Limited has launched BlackBerry AtHoc Managed Service to enable organizations to establish and maintain a crisis communications capability, the company reported on Monday. 

"Keeping employees safe and business operating, particularly during this time, requires accurate and responsive critical communication," said Christoph Erdmann, senior vice president of Secure Communications at BlackBerry. "We are incredibly pleased to offer the same services proven by some of the most demanding environments including 12 FedRAMP ATOs… to organizations of every size."

BlackBerry’s solution will enable organizations to reassess the effectiveness of crisis communication programs to protect people and business operations. In addition, the offering will help manage business disruptions, forced remote work and return to work for ongoing critical communications. 

BlackBerry AtHoc Managed Service will provide customers with 24×7 crisis management communications, alerts and support, including the option to send alerts on the customer's behalf, so that they can focus on their essential day-to-day business. 

Customers will also be able to exchange notifications with other government agencies and commercial enterprises using the BlackBerry AtHoc platform. The network effect will increase the benefit of the critical communications of all the participating organizations.

"By making BlackBerry AtHoc available as a managed service, BlackBerry has dramatically expanded the number of organizations that can now use this capability," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst, Enderle Group. "The introduction of BlackBerry AtHoc Managed Service is a welcome addition to make it affordable and easy for any organization to keep their employees safe."

About BlackBerry

BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides intelligent security software and services to enterprises and governments around the world. The company secures more than 500M endpoints including 150M cars on the road today.  Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company leverages AI and machine learning to deliver innovative solutions in the areas of cybersecurity, safety and data privacy solutions, and is a leader in the areas of endpoint security management, encryption, and embedded systems.  BlackBerry's vision is clear – to secure a connected future you can trust.

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Raytheon Technologies Donates Millions to Support LA Food Bank; Greg Hayes Quoted
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Raytheon Technologies Donates Millions to Support LA Food Bank; Greg Hayes Quoted

Raytheon Technologies has donated $5 million to Los Angeles County Food Bank to provide for the increased need of food as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company reported on Monday. 

"Prior to COVID-19, 1 in 5 people in LA County faced food insecurity, including 1 in 4 children," said Michael Flood, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. "Since COVID-19, we have seen the need for food assistance increase markedly, and we now estimate that we are helping 500,000 people each month.”

The need for food assistance in LA County has increased by 70 percent since the pandemic struck in early 2020. Raytheon Technologies has allocated funds to Feeding America to support local food banks and provide food and other essentials to people in need. With the donation, food banks will support children, seniors, families and individuals throughout LA County.

“We are proud to partner with Raytheon Technologies to provide meals to people who struggle to put food on the tables," added Flood.  

In addition to the normal work of the Food Bank, the organization has organized drive-thru distributions to help meet the extra need. These distributions, a spinoff of the Food Bank's Mobile Food Pantry program, allow food recipients to stay safely in their vehicles while emergency food kits are placed into trunks. 

"The impact of COVID-19 on our communities has been swift and unprecedented," said Greg Hayes, CEO of Raytheon Technologies. "The communities where our employees live and work are in need, and it's our responsibility to support our friends and neighbors during this crisis."

About Raytheon Technologies 

Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. With 195,000 employees and four industry-leading businesses ― Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense ― the company delivers solutions that push the boundaries in avionics, cybersecurity, directed energy, electric propulsion, hypersonics, and quantum physics. 

The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

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SBA Launches PPP Tool to Connect Borrowers with Lenders; Jovita Carranza Quoted
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SBA Launches PPP Tool to Connect Borrowers with Lenders; Jovita Carranza Quoted

Jovita Carranza, Small Business Administration (SBA) administrator, has launched an online tool for small businesses and nonprofits to be matched with Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), Certified Development Companies (CDCs), Farm Credit System lenders, Microlenders and traditional smaller asset size lenders in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), SBA announced on Monday.  

"The SBA is focused on assisting eligible borrowers in underserved and disadvantaged communities and connecting them with forgivable PPP loans, especially before the June 30, 2020, application deadline," said Carranza. 

SBA's Lender Match is an additional resource for pandemic-affected small businesses who have not applied for or received an approved PPP loan to connect with lenders. The forgivable PPP loan is emergency relief assistance aimed at sustaining businesses and keeping employees on payroll.  Lender Match does not accept Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications.

“SBA is utilizing these partnerships with CDFIs, MDIs, CDCs, Farm Credit System lenders, Microlenders and many other participating small asset lenders to ensure that access to this emergency funding reaches the most small businesses and their employees in need – a key priority for President Trump," added Carranza. 

The borrowers will receive an email from lenders who have been matched with them, within two business days after entering their information into the Lender Match platform. The borrower can see lenders' requests for them to begin an application and will be able to begin the application process directly from the email they receive. 

"As communities begin to carefully reopen across the country, there are still many more opportunities to provide this assistance to businesses who have yet to access these forgivable loans,” Carranza concluded. 

About the U.S. Small Business Administration 

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations.

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Arkansas Department of Agriculture Launches New Website
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Arkansas Department of Agriculture Launches New Website

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has launched a new website that combines curated content from each of the department’s divisions into one streamlined user experience. The newly designed agriculture.arkansas.gov provides a user-friendly design and consolidates the existing websites of the Natural Resources Division, the State Board of Registration for Foresters, and the Arkansas Water Well Construction Commission that were added to the Department under the Transformation Act of 2019.

“We are excited to offer an updated and more efficient website to serve as a comprehensive resource for our customers and stakeholders,” said Department of Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward. “It was a pleasure working with the Information Network of Arkansas on the new website, and we appreciate the team’s hard work.”

