Florida Tech, Air Force Technical Applications Center Join Forces for Research Effort

Cooperative Agreement Brings
High-Tech Analysis to Treaty Data  

 MELBOURNE, FLA. — Florida Institute of Technology and the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) have entered into a three-year research and development agreement that will tap the university’s renowned computer science and engineering expertise to help strengthen the center’s data processing and analytics capabilities.

Under terms of the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, or CRADA, AFTAC will provide subject matter expertise in nuclear monitoring analysis and nuclear event detection, and Florida Tech will perform research in data science, high-performance computing, information assurance, and geophysical and materials modeling and simulation.

The CRADA will enable the Air Force to leverage Florida Tech’s academic expertise to research and develop innovative analysis methods and algorithms to address critical mission needs, particularly as AFTAC migrates to cloud computing architecture.

“By engaging the CRADA process, we hope to enable ‘best value’ solutions for the Air Force,” said Glenn Sjoden, AFTAC’s chief scientist.

And the agreement will spur research among faculty members and their students focused on real-world technical challenges, even as Florida Tech participants benefit from interacting with Air Force scientists, engineers and facilities.

“The sharing of ideas, expertise and information between Florida Tech and AFTAC will broaden the knowledge of faculty members and bolster Florida Tech’s tradition of hands-on learning for students,” said Florida Tech President and CEO T. Dwayne McCay. “We look forward to the discoveries and developments the next three years will bring.”

AFTAC and Florida Tech previously collaborated on research in 2001.

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