Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee and Seminar Series

Workshop

Workshop Session on Transformative Science & Technology for Defense: Materials and Manufacturing for Contested Environments

September 15, 2025

8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

Emerging advances in materials and manufacturing are making it possible to overcome the unique challenges presented by operating in harsh environments—from polar regions and space to fusion reactors. The National Academies invite you to join us in person or online on September 15, 2025 for a workshop exploring the forefront of advanced materials innovation and adaptive technologies designed for performance in extreme and unpredictable conditions.

The workshop will highlight how sustainable manufacturing methods, including 3D printing and biomanufacturing, are enabling “build-on-demand” approaches to infrastructure, with implications for disaster response, remote research stations, and future space missions. Speakers will also discuss how advanced manufacturing and computational design can accelerate the development and optimization of structures and devices, including advanced composites, metamaterials, 2D materials, and self-healing systems.

Registration is required to attend this event online. Please use the link above to register. Limited seats are available by request only for in-person attendance at the event, which will be held in Washington, D.C. If you’d like to join us in person, please contact Gabrielle Risica at grisica@nas.edu for more information.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

Workshop Session on Transformative Science &Technology for the Department of Defense: Non-Linguistic Artificial Intelligence Models

August 20, 2025

1:30 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

While large language models (LLMs) dominate headlines, a broader class of artificial intelligence systems are quietly transforming defense capabilities across domains from battlefield awareness to electronic warfare and autonomous systems.

Join the National Academies for a workshop session that will explore the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence models beyond large language models, with a focus on the importance of model selection and design in the context of national security. Participants will engage with emerging approaches such as diffusion models for generative tasks, embodied AI for physical and autonomous systems, and AI techniques tailored for non-tokenizable data types including images, signals, and multidimensional sensor inputs.

The session will also examine challenge of data sparsity, the role of simulated and synthetic data in accelerating development when real-world data is limited or classified, and the importance of selecting, training, and validating models appropriately for defense-relevant contexts. In doing so, the workshop will identify key areas where collaboration between academia, industry, and the Department of Defense can accelerate innovation.

NOTE: Registration is required to attend this event online. Please use the link above to register. Limited seats are available for in-person attendance at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, D.C.If you’d like to join us in person, please email Gabrielle Risica at grisica@nas.edu.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Location

National Academy of Sciences Building

2101 Constitution Ave NW

Washington DC 20418, USA

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

Workshop Session on Transformative Science &Technology for the Department of Defense: Operationalizing very Low Earth Orbit

August 20, 2025

8:30 AM - 12:30 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

As global threats evolve and technological frontiers expand, the operationalization of Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) presents a strategic inflection point—unlocking unprecedented capabilities for real-time surveillance, resilient communications, and rapid-response defense systems.

Join the National Academies for a workshop session that will explore the unique environmental conditions of VLEO and the implications for mission design, highlighting opportunities for enhanced Earth observation, telecommunications, and other emerging applications. The session will also examine key technical challenges, such as propulsion, aerodynamics, materials, systems design, situational awareness, ground infrastructure, and modeling, and identify areas where cross-sector collaboration between academia, industry, and the Department of Defense can drive innovation and enable sustained, effective operations in this dynamic orbital environment.

This workshop session will bring together experts and stakeholders to share knowledge, discuss challenges, identify solutions, and chart a path forward for the innovative utilization of very Low Earth Orbit and develop common understanding of the benefits, risks, and opportunities presented by vLEO.

NOTE: Registration is required to attend this event online. Please use the link above to register. Limited seats are available for in-person attendance at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, D.C. If you’d like to join us in person, please email Gabrielle Risica at grisica@nas.edu.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Location

National Academy of Sciences Building

2101 Constitution Ave NW

Washington DC 20418, USA

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

Workshop Session on Transformative Science & Technology for the Department of Defense: Synthetic Biology for Biomanufacturing and Predictable Engineering

July 1, 2025

8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

Advances in biotechnology and biomanufacturing are essential for the United States to maintain global leadership as well as for supporting economic and national security interests. Biology provides the basis for innovations from medicine, health, and agriculture, to defense, energy, and manufacturing.

Join the National Academies on for a workshop session that will explore innovations in biomanufacturing technologies that can make scale-up predictable, rapid, and cost-competitive. Participants will discuss the need for public-private collaborations to drive sustained improvements in biomanufacturing, while also looking at ways to make biotechnology predictably engineerable with emerging technologies such as synthetic cells and AI/machine learning integrations.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Location

Keck Center

500 5th St NW

Washington DC 20001, USA

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

Transformative Science and Technology for Assessing and Strengthening Individual-to-Population Resilience under Societal and Environmental Stress: A Workshop

September 26 - 27, 2024

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

This two-day workshop will identify and explore transformative science and technology for assessing and strengthening individual and population resilience, including recent advances in computational social science, cognitive science, sensing, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Specific areas to be explored include the following:
1. Defining resilience along the continuum from individuals to populations;
2. Metrics of decision-making processes under stress;
3. Individual-to-group-to-population responses to stress, using natural, formal, and social sciences;
4. Techniques for measuring and assessing stress and resilience;
5. Population dynamics in response to stress and emerging technologies;
6. Insights from social and cognitive neuroscience, AI, and advanced sensing technologies that might mitigate stress; and
7. Ethical, legal, and social issues related to these technologies.

