In the wake of President Trump's executive order prioritizing speed and agility in DoD critical technology procurement, OTAs are in the spotlight. Guest Doug Crowe joins to explain how we navigate acquiring critical and emerging technology in the modern age. Doug Crowe is the Senior Vice President of Program Management at NSTXL. Doug comes in with 40 years of expertise in the industry – he is a Navy veteran and is so intelligent in many different DoD systems. He brings great insight into the acquisition environment today – we explore what the executive order really means, how it could reshape defense contracting, and what the future holds for innovation across the defense industrial base. Get connected with Doug on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-crowe-b8548a2a/ Learn more about NSTXL at https://nstxl.org/

What is it like to market for the Government? Join in this episode with special guest Civilian Jillian who shares what she’s learned from transitioning from civilian roles to marketing for high-impact Government projects.  Jillian Honeycutt is the Program Marketing Lead for the Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC) at the National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL). From selling cheese to running marketing campaigns for Invisalign, she has garnered a diverse set of experiences in the marketing industry. Now in her role at NSTXL, she has taken on a new mission and purpose, working alongside of Space Systems Command to help them acquire new technologies.    Learn more about the SpEC program at https://space-enterprise.org/  Get connected with Jillian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-honeycutt/ 

Let us reintroduce ourselves! Join Civilian Sydney hosts for this special episode about the origins of the Defense Tech Podcast, who NSTXL is, and why Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) are now at the forefront of innovation in the U.S. NSTXL is focused on building a network of innovators and creators across the most sought-after emerging technology fields. As an open-source platform, our approach was designed to encourage network growth and collaboration without stifling change. We support our network by providing commercial-term contracting, open-source technology discovery, modern-day marketing outreach, a strongly interconnected network for easy teaming and cybersecurity compliance support. Learn more about OTAs: https://nstxl.org/what-is-an-ota/ Interested in coming on the podcast? Fill out the interest form  Connect with NSTXL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-security-technology-accelerator/  

Join Civilian Sydney in the newest Tech TALX episode, where she sits with Wyatt Taylor from Epiq Solutions to discuss successful prototype integrations. The "Neptune" project was initially awarded in 2021 under the S2MARTS OTA to 3 performers to provide a radio frequency payload for implementation into unmanned maritime systems. The project was then down-selected to Epiq solutions. Their payload solution gained attention from many other DoD offices who have since integrated Neptune’s test assets into their own systems. In this episode, we’re going to discover the factors that led to this project’s success. This week's guest, Mr. Wyatt Taylor, is the VP of Products and Technology at Epiq Solutions. Wyatt received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering at Virginia Tech.   Learn more about Epiq Solutions Follow NSTXL on LinkedIn

Civilian Sydney sat down with Jackie Janning-Lask and Dr. Matt Casto, who lead the Midwest Microelectronics Consortium, to discuss the origins of MMEC and how to define a vision for clearer mission goals. The group also did a deep dive into a few technologies, including Secure Edge and the Internet of Things. Jackie and Matt helped me better understand the criticality of collaboration to achieve common goals. Jackie Janning-Lask serves as the Chief Executive Officer of MMEC. She retired from the Air Force in July of 2023, bringing 35 years of DoD service to the table, including time at the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force Research Laboratory. Dr. Matt Casto currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer for MMEC. Dr. Casto has 20 years of experience in numerous DoD technical leadership positions, including roles at the Pentagon in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force. Learn More About the MMEC Hub: https://mmeconsortium.org/ Connect with NSTXL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-security-technology-accelerator/  

In this week's episode Civilian Sydney sits with Stephen Crago and Mike Haney, who help lead the California Defense Ready Electronics and Microdevices, or California DREAMS, Superhub. Stephen is the Director and Principal Investigator of CA DREAMS at the University of Southern California, and Mike is the Deputy Director of CA DREAMS and the Director of the MOSIS 2.0 initiative. In this episode, we cover electromagnetic warfare, 5G/6G technologies, the CA DREAMS MOSIS 2.0 initiative, cross-hub collaboration, and more. Please leave a review if you love the podcast! If you have a suggestion for a topic or a guest you’d like to hear from on the show, you can reach out to me at sydney@nstxl.org. Learn more about CA DREAMS: https://ca-dreams.org/ Connect with NSTXL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-security-technology-accelerator/

Tune in to this episode as Civilian Sydney sits down with the SWAP Hub's CTO, Krishnendu Chakrabarty. Krishnendu is the Fulton Professor of Microelectronics in the school of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering at Arizona State University. He also acts as the Chief Technology Officer for the SWAP Hub. In this episode, we discuss some of the projects that the SWAP Hub is currently focused on, as well as what the Hub's workforce development initiatives are accomplishing - further cementing our understanding of why building a pipeline of qualified microelectronics workers is so crucial for U.S. manufacturing independence. Connect with the SWAP Hub: https://microelectronics.asu.edu/southwest-advanced-prototyping-hub/ Learn More About NSTXL: https://nstxl.org/      

