By Bill Hancock

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – The first annual AFIT-AFRL Product Development Research Symposium recently took place at the Hope Hotel.

The symposium aimed to bring experts together to discuss and formulate new approaches to conceive, develop, and deploy new products rapidly to support warfighter missions.

With 18 speakers and over 80 attendees, participants from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Air Force Research Laboratory, several civilian universities, and other science and engineering groups’ discussions focused on the nexus of cutting edge, leading edge, and operational platforms of product development.

Topics covered include recent product technologies and innovation, human factors in product design and development, multidisciplinary design optimization, product and process management, next-generation product research, resilience engineering in product design, going green with product design, sustainability, and economics of product development. 

Opening remarks of the symposium were delivered by Dr. Adedeji Badiru, engineering professor at AFIT and Co-Chair of the symposium.

 “Everyone is involved in product development in a variety of forms because products are not limited to physical items only,” said Dr. Badiru. “In any operational setting, a product can fall in any of three possible categories, physical products – whether large or small, service, and result.”

Other speakers at the symposium included, Dr. Heidi Ries, AFIT Dean for Research, speaking on the importance and historical record of AFIT and Dr. Alok Das, AFRL Sensors Directorate, who discussed the operational definition and processes of technical innovation for Air Force product development. 

Dr. Som Soni, AFIT Associate Professor and Symposium Chair, emphasized the critical components of teamwork for product development.

“I encourage all those in attendance today, to take advantage of the opportunities that exist in this first annual symposium, to expand professional networking, broaden educational alliances, and seek out sustainable research partnerships,” Dr. Soni said.