It is never fun to lose, yet every year we subject an excellent candidate--an IRI member who has given tremendously to the Institute--to this unpleasantness. By doing so, we cut our pool of talented leaders in half and make it harder for the unelected candidate to continue contributing at such a high level. A similar dilemma exists for those running to sit as Board Directors. Those not elected face an uphill battle in contributing to IRI's leadership and can become demoralized upon losing the election, especially if they believe themselves more qualified than those who won.

Elections will still be held, but the slate of candidates will not necessarily exceed the number of openings on the Board. Voters will be asked to simply approve the entire slate with a yes or no vote. At times, the number of candidates will exceed the number of seats available and on those occasions the typical ballot election will be held. The reason is to allow candidates to place their names on the ballot if they are not selected by the Nominating Committee. Any eligible IRI member representative, who has submitted a petition signed by 10% of the membership, will be placed on the ballot in addition to the slate of candidates selected by the Nominating Committee.

This year is a transition year. Only one candidate will run for Vice-Chair alongside six candidates for open Director positions. One thing will not change, however: IRI will continue to be led by talented, dedicated leaders.

Sincerely,

Dale Ormond

Securing the Future

 

The Department of Defense (DOD) is the largest employer of engineers worldwide. The tremendous size of their budget and operational mission allows them to continuously exist on the cutting edge of technological innovation, and Dale Ormond, Principal Director of the DOD's research wing, has a front row seat.

 

"I see first-hand a tremendous range of R&D, from basic to applied science, all of which may lead to some of tomorrow's most exciting technology capabilities," said Ormond. "I work to balance what the DOD, its labs, industry, and academia, focus on; from rapid delivery of technical capabilities today to determining what we need to keep the warfighter, and the nation, safe in the future."

 

An engineer by training, Ormond began his service as a nuclear submarine officer where he learned not only his technical expertise, but management experience that would be critical throughout his career. After leaving the Navy, Ormond worked for the Department of Energy to help with the disposal of nuclear waste material. From there he transitioned to the Army where he held positions in policy and acquisition, dealing with the oversight of chemical and weapon demilitarization programs. With a Masters in environmental systems and a strong technical background in nuclear energy and waste, Ormond says he has developed broad enough expertise to continually take on new challenges with increasing responsibility.

 

"I don't have a crystal ball," said Ormond, "but every day I need to continue to position the DOD's research focus on what is coming next; what we need to be prepared for tomorrow to protect our country... and ensure that we have the personnel to help us do this."

 

Ormond's advice for young professionals: Focus on a strong education complemented by a solid technical background. Take jobs that challenge you, continually try to learn new things, take on responsibility whenever you can, and be willing to move, whether organizationally or geographically.

 

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One of the important things the DOD is currently working on to better plan for the future is a Long-Range Research and Development Program Plan. This Plan will gather information from a broad group of people so that they can identify, develop, and prioritize new or unconventional applications of technology in ways that would provide significant advantage to future national security capabilities. For more information on this Plan, or to contribute your insights, visit the website.

 

ROR Winter Meeting hotel reservation deadline is Feb. 2, 2015

The External Technology Network (ETN) is seeking participants to help in their study of the future of open innovation. The survey, which takes approximately 2 minutes to fill out, asks about current trends that are affecting or will affect open innovation practices for R&D firms.