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Ali Zaidi, Lynn Orr: US Federal Investments in Clean Energy R&D Projects to Hit $13B in FY 2021
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Ali Zaidi, Lynn Orr: US Federal Investments in Clean Energy R&D Projects to Hit $13B in FY 2021


green earth, environmentThe Obama administration has proposed to increase federal investments in research and development projects on clean energy from $6.4 billion in fiscal year 2016 to $12.8 billion in FY 2021 as part of FY 2017 budget request.

A White House blog post published Thurday that the proposed funding is part of the U.S. government’s commitment to Mission Innovation, a global initiative that seeks to advance private and public sector investments in clean energy technology platforms in an effort to address climate change.

Ali Zaidi, associate director for natural resources, energy and science at the Office of Management and Budget, co-wrote the blog post with Lynn Orr, undersecretary for science and energy at the Energy Department.

Zaidi and Orr wrote that the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has funded at least 500 clean energy projects that have secured over $1.25 billion in follow-on private sector funds since 2009.

DOE also has introduced several programs in order to leverage its 17 national laboratories, such as the Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Programs that seek to recruit and help researchers transition their energy technologies to market and Lab-Corps that aims to provide customer-focused training program for national lab researchers.

Other DOE initiatives that seek to help entrepreneurs commercialize their clean energy technologies include the Cleantech University Prize, Build4Scale and the National Incubator Initiative for Clean Energy.

Veterans Affairs, Stanford Medicine to Establish Hadron Therapy Facility for Cancer Patients
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Veterans Affairs, Stanford Medicine to Establish Hadron Therapy Facility for Cancer Patients


medical health doctorStanford Medicine and the Department of Veterans Affairs will work together to establish the U.S’s first Hadron Center in Palo Alto, Calif. that will work to offer Hadron therapy to both veteran and non-veteran cancer patients.

The VA said Monday it has maintained academic and research affiliations with Stanford Medicine and the partnership looks to expand collaboration through the Hadron Center and particle beam therapy for cancer patients.

The Hadron Center clinical facility will be designed to provide particle radiation beam therapy for treatments of cancer patients and offer access to clinical trials in support of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System’s mission to offer care for veterans.

Lloyd Minor, dean of Stanford University’s school of medicine, said the school has committed to provide personalized healthcare tailored to each individual.

“We seek to identify optimal ways to offer targeted treatment that both reduces harm and promotes healing,” he added.

The VA noted the Prostate Cancer Foundation has also contributed $50 million to the department to support precision oncology research and the two organizations will host a national oncology summit called “Launch Pad: Pathways to InnoVAtion” in November.

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USPTO Set for National Trademark Expo in Washington
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USPTO Set for National Trademark Expo in Washington


USPTO Patent and Trademark OfficeThe U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will host a National Trademark Expo Friday and Saturday in Washington to help educate the public on the what role trademarks play in business development and their value for growth in the global marketplace.

Mary Boney Denison, USPTO commissioner for trademarks, wrote in a guest post published Monday the Expo will have a “Movement and Energy” theme and tackle issues such as unusual trademarks and brand evolution.

Denison noted attendees can participate in seminars to discuss trademark basics, applications to seek federal registration, what happens after registration and purchases of products and services.

“This year’s Expo will feature exhibits and display cases of authentic goods alongside counterfeit goods, including a display by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board,” said Denison.

“A number of our country’s leading corporations, small businesses, and governmental agencies will also be on site.”

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Obama to Appoint Meghan Flanz as VA Human Resources & Administration Asst Secretary
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Obama to Appoint Meghan Flanz as VA Human Resources & Administration Asst Secretary


Obama to Appoint Meghan Flanz as VA Human Resources & Administration Asst Secretary
Meghan Flanz

President Barack Obama intends to appoint Meghan Flanz, former deputy general counsel for legal operations and accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs, as VA assistant secretary for human resources and administration.

The White House named Flanz among other individuals to key administration posts in a release published Friday.

Flanz currently serves as acting assistant secretary for human resources and administration at VA, where she leads team of more than 750 employees who support approximately 300,000 department employees and 4,000 HR personnel across the U.S.

She previously held the roles of senior adviser to the general counsel for strategic planning; associate general counsel for strategic planning and education; deputy assistant secretary for labor-management relations.

Flanz joined the department in 2001 as senior attorney for labor and employment after she worked as litigation associate and senior litigation associate in private practice.

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Air Force to Assume Ownership of Space Surveillance Telescope from DARPA
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Air Force to Assume Ownership of Space Surveillance Telescope from DARPA


darpas-space-surveillance-telescopeThe Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is scheduled to hand over to the U.S. Air Force a telescope that works to track space debris and detect potential asteroid and satellite collisions in deep space, DoD News reported Monday.

Cheryl Pellerin writes the Air Force Space Command will assume ownership of the Space Surveillance Telescope from DARPA at an event to be held Tuesday at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

The Air Force Space Command will jointly operate SST with the Australian government through Harold E. Holt Naval Communication Station in Western Australia and integrate the telescope with the U.S. Space Surveillance Network to serve as a sensor, Pellerin reports.

According to DARPA, NASA used SST to perform approximately 7.2 million asteroid observations in 2015 as well as identify 3,600 new asteroids and 69 near-Earth objects.

The space telescope has a curved telescope mirror that adopts the Mersenne-Schmidt design and a camera with a curved charge-coupled device for use in image collection, according to the report.