Join Civilian Sydney as she chats with Fred Kish and John Muth from the CLAWS Hub as they discuss commercial leap-ahead technologies, wide-bandgap semiconductors, access to cleanrooms, building a robust workforce pipeline and more.  Fred Kish is a renowned engineer who has made significant contributions to the field of optoelectronics, particularly in the development of high-performance LEDs and integrated photonic circuits. He is currently a distinguished professor and NNF Director at North Carolina State University.  John Muth is also a distinguished professor at North Carolina State University, and he specializes in wide bandgap semiconductors and their applications in various technologies, including LEDs, lasers, and power electronics. To learn more about the CLAWS Hub, visit: https://claws.ncsu.edu/ Learn more about the Defense Tech Podcast: https://nstxl.org/the-defense-tech-podcast/

Civilian Sydney talks with Brett Hamilton and Jalen Rollins from the Applied Research Institute, also known as ARI, who help lead the Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Commons Hub. In this episode, they dive into technologies such as electromagnetic warfare and discuss the foundational elements for the successful integration of technologies. Brett serves as Senior Vice President of Microelectronics & Advanced Technology Strategy at ARI, and is a respected national microelectronics leader with a 27-career at the DoD. Jalen is the Innovation Program Manager for SCMC and leads impactful campaigns for ARI and the SCMC Hub, leveraging his expertise in innovation methodologies and industry trends to drive impactful initiatives. Enjoy the episode! Learn More About the SCMC Hub: https://microelectronicscommons.org/connect/silicon-crossroads-microelectronics-commons-hub/ Watch the Full Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wZgd28XRRNc Connect with NSTXL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-security-technology-accelerator/

This week on the DoD-Critical series, Civilian Sydney talks with H.S. Philip Wong and Tsu-Jae Liu, professors leading the California-Pacific-Northwest AI (NW AI) Hub, one of eight Hubs of Microelectronics Commons. The NW AI Hub is focused on the development energy-efficient AI hardware and "AI at the Edge" - enabling AI use in devices soldiers carry.  Professor Liu currently serves as the Dean and the Roy W. Carlson Professor of Engineering at the UC Berkeley College of Engineering. Professor Wong is the Willard R. and Inez Kerr Bell Professor in the School of Engineering. To learn more about the NW AI Hub:    Visit the hub's website: northwest-ai-hub.org Subscribe to the Hub's news mailing list. Contact Professors Wong or Liu directly.  

Welcome back! Season 3 of the podcast is kicking off with Nicholas Fahrenkopf of the NORDTECH Hub, one of eight Microelectronics Commons Hubs that was awarded in 2023. This season we are exploring the six technologies that are critical to the Department of Defense in the effort to re-onshore microelectronics manufacturing technologies, as well as ensure the security of our current technologies. Nick is the Technical Director of NORDTECH, and earned his BS in Physics and PhD in Nanoscale Engineering from the University at Albany and has experience in integration engineering. In this episode, he walks us through the critical technologies that NORDTECH is focused on, including AI Hardware and Quantum Technologies. Wondering what these technology areas entail? Don't worry, I was too. Nick walks us through it all in this episode. Enjoy! Get connected with the NORDTECH Hub: https://www.nordtechub.org/contact Learn more about Microelectronics Commons: https://microelectronicscommons.org/ Get connected with NSTXL on LinkedIn

Join Civilian Sydney in this Tech TALX episode as she sits with John Cowles from Analog Devices to talk advanced packaging and System on a Chip (SOCs). In this tech deep dive, John walks us through what an SOC is as well as its history, and why the industry is moving towards advanced packaging as an effective solution. John Cowles is the Senior Director of Technology at Analog. He has over 20 years of experience in the semiconductor industry in various specialties such as defense electronics, microwave radios, as well as power detectors, phase shifters and radar-focused products. He earned his PhD at the University of Michigan in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. Watch the full video version on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p15YeChMJdo Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-security-technology-accelerator/

The Defense Tech Podcast is back! This episode is a part of a new miniseries called Tech TALX where we will intermittently release standalone episodes. Each of these special episodes will help paint the larger picture of the technology that’s imperative to the DoD mission. On this week’s Tech TALX, Civilian Sydney meets with Brad Kettner and Dan Wenk from Omni Federal. In this episode, Brad and Dan provide a new perspective on the digital services and methods necessary to make real progress in DoD innovation, especially in space. They also discuss their passions in tech development, working with OTAs, and more. Follow our YouTube channel to watch the epsiode: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClyvInaKJqGG2un0R3GWtRw Follow NSTXL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-security-technology-accelerator/

