Congressional Modeling & Simulation Caucus


	Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Founder and Co-Chairman Congressman Solomon Ortiz, Co-Chairman
	July 2009 Next Week: Fourth Annual Modeling and Simulation Expo to be Held on Capitol Hill July 15th will be an exciting day for the Modeling and Simulation industry on Capitol Hill as M&S industry representatives will participate in the largest M&S event in our nation’s capital. Capitol Hill Modeling & Simulation Expo Wednesday, July 15, 2009 Rayburn Building – Foyer 10:45 am – 4:00 pm Exhibit Hours 11:00 Opening Remarks This summer, top-notch M&S demonstrations from around the country will be brought to the nation’s capital at the 2009 Capitol Hill Modeling & Simulation Expo. The National Training & Simulation Association in conjunction with the members of the Congressional Modeling and Simulation Caucus invite you to join them to take part in cutting-edge hands-on demonstrations such as: Fly in a real flight simulator Hit the links with Virtual Golf Taking control of an entire city during a natural disaster Police small arms training Fire-fighter Simulation Learn a foreign language & culture Performing virtual surgery using state of the art robotics And many more exciting uses of simulation technology With limited time, strained budgets, or under-trained staff threatening to stall the plans of our nation's largest industries, these industries turn to modeling and simulation (M&S). Whether in the construction, defense, medical, entertainment or engineering industries, leaders are realizing that M&S is the bridge that transforms future problems into current solutions. NTSA is proud to sponsor the 2009 Capitol Hill Modeling and Simulation Expo. Members of the Congressional Modeling and Simulation Caucus will make remarks at the exhibit. Department of Defense Awards $260 Million in University Research Funding The Department of Defense announced May 8th that $260 million would be given to 69 academic institutions over the next five years to perform multidisciplinary basic research. These awards come as a result of the DoD Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) program which supports research by teams of investigators that intersect more than one traditional science and engineering discipline in order to create research progress and applicable research results. Most MURI efforts involve researchers from multiple academic institutions and academic departments. The fiscal 2009 competition was conducted by the Army Research Office, Office of Naval Research, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. The MURI program, like other DoD research, combines traditional university research and multidisciplinary teams through larger and longer awards. The current awards last for five years and are subject to appropriations availability and research progress. The MURI awards provide greater education and training of students pursuing advanced degrees in science and engineering fields critical to the DoD. Awards are also subject to the successful completion of negotiations between the academic institutions and the DoD research offices that will make the awards: the (ARO), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). For more information and a list of selected projects, click here. DOD Gets Assistance with New IFF System Alion Science and Technology Inc., a technology solutions company, was awarded a three-year contract valued at $1.5 million to evaluate the Defense Department’s Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) System designed with hopes of reducing friendly fire accidents. Under the Modeling and Simulation Information Analysis Center contract, the new IFF system provides timely and accurate ID and situational awareness to the war fighter to prevent casualties from friendly fire. Specifically, Alion will provide modeling and simulation work on the new Mark XIIA Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe system. Using a radio-based ID system, IFF enables the war fighter to differentiate friendly aircraft, vehicles and forces from enemy ones. Alion’s work also will try to ensure that the radio waveforms of Mark XIIA Mode 5 IFF are compatible with Air Traffic Control standards and do not interfere with airwaves that support aircraft operation. The modeling and simulation performance results will be provided to the Defense Department International ATC Radar System, IFF, and Mark XII Systems Program Office, under the direction of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Technology & Logistics. To learn more about the Modeling and Simulation Information Analysis Center click here. Northrop Grumman to Open New Office and Lab Facility in Suffolk The Northrop Grumman Corporation recently opened a new facility in Suffolk where the company will continue to support joint military training. This 30,000 square-foot building located at 8030 Harbour View Drive plans to accommodate approximately 85 employees. Northrop Grumman plans to consolidate approximately 60 employees from three existing offices in the area and intends to hire up to 25 simulation systems engineers. The new building will be staffed by simulation and communications engineers who will support the Joint Forces Command's Joint Warfighting Center, which provides realistic, cost-effective training for joint forces. The new facility includes a state-of-the-art simulation and communications laboratory, which will provide research, development and integration for training and communications projects throughout the United States. "This facility centralizes numerous Northrop Grumman activities that were previously scattered throughout the local area and the country. It directly augments collaboration among many projects, accelerating development and enhancing effectiveness in a location at the heart of future joint war fighting capabilities," said Keith Beavers, vice president of Northrop Grumman's Advanced Warfighting Solutions business unit and corporate lead executive for the U.S. Joint Forces Command customer. Northrop Grumman is the largest private employer in the state of Virginia with 33,000 employees and other new facilities in Charlottesville and Wallops Island. Specializing in global security, the company’s more than 120,000 employees provide government and commercial customers services in innovative systems, electronics, and technical services. M&S Caucus Member Spotlight Congresswoman Susan Davis Hometown: San Diego, California Congressional District: Fifty-Third District of California Years in Congress: 8 Committee Assignments: Armed Services, Education and Labor, Administration Government M&S in her district: Naval Air Station North Island, Naval Aviation Depot North Island, Coronado Amphibious Base, University of California San Diego, San Diego State University Rep. Davis on M&S: “Modeling and Simulation plays a vital role in training our men and women in uniform. Without the emergence of innovative M&S technologies, it would be much more difficult for our service members to get the training they need in a timely and cost-effective manner. M&S technology is also playing an important