WEBVTT 00:08.720 --> 00:12.550 to you for a few opening comments , I'm 00:12.550 --> 00:14.606 gonna kick this off and then have to 00:14.606 --> 00:16.661 depart for another engagement . Um , 00:16.661 --> 00:18.550 what you're gonna hear about this 00:18.550 --> 00:21.720 afternoon is to first one I'm almost 00:21.720 --> 00:23.664 embarrassed to use . First you are 00:23.664 --> 00:25.609 sponsored by the Department of Air 00:25.609 --> 00:27.887 Force and the second is the first york , 00:27.887 --> 00:30.470 which will be led by historically black 00:30.470 --> 00:32.460 college and University University 00:32.460 --> 00:34.627 Applied Research centers provide a lot 00:34.627 --> 00:36.849 of great services to the department and 00:36.849 --> 00:39.016 moving advanced technology forward and 00:39.016 --> 00:41.130 helping us tap into sources of 00:41.140 --> 00:43.251 expertise and engineering and science 00:43.251 --> 00:45.307 that we wouldn't have otherwise . So 00:45.307 --> 00:48.040 we've committed to have 12 year , five 00:48.040 --> 00:50.262 years of funding at $12 million dollars 00:50.262 --> 00:52.430 per year to start with a competitive 00:52.430 --> 00:54.940 process . A new university applied 00:54.940 --> 00:57.760 research center led by historically 00:57.760 --> 00:59.649 black college , black college and 00:59.649 --> 01:01.700 university that will be focused on 01:01.700 --> 01:05.170 autonomy . Uh , it's it's also a gap in 01:05.170 --> 01:08.220 our suite of uh research institutes 01:08.220 --> 01:10.270 right now that we don't have one 01:10.270 --> 01:12.460 focused on this area . If any of you 01:12.460 --> 01:14.627 have heard me talk at any time I think 01:14.627 --> 01:16.850 in the past year or even before , that 01:17.240 --> 01:19.810 very focused on the threat of Chinese 01:19.810 --> 01:21.866 military modernization and what that 01:21.866 --> 01:24.270 means in terms of our viability of our 01:24.270 --> 01:26.381 forces , you know , for the , for the 01:26.381 --> 01:29.960 future and part of the future of the 01:29.970 --> 01:31.914 military is going to be autonomy . 01:31.914 --> 01:33.914 There's no doubt in my mind to that 01:33.914 --> 01:35.748 we're seeing increasing evidence 01:35.748 --> 01:37.581 evidence of that almost in every 01:37.581 --> 01:39.581 conflict that occurs . You saw that 01:39.581 --> 01:41.470 they're going to carbon and we're 01:41.470 --> 01:43.581 seeing it in Ukraine now it's here to 01:43.581 --> 01:45.581 stay and we need to be at the front 01:45.581 --> 01:47.803 edge of that And this is an opportunity 01:47.803 --> 01:50.940 to tap into universities that have 01:50.940 --> 01:52.773 enormous amount of capability in 01:52.773 --> 01:56.260 science and technology . The HBCUS put 01:56.260 --> 01:59.420 out about 30% of the the scientists and 01:59.420 --> 02:01.642 engineers that are that are produced by 02:01.642 --> 02:03.640 that community . So we're looking 02:03.640 --> 02:05.529 forward to this . It's gonna be a 02:05.529 --> 02:07.529 competitive process . It's gonna go 02:07.529 --> 02:09.696 reasonably quickly . We want to get on 02:09.696 --> 02:09.380 with this and hopefully by the end of 02:09.380 --> 02:11.380 the calendar year we'll have a lead 02:11.380 --> 02:13.491 selected and we'll be off and running 02:13.491 --> 02:15.658 and with that I'm going to leave it to 02:15.658 --> 02:17.769 I want to say thank you , I thank the 02:17.769 --> 02:20.400 team here Heidi she was going to seek 02:20.400 --> 02:23.510 next but victoria Coleman and wander 02:23.510 --> 02:26.630 down there have been tremendous leaders 02:26.630 --> 02:28.686 in putting this together and I see a 02:28.686 --> 02:30.880 few other Marianne uh Maynard and 02:30.880 --> 02:33.213 others here that have been part of this . 02:33.213 --> 02:35.324 It's been a journey of several months 02:35.324 --> 02:37.491 now to get this all together and a lot 02:37.491 --> 02:37.210 of work has gone into it And I just 02:37.210 --> 02:39.210 want to thank this team for all the 02:39.210 --> 02:41.432 great work they've done with that . I'm 02:41.432 --> 02:43.599 gonna turn over to Heidi . Thank you . 02:43.599 --> 02:45.730 Thank you . Thank you . Well , as the 02:45.740 --> 02:47.907 undersecretary of Defense for research 02:47.907 --> 02:49.900 and engineering . I am absolutely 02:49.900 --> 02:51.860 delighted that the Air Force is 02:51.860 --> 02:54.950 launching a new university affiliated 02:54.950 --> 02:58.560 research center or you are to be led 02:59.040 --> 03:02.700 by H . B C . U . The department 03:02.700 --> 03:06.400 defense currently have 14 Urs 03:06.470 --> 03:10.220 in 12 states and they are an 03:10.230 --> 03:13.920 incredible pull of talent that 03:13.920 --> 03:17.520 we depend on . Okay 03:17.530 --> 03:21.470 the UR collaborate very closely 03:21.470 --> 03:24.640 with the D . O . D . Laboratories , the 03:24.640 --> 03:28.620 program offices with industry as well 03:28.630 --> 03:31.530 as with the federally funded research 03:31.530 --> 03:33.697 and development centers or F . F . R . 03:33.697 --> 03:36.400 D . C . S . Okay to develop innovative 03:36.400 --> 03:40.200 solutions to solve some of our toughest 03:40.200 --> 03:44.170 challenges . This nation must 03:44.170 --> 03:47.470 have a strong national stem 03:47.480 --> 03:50.050 workforce since the future of our 03:50.050 --> 03:53.400 national security is dependent on our 03:53.400 --> 03:56.740 ability to grow our same talent . Okay . 03:56.750 --> 03:59.590 We will only accomplish this through 03:59.590 --> 04:02.420 the cultivation of a highly diverse 04:02.430 --> 04:05.650 workforce . Diversity of background 04:05.660 --> 04:09.290 with a diversity of ideas has always 04:09.290 --> 04:11.560 been the strength of this country . 