NSF, EDA Sign Partnership Agreement to Coordinate Regional Innovation Programs
Published on
NSF, EDA Sign Partnership Agreement to Coordinate Regional Innovation Programs

The National Science Foundation and Economic Development Administration have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on advancing regional innovation and economic development in communities throughout the United States.

Under the MOU, the agencies will coordinate their research and education activities, data infrastructure, facilities and outreach programs to enable and accelerate technology advancement and commercialization, entrepreneurship, job creation and workforce training, NSF said Wednesday.

The CHIPS and Science Act authorizes both agencies to use their respective regional innovation initiatives to spur economic growth and development in key technology areas.

“By working closely with EDA, the research and development outputs from NSF Engines could scale at a pace that will keep the U.S. competitive in key technology areas and more quickly address critical national, societal, and geostrategic challenges,” said Erwin Gianchandani, assistant director for technology, innovation and partnerships at NSF.

The NSF Engines program works to advance innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, advanced wireless and biotechnology while EDA’s Regional Technology and Innovation Hub aims to strengthen a region’s capacity to manufacture and commercialize critical technologies.

/
FDIC Office of Inspector General Cites Gaps in Cloud Migration Processes
Published on
FDIC Office of Inspector General Cites Gaps in Cloud Migration Processes

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General recently revealed that the agency had implemented effective cloud migration strategies and governance processes, but stated that improvements are needed in some areas of its cloud operations.

In a new report published Wednesday, the FDIC OIG said that the organization did not adhere to cloud computing standards recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Office of Management and Budget such as creating a well-sorted inventory of its cloud data assets.

The FDIC did not establish an exit strategy to address issues if it needs to terminate a contract with a cloud service provider and did not develop contract management plans for 17 cloud contracts totaling over $546 million, according to the report.

Moreover, the agency did not create strategies to dispose of or decommission its legacy systems.

The FDIC expects to migrate most of its mission-essential and mission-critical systems to the cloud by 2024.

/
NASA Practices Propellant Loading, Countdown of 1st Crewed Artemis Lunar Mission
Published on
NASA Practices Propellant Loading, Countdown of 1st Crewed Artemis Lunar Mission

NASA began the first simulated launch of the Artemis II crewed mission to the Moon at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The test included a terminal countdown as well as loading liquid hydrogen and oxygen to power the Space Launch System, the agency said Monday.

Cryogenic loading of the liquid propellants are done nine hours before lift-off. The Artemis II launch team carried out a mock loading and performed troubleshooting of issues such as hydrogen leaks, fires and malfunctioning engine temperature sensors. The challenges were designed by a team from the Exploration Ground Systems Program.

Multiple facilities across NASA are preparing to conduct abort-event scenarios, training events with the four-member Artemis II crew, day-of-launch activities and other types of simulations.

“Each simulation is a little science fiction story, but it’s a story that helps the launch team, NASA, and the country to be more successful in our real endeavors,” said John Apfelbaum, EGS simulation training lead at the Kennedy Space Center. “Yes, we get to be a little devious, and we try to put the launch team in situations they may not have thought of.”

/
SEC to Require Public Companies to Disclose Material Cybersecurity Incidents; Gary Gensler Quoted
Published on
SEC to Require Public Companies to Disclose Material Cybersecurity Incidents; Gary Gensler Quoted

The Securities and Exchange Commission has implemented rules that direct public companies to divulge material cybersecurity incidents and report annually material information on cybersecurity strategy, risk management and governance.

The registrants should disclose and describe the material aspects of the cyber incident’s nature, scope and timing on Item 1.05 of Form 8-K within four business days, SEC said Wednesday.

These disclosures may be delayed in the event that the U.S. Attorney General determines that such a move would pose a risk to public safety or national security.

SEC will require registrants to state on Regulation S-K Item 106 their processes for identifying, managing and assessing material risks from cyberthreats and describe how their board oversees risks from such threats. The agency noted that such disclosures will be required in the annual report of a registrant on Form 10-K.

Foreign private issuers will also be required to disclose material cyber incidents on Form 6-K and cybersecurity risk management, governance and strategy on Form 20-F.

SEC said the final rules will take effect 30 days after publication of the adopting rules in the Federal Register.

“Whether a company loses a factory in a fire — or millions of files in a cybersecurity incident — it may be material to investors,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler.

“I think companies and investors alike, however, would benefit if this disclosure were made in a more consistent, comparable, and decision-useful way,” added Gensler.

/
Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney Nominated as Marine Corps Assistant Commandant
Published on
Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney Nominated as Marine Corps Assistant Commandant

President Joe Biden has nominated Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney, deputy commandant for programs and resources at the U.S. Marine Corps, for promotion to the rank of general and to serve as the next assistant commandant of the service.

Mahoney’s nomination was referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday for consideration, according to a congressional notice.

His general officer assignments include commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing; deputy commander of the U.S. Forces, Japan; director of strategy and plans at Headquarters Marine Corps; and deputy commander of Marine Forces Pacific.

Mahoney previously served as a chief of staff with the Joint IED Defeat Organization at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin in California and as an instructor at the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona.

He is a Top Gun graduate and has logged over 5,000 flight hours with F-35, F-18, A-6 and F-5 fighter aircraft.

/
Commerce, Defense Departments Agree to Coordinate More on Domestic Semiconductor Supply Chain Promotion
Published on
Commerce, Defense Departments Agree to Coordinate More on Domestic Semiconductor Supply Chain Promotion

The U.S. Departments of Commerce and Defense signed an agreement to improve information sharing and coordination over the CHIPS for America’s incentives program.

