WASHINGTON — The Air Force announced dates and locations of the 14 upcoming innovation workshops open to the public during the Science and Technology 2030 Summit in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18.

“We will continue to invite participation by nontraditional partners, including the next generation of scientists and engineers, in an effort to collect ideas from people who don’t normally interact with the Air Force,” Wilson said.

The innovation workshops, designed to partner external ideas with Air Force resources, will be held in the following locations:

March 11-15, 2018: The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), Phoenix, Arizona

March 22, 2018: University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska

March 29-30, 2018: Best Practices from State and Federal Government Organizations, Washington D.C.

April 22-26, 2018: American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Orlando, Florida

April 26, 2018: University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida

May 6-11, 2018: National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), Indianapolis, Indiana

May 10, 2018: Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

May 21-24, 2018: Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE), Long Beach, California

May 22, 2018: University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

June 21-22, 2018: Best Practices from Industry and International Organizations, Washington D.C.

June 25-29, 2018: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Atlanta, Georgia

June 27, 2018: Texas A&M, College Station, Texas

July 9-11, 2018: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Cincinnati, Ohio

July 26, 2018: University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

In September, the service began a review of its science and technology strategy led by the Air Force Research Laboratory with a focus on identifying the highest priorities for Air Force research and examining the way in which the service conducts its research.

Wilson emphasized the importance of extending outside internal research to ensure the Air Force stays on the cutting edge of technology.

“In a world where far more innovation is happening outside the government than inside it, connecting to the broader scientific enterprise is vital,” Wilson said.

Air Force senior leaders believe the answers to the most complex security issues will be delivered by harnessing the power of innovators and entrepreneurs worldwide.

“From jet engines to GPS, the Air Force has a rich history of researching and developing new technologies that become foundational capabilities for warfighters and a key part of everyday life for Americans,” said Maj. Gen. William Cooley, AFRL commander. “With this initiative, we are going out to listen to Americans from higher education to small and large businesses to understand what basic and applied technologies will help us create the next game-changing inventions for 2030 and beyond.”

For more information, visit www.afresearchlab.com/2030.