04:12.040 --> 04:14.540 Okay so the United States have a long 04:14.550 --> 04:18.080 history and a strong reputation of 04:18.090 --> 04:21.290 being a haven for diversity and 04:21.300 --> 04:25.160 innovation . We must tap into the 04:25.170 --> 04:28.570 hBc use to grow a well educated and 04:28.570 --> 04:30.780 well trained workforce for the 04:30.780 --> 04:32.960 department Defense and this nation . 04:33.540 --> 04:36.760 I'm happy to announce that my office , 04:36.770 --> 04:38.603 the undersecretary of Defense of 04:38.603 --> 04:41.740 Research and Engineering As well as the 04:41.750 --> 04:43.510 undersecretary of defense for 04:43.520 --> 04:46.910 acquisition sustainment um will both be 04:46.910 --> 04:48.620 contributing $2 million 04:48.620 --> 04:53.180 12 04:53.190 --> 04:55.300 million that the air force will be 04:55.300 --> 04:58.460 contributing . So I'm absolutely 04:58.460 --> 05:01.050 thrilled to be here with my counterpart . 05:01.140 --> 05:03.307 I'm gonna turn it over to dr Coleman . 05:03.540 --> 05:07.500 Thank you ma'am . Um I just want to 05:07.510 --> 05:10.550 start by by acknowledging the amazing 05:10.560 --> 05:14.180 team that brought this to us today . I 05:14.180 --> 05:17.080 see many of my colleagues here . Um It 05:17.080 --> 05:19.191 was a long road is as honorable , she 05:19.191 --> 05:21.490 just just mentioned , but I gotta tell 05:21.490 --> 05:23.450 you today is a good day . We have 05:23.460 --> 05:25.738 challenging days . Today is a good day . 05:26.240 --> 05:29.850 Um Thank you ma'am for your support of 05:29.850 --> 05:32.330 the of this . I think it's a historic 05:32.330 --> 05:35.390 opportunity and it's one that is long 05:35.390 --> 05:38.380 overdue . Um in many ways it's 05:39.230 --> 05:40.841 the secretary said it's it's 05:40.841 --> 05:43.063 embarrassing to say that we waited this 05:43.063 --> 05:45.840 long but we're here now um over the 05:45.840 --> 05:48.062 next few months , I just wanted to tell 05:48.062 --> 05:50.062 you a little bit about what's gonna 05:50.062 --> 05:52.007 happen next over the next next few 05:52.007 --> 05:54.229 months . The department , the Air Force 05:54.229 --> 05:57.130 team will continue working with dr 05:57.130 --> 06:00.960 LaPlante and misuse teams to first of 06:00.960 --> 06:03.140 all get the york approval . This is a 06:03.140 --> 06:05.720 designation that is , that is 06:05.720 --> 06:09.610 determined by us . So we're 06:09.610 --> 06:12.850 working with misuse team to make this a 06:12.860 --> 06:16.380 reality . Um We will then 06:16.390 --> 06:18.334 continue on to lead the university 06:18.334 --> 06:21.590 selection uh that will host the york 06:21.600 --> 06:23.600 and of course we will be looking to 06:23.600 --> 06:25.378 establish the IOC , the initial 06:25.378 --> 06:28.010 operating capability . So how we gonna 06:28.010 --> 06:31.230 get there . Um We will , 06:31.240 --> 06:34.510 first of all we will select a lead 06:34.520 --> 06:38.210 institution , a lead HBCU that will um 06:38.220 --> 06:40.990 cooperate with other HPC US to form a 06:40.990 --> 06:43.760 consortium that will 06:44.540 --> 06:48.420 leverage and bring to the fore the 06:48.420 --> 06:50.160 expertise of the individual 06:50.170 --> 06:54.140 institutions . Um As the secretary said , 06:54.140 --> 06:56.029 the focus of new york is tactical 06:56.029 --> 06:58.440 autonomy and what we mean by that is 06:58.450 --> 07:00.780 systems that act with the delegated but 07:00.780 --> 07:02.558 bounded authority in support of 07:02.558 --> 07:04.930 tactical short term actions that are 07:04.930 --> 07:06.763 associated of course with a more 07:06.763 --> 07:09.097 strategic long term vision that we have . 07:09.097 --> 07:11.290 There are three main areas that we 07:11.290 --> 07:13.500 expect . The work in new york will 07:13.500 --> 07:16.220 focus in . And the first the first one 07:16.220 --> 07:19.030 of them I think is absolutely critical 07:19.030 --> 07:21.310 and that is trust , you know , you get 07:21.320 --> 07:23.950 as much autonomy as we as we have trust . 07:23.960 --> 07:26.590 So that's gonna be 11 of the key areas 07:26.590 --> 07:30.170 of interest that we have . Um is the 07:30.170 --> 07:32.120 department , the second one is 07:32.120 --> 07:35.320 collaboration between platforms and the 07:35.320 --> 07:38.180 third one is human machine teaming . So 07:38.180 --> 07:40.650 these are the three pillars if you like 07:40.650 --> 07:44.560 that um are um uh the work 07:44.560 --> 07:47.320 that the research that the consortium 07:47.330 --> 07:49.550 will execute will be focused on . 07:50.840 --> 07:53.450 Uh One of the things that is different 07:53.450 --> 07:55.672 about if you are and trust me this this 07:55.672 --> 07:58.870 model is something that evolved over a 07:58.870 --> 08:00.981 number of months through a great deal 08:00.981 --> 08:04.040 of conversations and learning about the 08:04.040 --> 08:06.920 institutions and what is possible . Um 08:06.930 --> 08:09.030 One of the things that is unusual is 08:09.030 --> 08:10.919 that we're not only expecting the 08:10.919 --> 08:12.752 institutions to produce research 08:12.752 --> 08:14.919 results , we understand that there are 08:14.919 --> 08:17.360 historical inequities and we want to 08:17.360 --> 08:19.810 help them build capacity as well as 08:19.810 --> 08:22.520 deliver results to us as part of that , 08:22.530 --> 08:25.600 we want to advance their efforts to 08:25.600 --> 08:28.040 move at least one , hopefully more than 08:28.040 --> 08:30.420 one institutions from the Carnegie 08:30.420 --> 08:32.642 Foundation Research classification from 08:32.642 --> 08:34.864 our two , which means the high research 08:34.864 --> 08:37.830 institution to an R . R . One which is 08:37.830 --> 08:41.320 very high research today . There are 11 08:41.330 --> 08:44.160 I HPC use that are are two , there are 08:44.160 --> 08:47.050 none that are ones through this effort . 08:47.240 --> 08:49.520 We're hoping to ensure that at least 08:49.520 --> 08:51.880 one , if not more institutions become 08:51.890 --> 08:54.840 our ones . There's another piece to 08:54.840 --> 08:57.720 that and and that is where our 08:57.720 --> 08:59.970 collaboration with acquisition 08:59.970 --> 09:02.530 sustainment comes in . In addition to 09:02.530 --> 09:04.720 advancing autonomy within the 09:04.720 --> 09:06.790 Department of the Air Force , we 09:06.790 --> 09:08.901 anticipate that we will increase stem 09:08.901 --> 09:12.240 education and economic activity in the 09:12.240 --> 09:14.460 local proximity of the consortium 09:14.460 --> 09:18.450 members . So a a partner um 09:20.140 --> 09:22.990 a significant partner in the endeavor 09:22.990 --> 09:26.700 is the MPP program in U S . T I N . S . 09:26.710 --> 09:29.830 Uh the MPP stands for Mental Protection 09:29.840 --> 09:33.290 Program and the notion is that we can 09:33.290 --> 09:35.580 help a number of small businesses to 09:35.580 --> 09:38.400 establish themselves in and around the 09:38.400 --> 09:40.540 consortium members . So there's 09:40.540 --> 09:42.762 robotics , road Pittsburgh , you know , 09:42.762 --> 09:45.790 our um ambition aspiration is that 09:45.790 --> 09:47.846 there will be lots of robotics rolls 09:47.846 --> 09:49.900 built up as ecosystems around the 09:49.900 --> 09:52.122 schools . And that's what I think makes 09:52.122 --> 09:54.690 this such a unique collaboration . That 09:54.700 --> 09:56.940 uh you know , you have a service , you 09:56.940 --> 09:59.730 have the C . T . O . Of the Department 09:59.740 --> 10:02.390 of Defense and you have the folks that 10:02.390 --> 10:05.270 care about building a sustainable 10:05.280 --> 10:07.490 enterprise coming together to build 10:07.490 --> 10:09.650 this . And I should also say I see 10:09.660 --> 10:13.560 Cyrus sellers are there um personnel 10:13.560 --> 10:15.880 and readiness um you know , everybody 10:15.880 --> 10:18.213 is pulling together to make this happen . 10:18.213 --> 10:20.400 So what what happens next over the 10:20.410 --> 10:22.960 coming months ? Um we will be first of 10:22.960 --> 10:24.904 all submitting the york package to 10:24.904 --> 10:27.110 approval to use the R N . E . We will 10:27.110 --> 10:29.277 be reaching out to the institutions to 10:29.277 --> 10:31.443 HPC us to to tell them what it is that 10:31.443 --> 10:33.554 we're looking for and how we're going 10:33.554 --> 10:35.721 to go about the selection process . We 10:35.721 --> 10:37.499 anticipate that we will have an 10:37.499 --> 10:40.150 industry day during the week of August 10:40.160 --> 10:43.950 8th . Um by august 15th we will 10:43.950 --> 10:46.830 release a broad agency announcement , 10:46.840 --> 10:49.550 the competitive vehicle . Um and then 10:49.550 --> 10:51.750 our hope as the Secretary mentioned is 10:51.750 --> 10:54.290 to have a selection and have a public 10:54.290 --> 10:57.630 announcement by mid december uh and 10:57.630 --> 10:59.760 falling on from today . Um you know , 10:59.770 --> 11:01.992 there will be a website that goes lives 11:01.992 --> 11:04.159 that will give everybody access to the 11:04.159 --> 11:06.270 information that we have now and that 11:06.270 --> 11:08.360 will be producing . So I wanted to 11:08.740 --> 11:11.350 again , thank everybody in the team , 11:11.360 --> 11:15.340 but I wanted um us , I don't think 11:15.340 --> 11:18.510 we can have this event today uh without 11:18.520 --> 11:22.480 having somebody who actually is an hbcu 11:22.490 --> 11:26.330 allowed to tell us what this means . So 11:26.330 --> 11:28.274 I'm pleased to close my remarks by 11:28.274 --> 11:30.500 passing it on to my colleague Towanda 11:30.500 --> 11:33.950 Rooney , um who alongside 11:33.960 --> 11:37.900 Bishop Garrison hiding down there , A 11:37.910 --> 11:40.100 bishop served in the office of 11:40.110 --> 11:42.320 Secretary Austin until very recently . 11:43.120 --> 11:46.310 These two here have been our partners 11:46.310 --> 11:48.477 in crime without them , we wouldn't be 11:48.477 --> 11:50.643 where we are today . I think it's only 11:50.643 --> 11:53.440 fitting that Towanda will tell us how 11:53.450 --> 11:56.390 what this means to her because she 11:56.390 --> 11:58.334 embodies our ambition to bring the 11:58.334 --> 12:00.890 brilliance of the talent in this course 12:00.900 --> 12:03.190 into our service . But I want over to 12:03.190 --> 12:05.700 you . Thanks dr Coleman , I first want 12:05.700 --> 12:07.978 to just this is such a historic moment . 