The memorandum of agreement aims to boost the country’s defense industrial base for semiconductors and advance the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

Under the MOA’s terms, the two agencies will synchronize priorities and decision-making when it comes to semiconductor needs, as well as in investments to sustain legacy systems and acquire critical new technologies.

“This agreement will enable our teams to coordinate the national security review of applications, produce semiconductor chips in America that our military relies on, and bolster our domestic supply chain resiliency,” said Michael Schmidt, director of the CHIPS Program Office at the Department of Commerce.

/
Gen. David Allvin Nominated as Next Air Force Chief of Staff
Published on
Gen. David Allvin Nominated as Next Air Force Chief of Staff

President Biden has nominated Gen. David Allvin, vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force since 2020, to serve as the service branch’s next chief of staff.

If confirmed, Allvin would succeed Gen. Charles Brown Jr., the chief of staff of the Air Force since August 2020 who was nominated in May to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

As the Air Force’s second-highest-ranking officer, Allvin helps oversee 689,000 uniformed airmen and civilians globally.

His military career includes time as commander of the 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma; director of strategy, plans and policy at U.S. European Command; and commanding general of NATO Air Training Command – Afghanistan.

Allvin has logged over 4,600 flying hours in more than 30 aircraft models as a command pilot.

/
Army, Johns Hopkins APL Use Human-AI Teaming Method for Medical Care in Combat
Published on
Army, Johns Hopkins APL Use Human-AI Teaming Method for Medical Care in Combat

A study being conducted by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and the U.S. Army aims to combine human and artificial intelligence capabilities to improve emergency medical response during combat.

The Army’s Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center partnered with Johns Hopkins APL to leverage AI, augmented reality and robotics to serve as virtual assistants to medics and soldiers on the battlefield, the research institute said Wednesday.

The research team is testing a scenario in which a medic is assisted by robots equipped with sensors in tending to multiple casualties. The machines are expected to perform subtasks such as vital signs, retrieving intubation kits and providing bag-valve-mask ventilation.

They are also designing cognitive architecture that would enable the robots to adapt to human-machine teaming.

“When we show where we are headed to Army medics, they seem very excited about the possibilities, and they come up with new ideas and capabilities for us to explore,” said David Handelman, a senior roboticist in Johns Hopkins APL’s Research and Exploratory Development Department who is leading the study. “This could potentially save lives and improve the overall health of patients.”

The Potomac Officers Club will host its eighth annual Army Summit on Aug. 1 in McLean, Virginia. Join the event by registering here.

POC - 8th Annual Army Summit
BAE Systems Business Forms Alliance With Parsons to Continue Operating Army Chemical Processing Facility; John Swift Quoted
Published on
BAE Systems Business Forms Alliance With Parsons to Continue Operating Army Chemical Processing Facility; John Swift Quoted

A BAE Systems subsidiary has made its next move as the operating contractor for a U.S. Army modernization initiative with a newly formed partnership with Parsons Corporation.

The collaboration will advance BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc.’s modernization efforts at the Holston Army Ammunition Plant and support its goal to continue servicing the facility through 2035, the Kingsport, Tennessee based organization announced on Thursday.

“Our team is committed to modernizing the Holston Army Ammunition Plant and delivering safe, reliable products for our customers,” said John Swift, who serves as vice president and general manager of BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc.

He said that BAE Systems’ “strong legacy” of modernization initiatives is “strengthened” by Parson’s previous success, well-rounded engineering staff, range of capabilities and experience in conducting challenging projects concurrently.

The Holston Army Ammunition Plant was stood up during World War II to support U.S. military activities. Currently, BAE is working to evolve the installation into an advanced chemical processing plant by providing program management and modernization integration services. These efforts support the Army’s goal of broadening its explosives and propellant manufacturing capabilities.

As a partner, Parsons will bring its engineering and construction management offerings to the project.

John Moretta, president of engineered systems at Parsons, emphasized the company’s commitment to providing its services and moving this modernization initiative forward.

“Through this partnership, we’re leveraging our engineering and complex delivery capabilities to further advance the Army’s modernization efforts and benefit the environment,” he said.

Parsons was recently chosen by the  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide a new Explosive Decomposition Chamber facility at the same plant. The enterprise also received a contract to support another BAE Ordnance Systems-operated installation — the Radford Army Ammunition Plant — by delivering the Energetic Waste Incinerator.

/
CSBA, CASBO & Carahsoft Attempt to Streamline IT Acquisition for California Public Schools via Partnership; Tim Boltz Quoted
Published on
CSBA, CASBO & Carahsoft Attempt to Streamline IT Acquisition for California Public Schools via Partnership; Tim Boltz Quoted

The California School Boards Association, the California Association of School Business Officials and Carahsoft Technology have formed a partnership to facilitate the procurement of technology products and services by public schools in the state.

Local education agencies in California can acquire learning management systems, student safety and security, content management and data analytics, workforce readiness, multicloud, education funding services, internet of things and cybersecurity products and services through a streamlined process under the Golden State Technology Solutions partnership, Carahsoft said Wednesday.

Tim Boltz, director of EDUStrategy at Carahsoft, said the partnership contract executed by the company with CASBO and CSBA will meet the information technology needs of the TK-12 community and help simplify the process for California K-12 customers as they purchase cloud, software, hardware and other services to support faculty and students.

CASBO is a nonprofit organization serving over 24,000 school business professionals in California through education, professional development, advocacy and certification programs, while CSBA represents elected officials that oversee nearly 1,000 public school districts and county offices of education supporting nearly 6 million students in the state.

1 … 504 505 506 507 508 … 2,619