Speakers at the event will include Steven Walker, deputy director at DARPA; Air Force Maj. Gen. Nina Armagno, director of strategic plans, programs, requirements and analysis at the Air Force Space Command headquarters; Eric Evans, director of MIT Lincoln Laboratory; and Air Commodore Sally Pearson, director of general surveillance and control at the Royal Australian Air Force.

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Rear Adm. Roy Kitchener Takes Command of Haiti Relief Operations Task Force
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Rear Adm. Roy Kitchener Takes Command of Haiti Relief Operations Task Force


mh-60s-knighthawkRear Adm. Roy Kitchener, Expeditionary Strike Group 2 commander, has taken command of a task force that supports the U.S. Agency for International Development‘s relief operations in Haiti in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.

The U.S. Navy said Monday Joint Task Force-Matthew is comprised of amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Seabees from Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, Tactical Air Control Squadron 21, Naval Beach Group 2 components, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 and the Fleet Surgical Team.

The ESG-2-led JTF-Matthew will aid the delivery and distribution of relief supplies as well as transport humanitarian assistance personnel in Haiti, the Navy added.

USAID works with JTF-Matthew to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to Haitians at the request of that country’s government.

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ISACA’s Theresa Grafenstine Recommends Cybersecurity Priorities for Next US President
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ISACA’s Theresa Grafenstine Recommends Cybersecurity Priorities for Next US President


cyberTheresa Grafenstine, vice chair of ISACA’s board and inspector general of the House of Representatives, has outlined five cybersecurity issues that she believes the 45th U.S. president should prioritize within the first 100 days of the new administration.

Grafenstine wrote in an opinion piece published in the Hill that the incoming president must work with Congress to support the cybersecurity coordination of regulatory and enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels, ISACA said Monday.

She said the country’s next leader should work to thwart nation-state cyber attacks amid a lack of defined international norms to govern cyber warfare, according to the nonprofit professional association.

Grafenstine also urged the 45th president to support the creation of an educational structure that will foster cybersecurity skills; discuss cybersecurity issues in all meetings of global leaders; and build on government IT modernization efforts.

ISACA is a global association of 140,000 information technology and security professionals in 180 countries and offers standards, networking, credentialing and career development services.

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DOT’s IG: Cyber Incident Handling ‘Ineffective, Incomplete’
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DOT’s IG: Cyber Incident Handling ‘Ineffective, Incomplete’


cyber-hack-network-computerThe Transportation Department‘s inspector general has called DOT’s handling of cybersecurity incidents “ineffective and incomplete” in an audit the IG conducted on the agency’s information systems and networks.

DOT’s IG said Thursday it evaluated how the department monitors, reports, detects and resolves cyber incidents and also informs authorities of both the event and resolution.

The IG said DOT did not ensure its security operations center had access to all departmental systems is in place.

Auditors at the IG’s office also said the Federal Aviation Administration’s method of monitoring the national airspace system through its cyber operations center is incomplete as that agency performs the task without the DOT chief information officer’s approval.

The DOT security operations center’s reports to the Department of Homeland Security’s United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team were incomplete, according to the IG.

Military Health System Works to Strengthen Data Security; DHA’s Servio Medina Comments
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Military Health System Works to Strengthen Data Security; DHA’s Servio Medina Comments


electronic-health-record-EHRThe Military Health System has stepped up cybersecurity efforts in response to the increasing number of venues of access to information in today’s digital environment.

Servio Medina, a cybersecurity leader at the Defense Health Agency‘s health information technology division, said in a statement published Friday on MHS’ website that he believes multiple data access venues increase the likelihood of risk and unauthorized access.

“We need to be more aware and savvy of the risks in accessing information, and we could inadvertently contribute to those risks,” he noted.

“If our patients are more savvy, we don’t have to react to as many potential incidents.”

“We just need to raise that awareness and promote a more cyber secure culture.”

MHS noted the Defense Department has also launched an Empower the Patient Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign to share how MHS beneficiaries can work to protect personal health information.

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Army Officials Highlight Tech Modernization, Soldier Readiness Goals at AUSA Forum
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Army Officials Highlight Tech Modernization, Soldier Readiness Goals at AUSA Forum


army-network-integration-evaluationSome U.S. Army officials have said the military branch’s modernization efforts are related to its readiness goals and objectives to help unburden soldiers as they engage with adversaries, the Army News Service reported Friday.

David Vergun writes Katharina McFarland, acting assistant secretary of the Army, told a panel discussion at the Association of the U.S. Army conference that new technology will help to remove the extra load from soldiers.

“We need to make him able to spend more time thinking rather than doing,” McFarland added.

She cited unmanned ground and aerial systems as tools to expand a soldier’s scope on the battlefield.

Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley Jr., deputy chief of staff of G-2, told the forum that Army troops have been encumbered by large volumes of sensors and communications data over the last decade.

He recommended the use of artificial intelligence to help soldiers process the data and cited information sharing with coalition partners as one area that needs what he calls federation to transmit data to coalition users in near-real time.

Lt. Gen. Gustave Perna, commander of the Army Materiel Command, also called for the streamlining of the branch’s acquisition and requirements processes.

He said he believes “alignment between the requirements, generators and acquisition process” can help the Army manage the costs of sustaining weapons and equipment.

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