		REPORT ON AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (AFIT): STUDY FOR SENATE AND HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEES CHAPTER ELEVEN Opportunities for Cooperation, Collaboration, and Joint Endeavors With Other Military and Civilian Scientific and Technical Educational Institutions for the Production of Qualified Personnel To Meet Department of Defense Scientific and Technical Requirements AFIT research interests and faculty expertise cover a broad spectrum of technical areas to attack current problems and explore future systems for USAF and DoD organizations. Evidence of this focus is that 87 percent of all theses and dissertations were externally sponsored by AF, DoD, and associated government agencies. The other 13 percent were sponsored by allied armed services or concerned technology transfer ventures. AFIT has taken advantage of numerous joint and cooperative research efforts. In FYs 97-00, outside sponsorship and funding for research efforts have ranged from $3.1M to nearly $4.5M annually. DoD regulations limit AFIT’s ability to charge DoD organizations. Accounting for these non-chargeable items, the cost of AFIT’s research program at a comparable civilian university would have been from $8M to $9M a year. Over this time, funded research projects have exceeded 100 projects a year with over 160 master’s theses and 8 doctoral dissertations produced each year. AFIT’s number one avenue for joint research is the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), which is part of AFRL. Over the past few years, these two organizations have provided over 70 percent of the funding for joint research by AFIT as well as a number of projects. Since 1997, these two units have sponsored over $10M in joint research. The combination of location at Wright-Patterson AFB and common research focus make AFRL and AFOSR ideal research partners. In addition to AFRL and AFOSR, other AFMC units have sponsored over $250,000 in research funding annually since FY 97. This research has been for the Aeronautical Systems Center, Air Force Flight Test Center, Space and Missile Systems Center, and miscellaneous operational units. Combining these figures with the previous paragraph, nearly 80 percent of joint research has been in cooperation with AFMC. To further future efforts, AFIT and AFMC are creating a joint advisory board to pursue opportunities. AFIT has proactively searched for joint research opportunities throughout the AF. AFMC is not the only AF activity that AFIT has supported in research. From FYs 97-00, other AF agencies have contributed a yearly average in excess of $500,000. Agencies supported include the Space Warfare Center, Air Mobility Warfare Center, AF Civil Engineer Support Agency, AF Studies and Analyses Agency, AF Technical Applications Center, AF weather units, and the AF Communication Agency. In addition to opportunities with the AF, AFIT has supported other DoD units but not to the extent of the joint research provided to AF units as would be expected. Other DoD-sponsored research has averaged almost $250,000 the last 4 years with typically 8 projects each year. Examples of units supported are the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and US Strategic Command. AFIT has received over $300,000 for joint research in the last 4 years from government agencies outside the DoD. Agencies supported include the Department of Energy and the National Security Agency. Opportunities outside of the DoD, but within the federal government have been limited since AFIT’s research, by design, is primarily defense and aerospace-focused. Within its operating constraints, AFIT aggressively seeks opportunities for cooperation, collaboration, and joint endeavors with other military and civilian scientific and technical educational institutions. However, until just recently opportunities outside of the government were considered limited. As an example, research sponsored from outside of the government was less than $100,000 annually from FYs 97 through 99 but rose to $336,772 in FY 00 of which DAGSI contributed $255,291. With the creation of DAGSI and its cooperative agreements, AFIT anticipates over $1M in FY01 for 31 projects with AFIT as the lead agency on 10 of the projects. As Chapter 9 of this report described, DAGSI is a prime example of AFIT’s collaboration with other engineering schools in Ohio on both educational programs and research. Building upon its success with DAGSI, AFIT is now working to develop similar articulation arrangements with educational institutions located throughout the country. The long-term objective is to develop stronger research and programmatic ties with institutions in other states in order to increase educational opportunities for Air Force officers and civilians in a variety of locations. Although an agreement is not yet in place, planning with the University of Tennessee Space Institute, adjacent to the US Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center, is well underway. In addition, AFIT is partnering with 11 universities on joint endeavors. These institutes are Cal Tech, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, UC-Irvine, UC-Santa Barbara, U of Colorado, U of New Mexico, U of Rhode Island, VA Tech, and Youngstown State University. These collaborative efforts, while in their infancy, are expected to grow further since AFIT and other federal institutions of higher education will now be allowed to compete for funding under the FY 02 and future DoD University Research Initiative (URI) programs. These programs include the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) and the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI). This change in policy removes a substantial barrier to research activity at AFIT, and hopefully will establish a clear precedent for AFIT’s eligibility to compete for other federal research funding. One remaining difficulty is that AFIT is not presently authorized to receive grants, and therefore must negotiate other funding transfer mechanisms with sponsors. The Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for FY 99 amended Title 10 (Secs. 4358, 6977, and 9357) allows the United States Military Academy, United States Naval Academy, and United States Air Force Academy to receive grants. Similar legislation for AFIT would facilitate additional collaborative research activity especially if additional language is included to authorize AFIT to execute sole-source sub-contracts to partner universities for competitively awarded team projects (e.g., MURIs). In short, AFIT has been heavily involved in cooperative research endeavors with other AF agencies and even with other DoD agencies but only recently have they been able to pursue opportunities outside of the federal government. The opportunities appear to be available but they must be developed. Only through a combination of joint research between agencies within the government and in the private sector can the institute be expected to develop all of the qualified personnel who are needed to meet DoD scientific and technical requirements. Recommendation: Work to resolve statutory restriction on receipt of grants.