12:07.978 --> 12:10.290 I first want to give thanks to mr 12:10.290 --> 12:12.850 Kendall Secretary Kendall dr Le plan 12:12.850 --> 12:14.850 and his absence . And certainly you 12:14.850 --> 12:17.100 honorable shoe for being here for your 12:17.100 --> 12:19.170 leadership and your commitment to 12:19.170 --> 12:21.620 seeking diverse talent um for research 12:21.620 --> 12:24.120 for hbcu historically black colleges 12:24.130 --> 12:26.019 and universities for our national 12:26.019 --> 12:29.190 security . Um as a senior executive in 12:29.190 --> 12:31.301 the Department of the Air Force and a 12:31.301 --> 12:33.357 proud historically black college and 12:33.357 --> 12:35.579 university graduate from Virginia State 12:35.579 --> 12:37.801 University . It's my honor to be a part 12:37.801 --> 12:39.980 of this historic moment today . See I 12:39.980 --> 12:42.202 joined the Air Force in the summer hire 12:42.202 --> 12:45.480 program back in 1988 while 12:45.480 --> 12:47.258 matriculating at Virginia State 12:47.258 --> 12:49.900 University and over those four years , 12:49.910 --> 12:52.132 the Air Force made a significant impact 12:52.132 --> 12:54.160 in my life , allowing me to see 12:54.160 --> 12:57.960 firsthand how my skills , how my talent 12:58.840 --> 13:01.110 could contribute to this mission . And 13:01.110 --> 13:03.443 this started my career in the Air Force . 13:03.443 --> 13:06.360 Now , 38 years later , I am pleased to 13:06.360 --> 13:08.304 see that the Department of the Air 13:08.304 --> 13:10.490 Force is making a commitment to 13:10.490 --> 13:12.410 bringing the research talent from 13:12.410 --> 13:14.188 historically black colleges and 13:14.188 --> 13:16.354 universities to meet the Department of 13:16.354 --> 13:18.466 the Air Force operational imperatives 13:18.466 --> 13:21.040 this research and investment will also 13:21.040 --> 13:23.410 attract talented stem professionals 13:23.410 --> 13:25.466 from historically black colleges and 13:25.466 --> 13:27.970 universities and like myself 38 years 13:27.970 --> 13:29.970 ago as the summer higher employee . 13:29.970 --> 13:32.400 They'll see themselves as a valuable 13:32.400 --> 13:34.233 contributor to the Department of 13:34.233 --> 13:36.750 Defense research needs . I also want to 13:36.760 --> 13:40.440 thank you dr Coleman um , Mr Bishop 13:40.450 --> 13:42.210 and the entire team for this 13:42.210 --> 13:44.432 partnership and getting us here today . 13:44.432 --> 13:47.580 Thank you so much . So we'll take some 13:47.580 --> 13:49.890 questions now . Abraham , 13:51.340 --> 13:54.120 Thanks for doing this . I've got 13:54.120 --> 13:56.231 several questions and I just hope the 13:56.231 --> 13:59.580 appropriate person will jump in . How 13:59.810 --> 14:03.780 much money is currently in those 14 Urs 14:04.240 --> 14:07.150 Because I read that just .05 currently 14:07.150 --> 14:09.240 goes to HBCu . So I just wonder the 14:09.480 --> 14:13.270 comparison and then why what was the 14:13.270 --> 14:15.750 rationale for limiting this selection 14:15.750 --> 14:17.861 to H . B . C . U . S and there's only 14:17.861 --> 14:20.780 11 . So instead of going nationwide the 14:20.790 --> 14:22.790 rationale for that and then can you 14:22.790 --> 14:25.012 talk a little bit about does this , how 14:25.012 --> 14:27.210 will this impact diversity in the Air 14:27.210 --> 14:29.900 Force ? Will it sort of expose Air 14:29.900 --> 14:32.390 force to potential civilians and 14:32.390 --> 14:34.223 service members ? Future service 14:34.223 --> 14:36.460 members . Huh ? Thank you so much . 14:37.940 --> 14:40.850 So I'll talk about the 14:41.500 --> 14:44.980 Newark's . Okay . Oh you are different . 14:44.980 --> 14:47.110 Quite a bit incisive . You have 14:47.110 --> 14:50.090 probably the biggest you arc is johNS 14:50.090 --> 14:53.770 Hopkins University Applied physics lab . 14:53.780 --> 14:55.947 They're by far the biggest they have , 14:55.947 --> 14:58.780 you know , thousands of employees uh 14:58.790 --> 15:01.300 covering a very wide range of different 15:01.300 --> 15:04.820 topic areas . Okay , so the U . R . R . 15:04.820 --> 15:08.020 Really selected uh and supported by the 15:08.020 --> 15:11.310 services Army has four . Navy has five . 15:11.320 --> 15:14.080 Okay this is the very first one by the 15:14.080 --> 15:17.450 Air Force um Missile Defense Agency has 15:17.450 --> 15:21.000 one R . And D . Has one . Uh I . N . S . 15:21.010 --> 15:24.170 Uh Intelligence and security has one . 15:24.170 --> 15:25.670 So there's there different 15:25.670 --> 15:27.740 organizations that sponsored you and 15:27.740 --> 15:29.910 they're different sizes focus on 15:29.920 --> 15:33.270 different uh critical skill areas that 15:33.270 --> 15:35.950 they desire . So I don't have the 15:35.950 --> 15:38.460 actual top line for you but I can 15:38.460 --> 15:42.190 certainly get that . Okay so maybe if I 15:42.190 --> 15:44.079 can speak to your second question 15:44.079 --> 15:46.360 diversity piece in the department of 15:46.360 --> 15:50.050 the Air Force we we will strive for 15:50.050 --> 15:53.150 diversity . We also strive frankly for 15:53.150 --> 15:56.070 more scientists and engineers . One of 15:56.070 --> 15:58.470 the one of the key messages that the 15:58.470 --> 16:00.800 secretary um you know brought with him 16:00.800 --> 16:03.640 when he when he uh when he came to the 16:03.640 --> 16:06.570 Air Force is that we need to grow our 16:06.570 --> 16:08.570 organic technical competence in the 16:08.570 --> 16:12.430 department . So a this this york will 16:12.430 --> 16:16.430 help us ah on both scores both on our 16:16.440 --> 16:19.440 diversity goals as well as science and 16:19.440 --> 16:22.170 engineer kind of hiring goals . And you 16:22.170 --> 16:24.281 know while we can't hold institutions 16:24.281 --> 16:27.300 accountable from whom we hire . We can 16:27.300 --> 16:29.356 hold them accountable from whom they 16:29.356 --> 16:31.467 articulate so that we can hire from . 