Please join the National Academies for a virtual workshop on new developments in assessing and strengthening resilience on Thursday, September 26 from 0900-1230 ET and Friday, September 27 from 0900-1100 ET and 1300-1500 ET. If you are interested in attending the two-day seminar, please contact grisica@nas.edu.

Due to technical difficulties, a recording of the afternoon session on September 27 will be posted following the conclusion of the event. We appreciate your patience and participation in our workshop!

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Lecture

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Seminar 3

July 16, 2024

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

Join us for the third seminar on Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense. This lecture will cover how recent advances in novel sensing technologies for space and military applications can potentially transform research and engineering in the context of national defense and security.

Please visit the registration page for more information on how to attend the event, either virtually or in-person.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Location

Keck Center

500 5th St NW

Washington DC 20001, USA

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee Meeting 5

July 16, 2024

8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

The standing committee will meet with DOD leadership, plan future meetings, and discuss upcoming seminar topics and speakers.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Lecture

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Seminar 2

March 20, 2024

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

Join us for the second seminar on Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense. This lecture will cover how recent advances in brain-computer interfaces can potentially transform research and engineering in the context of national defense and security.

Please visit the registration page for more information on how to attend the event, either virtually or in-person.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee Meeting 4

March 20, 2024

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

The standing committee will meet with DOD leadership, plan future meetings, and discuss upcoming seminar topics and speakers.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Lecture

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Seminar 1

December 12, 2023

1:00 PM - 3:30 PM (ET)

Past

Materials

Transformative Science and Technology Seminar Flyer

About

Join us for the first seminar on Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense. This lecture will cover how recent advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and large language models can potentially transform research and engineering in the context of national defense and security.

Please visit the registration page for more information on how to attend the event, either virtually or in-person.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee Meeting 3

December 12, 2023

8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

The standing committee will meet with DOD leadership, plan future meetings, and discuss upcoming seminar topics and speakers.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee Meeting 2

October 4, 2023

7:00 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

The standing committee will meet with DOD leadership, plan future meetings, and discuss upcoming seminar topics and speakers.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee and Seminar Series - Kickoff Meeting

September 14, 2023

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

The inaugural meeting of the committee will include introductions from committee members, a review of committee composition, balance, and any possible conflicts of interest, and a discussion of the committee’s task with its sponsor.

Contact

Gabrielle Risica

(202) 334-2348
grisica@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Log In

Sign in to access your saved publications, downloads, and email preferences.

Former MyNAP users: You'll need to reset your password on your first login to MyAcademies. Click "Forgot password" below to receive a reset link via email. Having trouble? Visit our FAQ page to contact support.

Members of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, or National Academy of Medicine should log in through their respective Academy portals.

Email (required)
Password (required)

Don't have an account?

Register

Email (required)
New password (required)
Retype password (required) Password must be at least 8 characters
I accept the terms of use
terms of use

Thank You

Thank you for creating a MyAcademies account!

Enjoy free access to thousands of National Academies' publications, a 10% discount off every purchase, and build your personal library.

Forgot Password

Enter the email address for your MyAcademies (formerly MyNAP) account to receive password reset instructions.

Reset Requested

We sent password reset instructions to your email . Follow the link in that email to create a new password. Didn't receive it? Check your spam folder or contact us for assistance.

Reset Password

New password (required)
Retype password (required) Password must be at least 8 characters

Reset Password

Your password has been reset.

Log In

Verify email

Verify Your Email Address

We sent a verification link to your email. Please check your inbox (and spam folder) and follow the link to verify your email address. If you did not receive the email, you can request a new verification link below

Subscribe

First Name
Last Name
Email (required)
I agree to receive emails from the National Academies (required)

We respect your privacy and will never share your information.

My Academies

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee and Seminar Series

Workshop Session on Transformative Science & Technology for Defense: Materials and Manufacturing for Contested Environments

Workshop Session on Transformative Science &Technology for the Department of Defense: Non-Linguistic Artificial Intelligence Models

Workshop Session on Transformative Science &Technology for the Department of Defense: Operationalizing very Low Earth Orbit

Workshop Session on Transformative Science & Technology for the Department of Defense: Synthetic Biology for Biomanufacturing and Predictable Engineering

Transformative Science and Technology for Assessing and Strengthening Individual-to-Population Resilience under Societal and Environmental Stress: A Workshop

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Seminar 3

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee Meeting 5

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Seminar 2

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee Meeting 4

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Seminar 1

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee Meeting 3

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee Meeting 2

Transformative Science and Technology for the Department of Defense: Standing Committee and Seminar Series - Kickoff Meeting