Software as a Modernization Priority Workshop

Description

The publication of the Department of Defense Software Science and Technology Strategy in November 2021 outlined strategic goals to accelerate the adoption of modern software. Beyond endeavoring to make acquisition processes faster and aligning software engineering workforces to solve DoD problems, it called for new software capabilities to enable kinetic and information capabilities. Of those capabilities, a memo from the Deputy Secretary of Defense in February 2022 outlined automation, decision making, electromagnetic spectrum, and connectivity as some of the many focus areas for modernizing software to improve DoD lethality.

As software is inherently a dual use technology where much of the research and development is driven by the commercial sector, the DoD may not be able to steer the research and development agenda in the way it has in the past, especially for defense-unique sectors. Given this challenge, and the limited resources that DOD can commit to its software S&T portfolio and in-house software research activities, the National Defense Industrial Association’s Emerging Technologies Institute seeks to provide some acquisition community, industry, and university perspectives on the types of activities that should be prioritized in the activities under the software modernization area.

As part of this effort, the National Defense Industrial Association’s Emerging Technologies Institute and Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute invite you to participate in a workshop that will discuss recommendations for DOD to consider as it shapes its software modernization activities and S&T portfolio. Some of the questions and topics to be discussed include:
• What are the future or current operational, acquisition, or other software challenges faced by DOD that a S&T portfolio could address?
• Given significant commercial sector software research and development activity, what software areas should DOD prioritize? What does the portfolio not need to address?
• How can the S&T portfolio best address current and future software workforce challenges in DOD and industry?
• How can the software S&T portfolio be shaped to be most relevant to the acquisition and operational community?
• How can the software S&T portfolio be shaped to be interesting to the academic community and shape the future of software engineering in the commercial and defense sectors?

Capacity is limited, so register today to join the waitlist!