16:31.467 --> 16:34.890 So the pool of scientists and engineers 16:34.890 --> 16:37.112 that will be creating will be available 16:37.112 --> 16:39.460 to us to bring into the department . Um 16:41.010 --> 16:43.177 I can talk a little bit about why it's 16:43.177 --> 16:45.177 pc use question as well and I think 16:45.177 --> 16:48.930 honestly your question perhaps answers 16:48.930 --> 16:51.200 itself . So today , you know , as the 16:51.200 --> 16:53.520 secretary said , if you if you look 16:53.530 --> 16:57.120 across the board , HBCu graduates , 30% 16:57.120 --> 16:59.287 of all African American scientists and 16:59.287 --> 17:02.880 engineers . Of those , 88% proceed to 17:02.880 --> 17:06.770 gate phds from our wan , whitey white 17:06.780 --> 17:10.500 um , majority schools . They are not 17:10.500 --> 17:13.930 able to get those phds in the HPC . Us . 17:13.940 --> 17:15.829 Why is that because of historical 17:15.829 --> 17:19.420 inequities ? So our purpose here is to 17:19.420 --> 17:21.950 get access to that talent directly by 17:21.950 --> 17:23.839 going to the H . B C U . S versus 17:23.839 --> 17:26.730 waiting for that migrate was via A and 17:26.730 --> 17:29.310 R . One majority institutions . So 17:29.320 --> 17:31.620 we've been very deliberate in trying to 17:31.620 --> 17:33.620 get access to that talent , which I 17:33.620 --> 17:35.676 believe is is kind of trapped if you 17:35.676 --> 17:38.130 like in some sense , inside of those 17:38.130 --> 17:40.074 institutions because of historical 17:40.074 --> 17:44.060 inequities . What's 17:44.060 --> 17:46.227 the battlefield imperative ? What does 17:46.227 --> 17:48.450 diversity do from a tactical 17:48.450 --> 17:51.140 perspective with diversity of ideas ? I 17:51.140 --> 17:52.918 can tell you back when I was an 17:52.918 --> 17:56.000 engineer . Okay , we look for people 17:56.000 --> 17:58.111 with different background , different 17:58.111 --> 18:00.056 disciplines . Because you come you 18:00.056 --> 18:02.111 tackle a problem from very different 18:02.300 --> 18:04.210 experience and very different 18:04.210 --> 18:07.090 perspective . It's a diversity of 18:07.090 --> 18:09.930 different ideas coming from a diversity 18:09.930 --> 18:12.780 of backgrounds that helps you to solve 18:12.780 --> 18:15.010 the most challenging problem with 18:15.020 --> 18:17.820 innovative ideas that you may be within 18:17.820 --> 18:19.840 your own perspective wouldn't have 18:19.840 --> 18:22.000 thought of . Okay , that's why 18:22.000 --> 18:24.111 diversity is important and that's why 18:24.111 --> 18:27.880 enriches uh , this country , this 18:27.880 --> 18:31.690 country is incredible in terms of the 18:31.690 --> 18:33.870 diversity of talent that we have in 18:33.870 --> 18:35.870 this nation . We're one of the most 18:35.870 --> 18:37.926 innovative countries in this world , 18:37.926 --> 18:40.960 right ? Uh because of diversity , so 18:42.040 --> 18:45.600 thanks . Okay . We'll go to the phone 18:45.600 --> 18:47.767 lines now . Christina . Did you have a 18:47.767 --> 18:51.100 question ? Thank you for taking my 18:51.100 --> 18:53.400 question . Um Yes , I'm interested in 18:53.400 --> 18:55.240 the piece . Uh that might be 18:55.240 --> 18:58.320 sustainability more um over the longer 18:58.320 --> 19:01.180 term as that meets with community , as 19:01.190 --> 19:03.370 the work in the university area meets 19:03.370 --> 19:05.680 with communities and small businesses . 19:05.690 --> 19:08.710 And I wonder if there is also a 19:08.720 --> 19:10.609 connection there with the FBI our 19:10.609 --> 19:14.090 program . Um I'm a little uncertain 19:14.090 --> 19:16.460 about how that might fit together . So 19:17.240 --> 19:19.960 that's that's where I Yeah , thank you . 19:21.390 --> 19:23.920 So , so maybe I'll take that because 19:23.930 --> 19:27.930 Total Plant isn't here . So the mental 19:27.930 --> 19:31.460 product program is is 19:31.470 --> 19:33.750 adjacent to the small business 19:33.760 --> 19:36.940 innovation uh research program 19:36.950 --> 19:40.500 that that its goal is to help small 19:40.500 --> 19:42.980 businesses who don't currently have 19:42.990 --> 19:45.670 access or expertise in connecting with 19:45.670 --> 19:49.470 us in the department to be um I 19:49.470 --> 19:51.550 guess to give me the opportunity to 19:51.550 --> 19:53.772 learn how to work with us . And the way 19:53.772 --> 19:55.883 it works is that large companies that 19:55.883 --> 19:57.883 already have a ton of experience in 19:57.883 --> 20:00.106 working with us and none of the ropes , 20:00.106 --> 20:02.217 they help the smaller businesses also 20:02.217 --> 20:04.580 become connected with us , um and 20:04.580 --> 20:07.200 therefore more able to participate in 20:07.460 --> 20:09.349 the pool of technology that we're 20:09.349 --> 20:11.960 bringing in . Our hope here is that by 20:11.970 --> 20:14.250 co locating these clusters , This MPP 20:14.250 --> 20:16.420 clusters around the schools . We will 20:16.420 --> 20:18.930 be certainly supporting the creation 20:18.930 --> 20:21.152 and growth and smaller businesses , but 20:21.152 --> 20:23.600 also we will be building a direct link 20:23.610 --> 20:25.721 with us in the department because you 20:25.721 --> 20:27.610 know , we love the fact that they 20:27.610 --> 20:29.666 create prosperity locally , but also 20:29.666 --> 20:31.777 we're going to benefit our mission in 20:31.777 --> 20:31.180 the department and making that 20:31.180 --> 20:33.347 connection with the MPP is fundamental 20:33.347 --> 20:36.900 to that . Okay , 20:37.580 --> 20:39.747 thank you . I have a few questions for 20:39.747 --> 20:42.700 whoever wants to take them . Um when is 20:42.700 --> 20:46.330 this center expected to reach IOC um 20:46.340 --> 20:48.451 and then also I know it's kind of Air 20:48.451 --> 20:51.230 force focused but um could the rest of 20:51.240 --> 20:53.250 