NATICK, Mass. -- The Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, or NSRDEC, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell are working together to make life better for the Soldier.
The two organizations are collaborating as part of a joint research and development initiative called Harnessing Emerging Research Opportunities to Empower Soldiers, or HEROES.
"This unique partnership benefits all by being able to effectively combine the best of both organizations -- people, facilities and expertise -- to work together to find creative and innovative solutions to improve the safety, mobility and sustainability of our warfighters," said Lynne Samuelson, Ph.D., NSRDEC co-director of the HEROES program and an NSRDEC senior scientific adviser. "HEROES also helps draw in other external partners in academia and industry to all work together to advance (science and technology) for our warfighters."
Through the HEROES program, dozens of engineers and scientists from NSRDEC and faculty members and students from UMass Lowell are working together to solve complex scientific and engineering challenges.
"As NSRDEC co-director of HEROES, I am thrilled to be able to work with the UML co-director, Professor Ramaswamy Nagarajan and the team at UML, to identify, establish, mentor, and provide continual scientific, programmatic and logistical oversight to valuable and mission-relevant HEROES collaborations that will advance Soldier (science and technology)," said Samuelson.
Areas of collaboration include Soldier protection (flame and thermal, environmental, chemical/biological, ballistic and antimicrobial protective materials), and Soldier sustainability (airdrop parachutes and parafoils, nutrition, power-generating nanocomposites, wearable thermo-electrics, as well as combat rations, combat ration safety, and novel food packaging).
"It is anticipated that new, exciting advancements will be made in each of these areas that will benefit our warfighter," said Samuelson.
One of the NSRDEC scientists participating in the collaboration is Quoc Truong. Truong believes that the program brings together complementary expertise. The professors teach theory and concepts while NSRDEC scientists are working to develop practical applications.
"By working together, it's like the right hand working with the left hand," said Truong. "It makes things more complete."
"I am currently working with Quoc Truong on a project developing environmental, chemical/biological protective membranes that will be comfortable to wear, be selectively permeable, allowing breathability while protecting the Soldier from toxic chemicals, viruses/bacteria, liquids, vapor," said Bridgette M. Budhlall, Ph.D., associate professor, UMass Nanomanufacturing Center at UMass Lowell. "Being able to leverage my research's group expertise in polymer coatings to help and protect the Soldier is an honor for me."
"The UMass Lowell/NSRDEC collaboration provides the opportunity to work with an excellent scientist on projects that are important for our nation's well-being," said Nese Orbey, Ph.D., associate professor, chemical engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, who is also working with Truong.
Students benefit from the program, as well.
"HEROES is a great opportunity for NSRDEC (scientists and engineers) to provide UML students valuable firsthand experience in research, innovation and potential commercialization of promising Soldier technologies," said Samuelson. "For many of these students, it is their first exposure to a laboratory outside of academia, and through HEROES they are able to apply their studies to exciting real- world military applications. Our NSRDEC (scientists and engineers) also benefit from the fresh ideas, dedication, passion and excitement that the students bring to each project. Ultimately, the DoD may benefit from the development of future DoD scientists."
"It was a great experience to work with Quoc and the program," said Cody Langlois, who is majoring in plastics engineering at UMass Lowell. "Quoc was always focused on the final goal of the project but made sure that the different team members understood the individual steps to reach that goal. He was always friendly and helped give me a look at what a career at Natick Labs looks like."
"By being at the university, we have access not only to the professors, but also a pool of students," said Truong. "Many of them are very bright, and they really work hard."
The relationship between the university and NSRDEC also fuels brainstorming. NSRDEC organized a Human Augmentation Roundtable. The event was an open and welcoming venue for discussing ideas and presenting differing perspectives. The aim of the Army's human augmentation effort is to merge human and machine to enhance endurance, speed, agility and accuracy, while reducing potential injuries faced by Soldiers.
"HEROES is a win-win for all: win for NSRDEC Scientists to tap into UML faculty, students, expertise and facilities to create new solutions to Soldier needs; Win for UML faculty to apply their valuable academic research and expose their students to real-world military problems; and most importantly, a win for our Soldiers, who will be the benefactors of cutting-edge research and innovation to improve their safety, agility and sustainability in the field," said Samuelson.
The U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to develop technology and engineering solutions for America's Soldiers.
RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness -- technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment -- to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC provides it.
Related Links:
U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center
Army.mil: Science and Technology News
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