REPORT ON AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (AFIT):
STUDY FOR SENATE AND HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEES

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Opportunities for Cooperation, Collaboration, and Joint Endeavors With Other Military and Civilian Scientific and Technical Educational Institutions for the Production of Qualified Personnel To Meet Department of Defense Scientific and Technical Requirements

AFIT research interests and faculty expertise cover a broad spectrum of technical areas to attack current problems and explore future systems for USAF and DoD organizations. Evidence of this focus is that 87 percent of all theses and dissertations were externally sponsored by AF, DoD, and associated government agencies. The other 13 percent were sponsored by allied armed services or concerned technology transfer ventures. AFIT has taken advantage of numerous joint and cooperative research efforts. In FYs 97-00, outside sponsorship and funding for research efforts have ranged from $3.1M to nearly $4.5M annually. DoD regulations limit AFIT’s ability to charge DoD organizations. Accounting for these non-chargeable items, the cost of AFIT’s research program at a comparable civilian university would have been from $8M to $9M a year. Over this time, funded research projects have exceeded 100 projects a year with over 160 master’s theses and 8 doctoral dissertations produced each year.

AFIT’s number one avenue for joint research is the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), which is part of AFRL. Over the past few years, these two organizations have provided over 70 percent of the funding for joint research by AFIT as well as a number of projects. Since 1997, these two units have sponsored over $10M in joint research. The combination of location at Wright-Patterson AFB and common research focus make AFRL and AFOSR ideal research partners.

In addition to AFRL and AFOSR, other AFMC units have sponsored over $250,000 in research funding annually since FY 97. This research has been for the Aeronautical Systems Center, Air Force Flight Test Center, Space and Missile Systems Center, and miscellaneous operational units. Combining these figures with the previous paragraph, nearly 80 percent of joint research has been in cooperation with AFMC. To further future efforts, AFIT and AFMC are creating a joint advisory board to pursue opportunities.

AFIT has proactively searched for joint research opportunities throughout the AF. AFMC is not the only AF activity that AFIT has supported in research. From FYs 97-00, other AF agencies have contributed a yearly average in excess of $500,000. Agencies supported include the Space Warfare Center, Air Mobility Warfare Center, AF Civil Engineer Support Agency, AF Studies and Analyses Agency, AF Technical Applications Center, AF weather units, and the AF Communication Agency.

In addition to opportunities with the AF, AFIT has supported other DoD units but not to the extent of the joint research provided to AF units as would be expected. Other DoD-sponsored research has averaged almost $250,000 the last 4 years with typically 8 projects each year. Examples of units supported are the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and US Strategic Command.

AFIT has received over $300,000 for joint research in the last 4 years from government agencies outside the DoD. Agencies supported include the Department of Energy and the National Security Agency. Opportunities outside of the DoD, but within the federal government have been limited since AFIT’s research, by design, is primarily defense and aerospace-focused.

Within its operating constraints, AFIT aggressively seeks opportunities for cooperation, collaboration, and joint endeavors with other military and civilian scientific and technical educational institutions. However, until just recently opportunities outside of the government were considered limited. As an example, research sponsored from outside of the government was less than $100,000 annually from FYs 97 through 99 but rose to $336,772 in FY 00 of which DAGSI contributed $255,291. With the creation of DAGSI and its cooperative agreements, AFIT anticipates over $1M in FY01 for 31 projects with AFIT as the lead agency on 10 of the projects. As Chapter 9 of this report described, DAGSI is a prime example of AFIT’s collaboration with other engineering schools in Ohio on both educational programs and research.

Building upon its success with DAGSI, AFIT is now working to develop similar articulation arrangements with educational institutions located throughout the country. The long-term objective is to develop stronger research and programmatic ties with institutions in other states in order to increase educational opportunities for Air Force officers and civilians in a variety of locations. Although an agreement is not yet in place, planning with the University of Tennessee Space Institute, adjacent to the US Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center, is well underway. In addition, AFIT is partnering with 11 universities on joint endeavors. These institutes are Cal Tech, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, UC-Irvine, UC-Santa Barbara, U of Colorado, U of New Mexico, U of Rhode Island, VA Tech, and Youngstown State University.

These collaborative efforts, while in their infancy, are expected to grow further since AFIT and other federal institutions of higher education will now be allowed to compete for funding under the FY 02 and future DoD University Research Initiative (URI) programs. These programs include the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) and the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI). This change in policy removes a substantial barrier to research activity at AFIT, and hopefully will establish a clear precedent for AFIT’s eligibility to compete for other federal research funding.

One remaining difficulty is that AFIT is not presently authorized to receive grants, and therefore must negotiate other funding transfer mechanisms with sponsors. The Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for FY 99 amended Title 10 (Secs. 4358, 6977, and 9357) allows the United States Military Academy, United States Naval Academy, and United States Air Force Academy to receive grants. Similar legislation for AFIT would facilitate additional collaborative research activity especially if additional language is included to authorize AFIT to execute sole-source sub-contracts to partner universities for competitively awarded team projects (e.g., MURIs).

In short, AFIT has been heavily involved in cooperative research endeavors with other AF agencies and even with other DoD agencies but only recently have they been able to pursue opportunities outside of the federal government. The opportunities appear to be available but they must be developed. Only through a combination of joint research between agencies within the government and in the private sector can the institute be expected to develop all of the qualified personnel who are needed to meet DoD scientific and technical requirements.

Recommendation: Work to resolve statutory restriction on receipt of grants.

REPORT ON AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (AFIT): STUDY FOR SENATE AND HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEES

REPORT ON AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (AFIT):
STUDY FOR SENATE AND HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEES