2026 AIAA-NAE Yvonne C. Brill Lectureship in Aerospace Engineering

A premier aerospace R&D forum exploring the science, technologies, and capabilities transforming aerospace. The 2027 theme, “Resilience in a Changing World,” focuses on adaptation and innovation across aerospace, defense, and the broader engineering enterprise. Featured speakers include Tim Costa, Vice President and General Manager for Industrial and Computational Engineering at NVIDIA; Kerri Phillips, Technical Director for Missiles at Hanwha Defense USA; Will Roper, Founder and CEO of Istari Digital; and Brig. Gen. Douglas P. Wickert, USAF, Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory.

The 2027 forum theme, “Resilience in a Changing World,” examines tools, approaches, and breakthroughs intended to strengthen resilience across aerospace, defense, and the broader engineering enterprise amid rapid technological and global change. The program combines technical sessions focused on research and technologies addressing specific problems with plenary and Forum 360 sessions on issues affecting aerospace. It serves civil, commercial, and national security sectors and connects academic, industry, and government professionals. Featured speakers include James Kenyon, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate; Daniel Hettema, Director of Digital Engineering, Modeling & Simulation at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; and Sha-Chelle Devlin Manning, Chief of Commercial Strategy at DARPA.

Technical programming covers aerospace materials and applications, including additive manufacturing; advanced forming and thermomechanical processing; aerospace coatings; AI and integrated computational materials engineering; composite materials and structures; emerging materials and processes; extreme-environment and gas-turbine materials; light alloy technology; low-cost manufacturing and affordable structures; materials characterization and failure analysis; modeling and simulation of manufacturing processes; multifunctional materials; residual stress for aerospace components; space and cryogenic applications; sustainable and enabling materials and processes; titanium alloys and manufacturing technologies; tribology and wear of aerospace materials; and welding and joining. The conference also includes keynote presentations, panel discussions, an exposition, and professional development opportunities. The detailed schedule and keynote lineup have not yet been published.

The program addresses Executive Order implementation, the FAA Reauthorization Act, secure supply chains and the FCC Covered List, aircraft certification, and airspace coordination. Featured officials include Steven Haines, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry & Analysis; Congresswoman Dina Titus; and Senator Peter Welch. Sessions examine NASA’s plans for future air transportation; federal agency UAS operations and procurement; FAA EIPP progress; state and local pathways for advanced air mobility; vertiports, corridors, grid integration, and spectrum allocation; large-UAS operational approvals; collision avoidance and detect-and-avoid; FCC enforcement; automated flight rules; retail and commercial drone markets; and the policy agenda for drones and AAM. Further program topics include counter-UAS policy for major events, Part 146 certification, industry responses to NPRM 2209, air traffic control investment, coordination between first-responder and commercial drone operations, UAS supply-chain security and domestic manufacturing, cellular integration and spectrum access, U.S. export opportunities, EU certifications and cybersecurity regulations, and state, local, and tribal drone operations.

The conference program covers policy, governance, and global strategy for integrating autonomy across air, ground, and maritime domains, including counter-UAS authorities, AI governance, regulatory harmonization, spectrum allocation, and infrastructure readiness. Strategic Resilience addresses cybersecurity, geopolitical disruption, constrained access to critical components, NDAA and FCC covered-list procurement requirements, export controls, battery supply chains, and critical materials. Technology in Motion focuses on AI-driven perception, advanced propulsion, sensor fusion, collaborative autonomy, swarm coordination, counter-UAS systems, AI/ML certification, and verification and validation. Enterprise Operations & Ecosystem Integration examines domestic production, manufacturing readiness, MRO, reshoring, contract and additive manufacturing, vertiport integration, maritime logistics, digital twins, and production scaling. Autonomy in Action covers procurement, BVLOS and Part 108 operations, grants, venture capital, public-private partnerships, and commercial deployments. AUVSI Defense programming addresses maritime autonomy, national security and warfighter requirements, counter-UxS, appropriations, and fielding trusted systems at scale.

The forum focuses on the Army Aviation Roadmap and the industrial base, sustainment, and acquisition. Its program includes discussion of Army transformation and the organic industrial base, with opportunities for briefings involving project managers, Army aviation transformation and future-capability leaders, original equipment manufacturers, and other industry leaders. Professional sessions address the industrial base, the Army Aviation Roadmap, sustainment and the organic industrial base, acquisition, integration of the Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Maneuver Air portfolio, force modernization, the operating environment, the Pentagon landscape, and future warfighting concepts. Exhibit-hall open-mic panels cover cargo; attack and reconnaissance; utility aircraft; uncrewed aircraft systems; next-generation command and control; AMCOM sustainment; counter-drone systems; aviation mission systems and architecture; tactical aviation and ground munitions; and MV-75 Cheyenne opportunities.

The symposium covers power electronics in aerospace and naval systems, grid applications, industrial automation, renewable energy integration, power semiconductor devices, hardware-in-the-loop systems, electric drives, and simulations. The event also includes industry tutorials, industry demonstrations, and technical panels. Its focus spans power electronics technology and innovation from materials to systems, bringing together industry, academic, and government participants. Co-sponsored by UConn CONPEX and the IEEE PELS/PES Joint Student Chapter.

The showcase focuses on manufacturing solutions for aerospace, mobility, and defense applications, with an emphasis on flexibility, speed, and adaptability. APEX Accelerators will host small-group Knowledge Bar sessions on conducting business safely and securely in the defense industry and other federal departments. The AeroDef Strategic Advisory Council curates the aerospace and defense tracks of the colocated RAPID + TCT Conference. Those tracks cover additive manufacturing applications and supporting technologies, including AI, automation, advanced materials, digital manufacturing, qualification, and inspection.

The summit presents an integrated, three-track program connecting aviation, advanced air mobility, space, and defense through shared priorities in supply chains, testbeds, capital, and workforce. Tracks are Flightline (Advanced Air Mobility & Aviation), Orbitline (Space & Space-Enabled Services), and Frontline (Defense, Dual-Use & Manufacturing). Sessions address Arizona entry points into U.S. and allied aerospace ecosystems; corridors, ranges, manufacturing capacity, and emerging spaceports for pilots and multi-domain experiments; intersections of aerospace with microelectronics, biosciences, AI, and advanced manufacturing; and converting strategy into pilots, partnerships, commitments, mission briefs, and Global Aerospace Commitments for 2030.