 

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MITRE Expands Advisory Divisions to Advocate for National Security & Health Safety; Bill LaPlante, Dr. Jay Schnitzer Quoted
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MITRE Expands Advisory Divisions to Advocate for National Security & Health Safety; Bill LaPlante, Dr. Jay Schnitzer Quoted

MITRE has developed two new leadership counsels to advise the company on current challenges that pose threats to the nation, the company reported on Monday. With the expansion of MITRE’s Center for Technology & National Security (CTNS) and Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes, the company will advance national security, technology and health safety.

MITRE’s CTNS has appointed five national security officials to its advisory board. The board members will help guide the center’s efforts to provide military and intelligence leaders with data-driven research, analysis  and insights to navigate the technology landscape.

“CTNS builds on the experience and expertise of thousands of our nation’s most respected scientific and engineering minds,” said Bill LaPlante, senior vice president for the MITRE National Security Sector. 

MITRE’s appointed advisors have included, Gen. John Campbell, former vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army; Honorable Lisa Disbrow, former undersecretary of the U.S. Air Force; Adm. Bill Gortney, former commander, U.S. Northern Command; Vice Admiral (Ret.) Bob Murrett, former director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency; Honorable Bob Work, former deputy secretary of defense. 

“MITRE has provided trusted national security solutions for more than 60 years. CTNS gives us another way to apply our unique, unbiased vantage point and technical skills to support defense and intelligence communities with bold, innovative solutions as they face adversaries and environments that are more challenging than ever,” added LaPlante.

The appointed experts from government, academia, industry, media and policy institutes will work to inform discussion about the impact of emerging technologies on national security and the future of warfare through publications, educational programs, speaking engagements and hosted events.

Recent papers have addressed using deception to protect military networks from cyberattacks, slowing China’s 5G market expansion while accelerating U.S. efforts, and developing a new battle command architecture to address multi-domain operations.

“We created the Center for Technology and National Security to enhance our engagement with our nation’s defense and security ecosystem, connecting it to the breadth and depth of MITRE’s thought leadership and technical capabilities. We want CTNS to amplify systems-thinking solutions from across MITRE,” said James Swartout, the center’s executive director.

The company has also developed a new commission, Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes, to ensure safety and quality within nursing homes to help remediate the effects of COVID-19. 

MITRE appointed 25 new members to the commission, including resident advocates, infectious disease experts, directors and administrators of nursing homes, academicians, state authorities, clinicians, a medical ethicist and a nursing home resident. Dr. Jay J. Schnitzer, MITRE’s chief medical and technology officer, will serve as the moderator of the commission.

“The commission members are leaders who bring decades of experience in nursing home management as well as safety and quality,” said Schnitzer. “This diverse group will act quickly to identify and communicate best practices for protecting nursing home residents throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.”

The members have expertise in infection control and prevention or infectious disease, direct experience with the pandemic and/or other health emergencies, leadership in issues relevant to the commission.

The commission will use virtual collaboration tools to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the nursing home response to the COVID-19 pandemic. MITRE’s work will inform efforts to safeguard the health and quality of life of vulnerable Americans, as well as prepare for future threats to nursing home residents’ safety and to public health.

“The response to the call for nominations was tremendous, and we’re appreciative of all the applicants’ interest and willingness to serve on the commission,” continued Schnitzer. “We’re excited to be underway.”

About MITRE

MITRE’s mission-driven teams are dedicated to solving problems for a safer world. Through our public-private partnerships and federally funded R&D centers, we work across government and in partnership with industry to tackle challenges to the safety, stability, and well-being of our nation.

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Committee Issues Report on COVID-19 Response-Related Challenges Facing Agencies
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Committee Issues Report on COVID-19 Response-Related Challenges Facing Agencies

A Pandemic Response Accountability Committee report has identified the top challenges facing federal agencies in their COVID-19 pandemic response efforts and one of those is financial management.

“Key areas of concern include both the need for accurate information concerning pandemic-related spending and the significant amount of money federal agencies may lose as the result of improper payments,” the PRAC said in the report.

The three other areas of concern cited in the report are overseeing the use of grant funds and tracking grant performance; managing federal information technology systems and safeguarding such systems from cyber attacks; and protecting the health and safety of government employees, private sector workers, patients, inmates and detainees while maintaining effective operations.

The report was based on the committee’s review of submissions by 37 offices of inspector general overseeing agencies that are involved in pandemic response and emergency relief efforts.

OIGs also mentioned several factors impacting these challenges, including the large amount of appropriated funds and the need to maintain operations and disburse aid rapidly.

The PRAC within the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency was created to help oversee how agencies spend approximately $2.4T in funds on COVID-19 response efforts. The funds were appropriated through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act and three related funding measures that Congress passed between March and April.

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Wilbur Ross: Commerce Hopes NAPA Study to Help Congress Clarify Direction for Space Traffic Mgmt
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Wilbur Ross: Commerce Hopes NAPA Study to Help Congress Clarify Direction for Space Traffic Mgmt

The Department of Commerce (DOC) has provided funding to the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) to conduct a study to determine which agency should be in charge of civil space traffic management work. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross expects the NAPA study to be completed in the next two months, SpaceNews reported Friday.

“We’re hopeful that it will help Congress to clarify the direction going forward, and we’re quite optimistic that, as a result, we’ll get the budgetary relief we need in order to really fulfill the mission,” Ross said.

He said the department will immediately work on the mission once Congress allocates the funding to Commerce based on the NAPA study.

“We’re operating on the thesis that, ultimately, we will get the funding and we want to have the minimum delay from the time we get the funding until the time when we can be fully operational with the open architecture platform,” Ross added.

Ross also shared his insights on Analytical Graphics’ space traffic management efforts.

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