2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. At the Airodef Conference held in Texas in early March 2017, Ben Wang joined in a panel discussion to explore how the Air Force’s Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program can be responsive to future warfighting game changers such as directed energy, hypersonics, and autonomy, as well as “third offset” technologies. The panel included discussion of technology, emerging trends, workforce development, public policy, and legislation required for Air Force ManTech to improve warfighting capability and to reduce acquisition and sustainment costs.

Ben Wang, who serves as the executive director of the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute, was joined by John Russell, Air Force Research Laboratory; Lane Ballard, Boeing Research and Technology; Michael Maher, Maher & Associates, LLC; Ralph Resnick, National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining; and Charles Wessner, Georgetown University.