duty like other components leverage 20:53.250 --> 20:55.306 some of the work that's done at this 20:55.306 --> 20:57.700 new center and also from an industry 20:57.700 --> 21:00.970 perspective um Will the focus beyond 21:00.980 --> 21:03.410 minority owned businesses participating 21:03.410 --> 21:05.600 in this project or is it open to any 21:05.610 --> 21:08.470 contractor who I'll answer one aspect , 21:08.470 --> 21:10.637 victrola probably answered the other , 21:10.637 --> 21:12.692 the Air force related one . Okay . I 21:12.692 --> 21:14.914 would say one of the things that that I 21:14.914 --> 21:17.670 do at my levels , I tap into the U R 21:17.690 --> 21:20.830 and F F R D C s , they are an extension 21:20.840 --> 21:24.190 of my technical arm . Right , I would , 21:24.200 --> 21:26.840 I would ask them for specific projects 21:26.840 --> 21:29.800 and literally I would ask the F F R D S 21:29.800 --> 21:31.950 A U R . So they pulled together a 21:31.950 --> 21:34.430 collaborative team with the right 21:34.430 --> 21:36.350 domain expertise from each of the 21:36.350 --> 21:38.461 different areas . I want you guys all 21:38.461 --> 21:40.720 thrown together to think about how to 21:40.720 --> 21:43.450 tackle this particular problem for me . 21:43.840 --> 21:46.062 So they're literally our tests and this 21:46.062 --> 21:48.340 is why they're working together . Okay , 21:50.140 --> 21:53.780 so so um , one of the , one of the 21:53.790 --> 21:55.790 central pillars of the work that we 21:55.790 --> 21:59.600 expect the the the thing to do is trust 21:59.600 --> 22:01.822 and autonomy and of course , you know , 22:01.822 --> 22:03.878 you're right in pointing out that it 22:03.878 --> 22:05.989 doesn't matter if the Air Force , the 22:05.989 --> 22:05.780 Navy and the army , you know , any , 22:05.780 --> 22:07.891 any form of autonomy that is deployed 22:07.891 --> 22:10.190 requires trust . So we think that while 22:10.190 --> 22:13.100 the results , you know , we'll try and 22:13.110 --> 22:15.388 grab as much of that for the Air Force . 22:15.388 --> 22:17.810 I think part of the partnership here 22:17.810 --> 22:21.010 with uh mysteries offices that we we 22:21.010 --> 22:23.720 recognize that they are applicable in 22:23.720 --> 22:26.190 much broader areas and through this 22:26.190 --> 22:28.670 partnership actually we enable the flow 22:28.670 --> 22:30.559 of those results into these other 22:30.559 --> 22:33.150 communities . Um you asked a question 22:33.150 --> 22:37.040 about the MPP and and the , I'm not an 22:37.040 --> 22:39.040 expert but my understanding is that 22:39.430 --> 22:42.170 they are not restricted to minority on 22:42.180 --> 22:44.347 businesses , small businesses , that's 22:44.347 --> 22:48.270 a designation . I understand Yes . 22:48.270 --> 22:51.750 About IOC IOC is expected to be in 22:51.750 --> 22:52.750 december . 22:56.540 --> 22:59.160 Okay . Eric on the phone , did you have 22:59.160 --> 23:03.140 a question ? Um I do not 23:03.140 --> 23:05.251 currently have a question . Thank you 23:05.251 --> 23:08.560 though , anybody else in the room 23:10.140 --> 23:13.090 abraham question . I just , I 23:13.090 --> 23:15.150 understand that 30% of the black 23:15.150 --> 23:17.372 engineers come from HPC us , but what I 23:17.372 --> 23:19.594 don't understand is the rationale again 23:19.594 --> 23:23.200 for not opening it up uh nationwide . I 23:23.200 --> 23:25.311 think people are gonna be asking that 23:25.311 --> 23:27.478 so I just want to have a good answer . 23:27.478 --> 23:30.560 So again , you know , we are , 23:31.240 --> 23:33.850 the department has access to a very 23:33.850 --> 23:36.970 diverse , diverse to a large 23:36.980 --> 23:40.880 pool of um um of 23:40.880 --> 23:43.410 work and people that are executed 23:43.410 --> 23:45.632 through the 14 or so New York's that we 23:45.632 --> 23:47.570 already have , what we don't have 23:47.570 --> 23:51.300 access to is the talent that is 23:51.310 --> 23:54.050 sitting inside H B C U S . So this is a 23:54.060 --> 23:57.030 very deliberate effort to allow us to 23:57.030 --> 23:59.140 have much better access in those 23:59.140 --> 24:02.750 schools . So it's , it's um , If this 24:02.750 --> 24:05.240 is the focus of one of the focus areas , 24:05.250 --> 24:07.150 but also I have to say that it is 24:07.150 --> 24:10.310 consistent with the NBA from 22 that 24:10.310 --> 24:12.477 actually directed the department to do 24:12.477 --> 24:14.699 more on this and perhaps you can add to 24:14.699 --> 24:16.866 that . Yeah , I would also chime in if 24:16.866 --> 24:19.550 you think about across the nation with 24:19.550 --> 24:22.650 a problem in terms of stem right ? Uh , 24:22.660 --> 24:25.200 students graduating through 24:25.210 --> 24:28.560 universities . So 24:28.940 --> 24:31.160 one thing we ought to be doing is tap 24:31.170 --> 24:34.220 into and growing our stem 24:34.230 --> 24:36.970 education through university . That's 24:36.980 --> 24:40.530 in the US , that's US citizens , 24:40.540 --> 24:43.430 right ? Rather than looking only 24:43.430 --> 24:46.640 externally for for immigrants . Right ? 24:46.640 --> 24:49.350 So one way for us to grow the number of 24:49.350 --> 24:51.950 stem students literally to cultivate 24:51.960 --> 24:55.820 hBc US , right ? You have us citizens , 24:55.820 --> 24:58.460 why not get them interested in stem 25:00.140 --> 25:02.920 What my office does is reaching all the 25:02.920 --> 25:06.030 way down . We have stem scholarships . 25:07.140 --> 25:11.020 416 Stem scholars were awarded 25:11.020 --> 25:13.730 undergraduate graduate degrees and it's 25:13.730 --> 25:17.000 a fee for service , namely paid four 25:17.000 --> 25:19.990 years of year uh undergraduate degree 25:20.000 --> 25:22.222 after you graduate , you work in one of 25:22.222 --> 25:24.222 our labs for four years , you got a 25:24.222 --> 25:26.389 guaranteed job for four years . What's 25:26.389 --> 25:28.611 better than that ? Right ? And we reach 25:28.611 --> 25:31.220 down even lower into junior high 25:31.220 --> 25:34.440 schools and uh , all the way down to 25:34.440 --> 25:36.690 grade school to really to cultivate the 25:36.690 --> 25:39.930 stem talent . Right ? So what one of 25:39.930 --> 25:42.170 the key things that we want to do is 25:42.170 --> 25:44.340 cultivate the stem talent . Therefore 25:44.340 --> 25:48.230 we have a greater pool a stem uh folks 25:48.240 --> 25:50.570 right to tap into the work , not just 25:50.570 --> 25:52.580 in the D . O . D . But perhaps in 25:52.580 --> 25:54.524 defense industry as well . We also 25:54.524 --> 25:57.190 benefit from that right . Abraham , if 25:57.190 --> 25:59.357 I can pull on that , one of the things 25:59.357 --> 26:01.412 we talked about early on was in that 26:01.412 --> 26:04.560 brief . And so while the Urs have 26:04.560 --> 26:07.210 historically been available to H . B . 26:07.210 --> 26:09.099 C . U . S but they're not able to 26:09.099 --> 26:11.154 compete . And one of the things that 26:11.154 --> 26:13.210 we're talking about is building that 26:13.210 --> 26:15.321 capacity and you heard the numbers of 26:15.321 --> 26:17.488 about 11 of them are are two . None of 26:17.488 --> 26:19.321 them are ones . And so when they 26:19.321 --> 26:21.377 compete , when you said open it up , 26:21.377 --> 26:23.266 when they compete with our ones , 26:23.266 --> 26:25.377 they're not able to compete . And one 26:25.377 --> 26:27.543 of the things under the N . D . A . Is 26:27.543 --> 26:29.766 to fix that inequities and to do that , 26:29.766 --> 26:31.877 we have to give them that lift , like 26:31.877 --> 26:33.821 we've done with other universities 26:33.821 --> 26:33.600 through the U . R . So that's our 26:33.600 --> 26:37.010 primary goal to do that . So 11 other 26:37.010 --> 26:39.177 thing I'd like to add to that to chime 26:39.177 --> 26:42.620 into that one of the things that my 26:42.620 --> 26:45.050 office have done last year is really 26:45.050 --> 26:48.420 helping the HBCU to team up with a 26:48.420 --> 26:51.570 major university to be able to compete 26:51.580 --> 26:55.080 for a center of excellence . Right ? So 26:55.080 --> 26:57.080 that has happened . So last year we 26:57.080 --> 27:00.420 granted to more hbcu additional funding 27:00.540 --> 27:03.110 because they've teamed up uh with 27:03.110 --> 27:05.400 another university , a major university 27:05.400 --> 27:09.200 to compete on all of these uh research 27:09.200 --> 27:13.170 projects . Right ? So yeah , I 27:13.180 --> 27:15.236 just like to echo what the panel has 27:15.236 --> 27:17.740 said and introduce myself . So I'm Miss 27:17.740 --> 27:20.730 Shoes Deputy CTO for Critical 27:20.730 --> 27:23.050 Technologies . And then so I'm one 27:23.050 --> 27:26.180 generation removed from hbcu . Both my 27:26.180 --> 27:29.910 parents were hbcu grads and for me to 27:29.910 --> 27:32.730 achieve the , you know , my career 27:32.730 --> 27:35.400 goals that was not an option for me . 27:35.410 --> 27:38.670 So I have an elite pedigree but 27:39.240 --> 27:42.160 I want the next me to be able to come 27:42.160 --> 27:45.860 from an HbCU um and uh 27:46.240 --> 27:49.290 um and that's as you know , Towanda 27:49.290 --> 27:52.430 said , we want to build capacity and as 27:52.440 --> 27:54.860 miss you just said , we want to be able 27:54.860 --> 27:58.840 to have H . 27:58.840 --> 28:02.440 B . C . U . S Transition from R . 2 to 28:02.440 --> 28:05.900 R 1 to compete for funds to 28:05.910 --> 28:08.021 help the department into submission . 28:09.340 --> 28:11.200 You know , we do understand that 28:11.210 --> 28:15.130 competition , you need access to 28:15.130 --> 28:17.408 labs , you need to have final reliance , 28:17.408 --> 28:19.630 you need to have reduced teaching loads 28:19.640 --> 28:23.370 in order to be able to be competitive 28:23.380 --> 28:27.170 in a research environment um 28:28.040 --> 28:31.090 without that and because this course 28:31.090 --> 28:34.930 have been squished into the the art of 28:34.940 --> 28:37.340 uh space for the most part , because of 28:37.340 --> 28:39.507 lack of funding in the past , just not 28:39.507 --> 28:41.673 being able to develop in the ways that 28:41.673 --> 28:43.840 you know , we know they are capable of 28:43.840 --> 28:45.729 and we really want to unlock that 28:45.729 --> 28:47.951 potential for us . This is like the key 28:48.400 --> 28:50.567 to the little this goodness come out . 28:50.567 --> 28:54.050 Um I I gotta tell you , I get very 28:54.050 --> 28:56.670 emotional when I hear stories um 28:59.340 --> 29:03.160 like this . Um Today is a good day . 29:03.740 --> 29:07.730 Today is a good day john I think 29:08.030 --> 29:10.920 that you're talking about you know , 29:10.920 --> 29:12.809 the advantage of being an R . One 29:12.809 --> 29:14.531 school versus an R . Two . And 29:14.531 --> 29:16.420 competing , are you talking about 29:16.420 --> 29:18.309 competing for funding for federal 29:18.309 --> 29:20.476 contracts or D . O . D . Contract ? So 29:20.476 --> 29:22.698 can you kind of clarify what you mean ? 29:22.698 --> 29:24.864 I was referring to the U . Arcs and so 29:24.864 --> 29:24.530 the other you are , there's a camp a 29:24.530 --> 29:26.920 competition as well . And in order for 29:26.920 --> 29:29.031 those historically black colleges and 29:29.031 --> 29:31.198 universities to compete , they have to 29:31.198 --> 29:33.253 be able to have as dr Coleman talked 29:33.253 --> 29:35.420 about the labs , they have to have the 29:35.420 --> 29:37.309 faculties and there's 100 and one 29:37.309 --> 29:39.087 historically black colleges and 29:39.087 --> 29:41.031 universities , only 11 of them are 29:41.031 --> 29:44.050 considered in R . Two . That means that 29:44.050 --> 29:46.460 they have a high degree of research to 29:46.460 --> 29:48.350 get to the are ones which are 29:48.540 --> 29:51.180 predominantly white colleges that's 29:51.180 --> 29:53.180 very high . And so when they try to 29:53.180 --> 29:55.330 compete for other UR opportunities . 29:55.340 --> 29:57.550 They don't compete competitively 29:57.560 --> 29:59.116 because they don't have the 29:59.116 --> 30:01.282 underpinning that's necessary . That's 30:01.282 --> 30:03.449 what I was referring to . And our hope 30:03.449 --> 30:06.130 is by the way that by doing this , not 30:06.130 --> 30:08.300 only they will benefit from the , you 30:08.300 --> 30:10.522 know , the funding that we will provide 30:10.522 --> 30:12.633 to new york , but that will make them 30:12.633 --> 30:14.856 much more competitive when they compete 30:14.856 --> 30:16.911 in other in other service stations . 30:16.911 --> 30:19.078 Right , So so we we think that this is 30:19.078 --> 30:22.690 the accelerant . Absolutely , it's a 30:22.690 --> 30:25.410 catalyst , Right , Lauren , did you 30:25.410 --> 30:29.410 have a question ? Yes , 30:29.420 --> 30:31.710 thank you so much for doing this and 30:31.710 --> 30:33.710 you guys have kind of touched on it 30:33.710 --> 30:35.821 already , but I'm hoping to get a bit 30:35.821 --> 30:37.560 of a foot stomp . So the biden 30:37.560 --> 30:39.800 administration released its equity plan 30:39.800 --> 30:41.578 earlier this year , the Defense 30:41.578 --> 30:44.070 Department and other federal agencies 30:44.070 --> 30:48.040 and departments noted that uh the H . B . 30:48.040 --> 30:50.207 C . U . S . And other minority serving 30:50.207 --> 30:52.560 institutions were kind of key to , you 30:52.560 --> 30:54.504 know , pushing forward these these 30:54.504 --> 30:56.800 these research efforts . You mentioned 30:56.810 --> 30:59.400 at the top that this was gonna be a 3 30:59.400 --> 31:03.330 to 5 year effort , but how how is the 31:03.330 --> 31:06.250 Defense Department um looking to make 31:06.250 --> 31:09.450 this kind of a mainstay and not just , 31:09.460 --> 31:13.190 you know , an effort that kind of gets 31:13.200 --> 31:15.480 lost . And we forget that these 31:15.480 --> 31:17.702 partnerships are even happening when we 31:17.702 --> 31:21.440 look up in five years . So 31:21.450 --> 31:23.740 uh the U . R . R . Really review at 31:23.740 --> 31:26.630 five year cycles . So within five years 31:26.630 --> 31:29.440 time will be time to take a look at how 31:29.440 --> 31:32.770 well the you are doing . And usually uh 31:32.780 --> 31:35.010 the department takes a look at in 31:35.010 --> 31:38.060 conjunction with the Air Force and so 31:38.060 --> 31:41.220 there's a comprehensive look and what 31:41.220 --> 31:43.520 they have contributed and usually their 31:43.520 --> 31:45.631 renewal within five years for another 31:45.631 --> 31:49.090 five years . Okay . Plus you know again 31:49.090 --> 31:51.312 we have been very thoughtful about this 31:51.312 --> 31:53.534 and we want to develop the institutions 31:53.534 --> 31:55.870 so that even if in the unlikely event 31:55.870 --> 31:58.037 that the funding doesn't continue past 31:58.037 --> 32:00.148 five years or even 10 years they have 32:00.148 --> 32:02.314 built up enough capacity internally to 32:02.314 --> 32:04.537 be able to compete and bring in funding 32:04.537 --> 32:06.860 from from other from other sources . 32:09.440 --> 32:11.329 Shelly , do you have a question ? 32:14.440 --> 32:16.384 I don't have this time . Thank you 32:16.384 --> 32:18.570 though . Are there any other questions 32:18.570 --> 32:22.350 in the room ? Okay 32:22.360 --> 32:24.870 Abraham . Just just because Secretary 32:24.870 --> 32:27.680 Kendall talked about china , do our 32:27.690 --> 32:29.801 adversaries do this does this provide 32:29.801 --> 32:30.857 any kind of edge ? 32:33.640 --> 32:36.050 I actually don't know what china is in 32:36.050 --> 32:39.270 terms of you are not looked into that . 32:39.280 --> 32:42.850 I will say our competitors are using 32:42.850 --> 32:44.683 their talent and their and their 32:44.683 --> 32:47.330 students for competitive advantage . 32:47.340 --> 32:50.470 And so using that engineering and that 32:50.470 --> 32:52.581 talent we have to do the same thing . 32:52.581 --> 32:54.803 And so applying this kind of capability 32:55.340 --> 32:58.570 um and using every arsenal meaning the 32:58.580 --> 33:01.330 background , the culture um everything 33:01.330 --> 33:03.730 that you bring I bring to the fight 33:03.740 --> 33:05.740 that's what they're doing and so we 33:05.740 --> 33:07.740 have to do the same thing . I think 33:07.740 --> 33:09.796 there's civil and military blurs the 33:09.796 --> 33:11.740 line . So it's kind of hard to say 33:11.740 --> 33:13.851 where the line divides ours is pretty 33:13.851 --> 33:17.840 clear okay . If um 33:17.960 --> 33:21.220 no other questions will um say thank 33:21.220 --> 33:23.110 you to our panelists and uh we 33:23.110 --> 33:25.221 appreciate everybody showing up today 33:25.221 --> 33:27.330 and celebrating this great um this 33:27.330 --> 33:28.770 great occasion . Thank you .