Join Civilian Sydney for the final episode of Season 2 as she sits down with Josh Madrigal, Vice President at Millennium Space Systems. In this episode, we dive deep into space tech with Josh, who is an industry SME and SpEC member. Josh discusses the U.S. trajectory to achieving resilience in space by 2026, as well as the efficiency of OTAs, small satellite technology and more. He also discusses Millennium Space's involvement in the crucial Missile Track Custody project. Thank you to all who tuned in to Season 2, and we can't wait to circle back with more deep dives and success stories soon! Connect with Josh on LinkedIn:   / joshua-madrigal-a21b182a   Follow NSTXL on LinkedIn:   / national-security-technology-accelerator   Follow our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClyvInaKJqGG2un0R3GWtRw

Join Civilian Sydney this week as she talks with Alonso Segura, Director of Strategy at Peraton. Do you ever wonder how the U.S. Government identifies its technology needs for the Warfighter? In this episode, Alonso utilizes his experience in program management for the Government to explain how these needs get identified and acted upon. He also shares his tips for connecting industry with Government, benefits of utilizing an OTA, and more. Alonso retired from the military after 22 years of service, and after retiring, joined a venture-backed startup where he ran the government portfolio from the startup side. He joined Peraton about a year ago and runs strategy and growth for their national security space portfolio. This educational episode is not one to be missed, so check it out and stay tuned for more in Season 2. Connect with Alonso on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alonso-s/ Follow NSTXL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-security-technology-accelerator/ Follow our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClyvInaKJqGG2un0R3GWtRw

In this episode of the Defense Tech Podcast, Civilian Sydney continues the Beyond Borders series, exploring the role of space in U.S. defense tech. This episode features Patrick Barrett and Jay Kvale from Infinity Systems Engineering. Patrick and Jay delve into their backgrounds and passions in the world of space technology, as well as how Infinity Systems helps forward the DoD mission of protecting the U.S. space domain. Tune into this episode for more insight into the newest in space technology and how the Other Transaction Authority (OTA) ensures DoD access to the best tech. Connect with NSTXL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-security-technology-accelerator/ Follow us on YouTube @NSTXL

Welcome back to the Defense Tech Podcast! We're kicking of our second series, Beyond Borders: Space's Crucial Role in Defense Tech. This episode, Civilian Sydney sits down with Melissa Owens, Project Manager at Omni Federal. With 25 years in the military, including experience building up Space Force, Melissa shares insight into her transition to civilian life, as well as the technology developed by Omni Federal to educate and serve multiple branches of the U.S. Government in order to secure our space domain.  Tune into this episode for more insight into the current landscape of space defense, and stay tuned for more conversations in the following weeks. Connect with NSTXL on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-security-technology-accelerator/ Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/  

Join Host Civilian Sydney for Episode 3 of the Defense Tech Podcast as she sits down with Mike Dodd, VP of Strategic Partnerships at NTSXL, to take a look at the current climate in government innovation. Using his extensive background in both military and industry, Mike provides insights into the issues currently facing U.S. national security, such as the Chips Crisis, and how the Microelectronics Commons program is situated to make a difference.  Follow us on LinkedIn:  linkedin.com / national-security-technology-accelerator   Learn more about NSTXL: www.nstxl.org  

Join Host Civilian Sydney for Episode 2 of The Defense Tech Podcast as she sits down with NSTXL President & Founder Tim Greeff to take a look behind the scenes of innovation. In this episode, Tim shares his high-level insight into the launch of Microelectronics Commons, its infrastructure and how he sees this project changing the future of Defense Contracting.   Connect with us on LinkedIn!  linkedin.com/national-security-technology-accelerator   Learn more about NSTXL: https://www.nstxl.org Learn more about Commons: https://www.microelectronicscommons.org

Introducing the Defense Tech Podcast! Join Host Civilian Sydney as she explores the inner workings of government innovation from five key NSTXL players. This series, we are taking a look behind the scenes of innovation, with a spotlight on Microelectronics Commons. This week’s guest is the Director of Microelectronics Commons at NSTXL, Stephanie Lin. In this conversation, Sydney goes behind the curtain to learn more about the function, infrastructure, and long-term goals for Commons. Connect with us on LinkedIn!  linkedin.com/national-security-technology-accelerator   Learn more about NSTXL: https://www.nstxl.org Learn more about Commons: https://www.microelectronicscommons.org