role in helping treat PTSD and TBI related injuries. Ultimately, the American people deserve the best-trained and equipped force in the world. The Modeling and Simulation industry helps us toward achieving this goal.” To visit Rep. Davis’ website, go to: http://www.house.gov/susandavis/ Upcoming Events Directed Energy Test & Evaluation Conference 2009 August 10-12, 2009 Albuquerque, New Mexico The purpose of this eighth annual conference is to exchange insights, experiences, and ideas regarding direct energy test and evaluation (T&E). As major DE systems progress through the various phases of T&E, critical questions arise regarding our ability to perform appropriate and affordable T&E. Important issues regarding the vulnerability of other, more conventional systems are also of great interest to the DE T&E community. Initial efforts in many of these areas have already been made. For more information, click here. Twelfth Annual Space and Missile Defense Conference and Exhibition August 17-20, 2009 Von Braun Center Huntsville, Alabama The theme for this year’s event is Space and Missile Defense... the Path Forward and the Conference will have a greater international emphasis than in previous years, including information on ballistic missile defense in Europe and China. The conference will also emphasize a joint nature, with each service well-represented and their contributions spotlighted. Because of current world situations and national occurrences, the conference will emphasize the importance of understanding missile defense and space technologies are contributing to the success of war fighters around the globe. For more information, click here. 17th Annual Expeditionary Warfare Wargame August 25-26, 2009 Ellis Hall - Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA Expeditionary Warfare Wargame offers a preeminent training and simulation opportunity to hear the latest requirements and learn about procurement opportunities from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. Presentations will identify near term and mid-term requirements and acquisition strategies. For more information on the annual event, including a full agenda, click here. MODSIM World Conference & Expo October 14-16, 2009 Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia For 2009, the MODSIM World Conference & Expo will focus on 21st Century Decision-Making : The Art of Modeling & Simulation. Speakers, educational tracks, presentations, and product demonstrations will center on using modeling and simulation tools and practices in emerging and innovative operating environments. Attendees will learn about new applications and practices and have an opportunity to network with other industry professionals. For more information, click here. M&S Must Reads Developing Simulation Training for Medical Emergencies UCSF to Use GNS’ Modeling and Simulation Technology in Cancer Research May 27, 2009 Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News Gene Network Sciences (GNS) and the University of California, San Francisco Cancer Center (UCSF) are working together to further cancer research. This collaboration will combine UCSF’s clinical and research expertise with the company’s REFS™ (reverse engineering and forward simulation) platform. UCSF has already utilized the REFS technology to discover and validate mediators of cell-cycle transition, which is a determinant of the rate of cancer-cell proliferation and tumor growth. The parties will continue with research to elucidate the RAS-MAPK and PI3K cancer pathways, which are critical for initiation and progression of many cancers. To continue reading click here. Army hopes interactive videos make smarter soldiers May 15, 2009 CNN Just over a year ago, a U.S. staff sergeant in Iraq decided to practice his shooting skills. His target: the Quran, Islam's holiest book. The military issued a formal apology, promptly dismissed the soldier from his regiment and reassigned him to stateside duty. But news of the shooting had already made its way onto YouTube, and a firestorm of outrage was ignited across the Islamic world. Protests turned deadly in Afghanistan. Back at the Army's Intelligence and Cultural Awareness Center at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, commanders knew they had a problem. To continue reading click here. Fighting swine flu with simulations, infrared tech May 26, 2009 Computerworld Canada The problem with simulation training is that the platform upon which users are trained too often has little in common with actual everyday operations, said an executive with a company recently in Mexico briefing government officials on response management to the swine flu outbreak and other crises. David Moore, vice-president of market development & sales management with Acron Capability Engineering Inc., who also spent 26 years with the Canadian military, said from experience there can be a level of "ramping up" that's required when transitioning from training to real-world operations. To continue reading click here. Crop modeling may help increase crop yields May 28, 2009 FarmPress In the current economy, farmers are especially interested in how crop modeling programs can help them increase yields, while decreasing water and other inputs. Top agricultural scientists from across the United States met in Georgia this month to discuss ways to help farmers increase profits, optimize yields, decrease inputs, and manage crops based on local weather and soil conditions. To continue reading click here. American Business's Secret Competitive Weapon: HPC May 22, 2009 Forbes It's a technology that helped Ping craft Angel Cabrera's Augusta-winning golf clubs and also enabled Goodyear and Whirlpool to cut costs in one stroke. It is high performance computing--or HPC--and it allows for high-end modeling and simulation, making extremely sophisticated and complex virtual design and prototyping possible. The U.S. is the world leader in this technology, and with it American companies have discovered new ways to innovate that were previously unimaginable. To continue reading click here. If you have news articles on M&S that you would like to have featured in a future issue of the Modeling and Simulation Newsletter, please email them to the M&S Newsletter. Modeling & Simulation e-newsletter Join the Modeling and Simulation Caucus email newsletter list by signing up online at http://randyforbes.house.gov/mscaucus. In addition, you can stay informed by reading past issues online. If your organization would like to be featured in a future issue of the Modeling and Simulation Government Highlight section, please email background information and photos to the M&S Newsletter.
	Founded by Congressman Randy Forbes of Virginia, the Congressional Modeling & Simulation Caucus serves to showcase M&S contributions, to promote the M&S industry, and to be a forum for Members of Congress to understand the importance of M&S in a variety of fields. For more information on the Congressional Modeling & Simulation Caucus, please visit http://randyforbes.house.gov/mscaucus. Please do not reply to this email. It has been sent from an unattended mailbox.