New science podcast focuses on Army challenges

By CCDC Army Research Laboratory Public AffairsJune 13, 2019

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1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – In Episode 1 of the Army Research Laboratory's new podcast, "What We Learned Today," ARL Director Dr. Philip Perconti talks about the future of synthetic biology and how materials may one day heal themselves when damaged. It features a discussion wit... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- The Army is pursuing complex science and technology challenges to forge the future force. Modernization, discovery and innovation will ensure the Army of the future is the dominant strategic land power, according to Army officials.

In a new podcast, Dr. Philip Perconti, director of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command's Army Research Laboratory, interviews scientists and engineers and discusses the cutting edge of lab's foundational research.

"The Army has a corporate research laboratory," Perconti explains in episode one. "It's mission is to do disruptive research for the long term."

The Army Research Laboratory is responsible for thinking about technology beyond 2035, he said.

"What research has to be done to affect disruptive warfighting capability in the long term? That's the primary mission of the Army Research Laboratory," he said.

The podcast, What We Learned Today, will feature a different area of research in each episode and also feature an up-and-coming Army researcher.

In the first few episodes, Perconti tackles topics like synthetic biology, future fuels and innovative robotics.

"This is a collaborative environment," Perconti said. "In order to collaborate, you need to know where people are coming from. What they think is important. Getting together with people and communicating on as many different levels as possible is the intent here."

Episode 1 addresses the future of synthetic biology and how materials may one day heal themselves when damaged. It features a discussion with Army research chemist Dr. Meagan Small.

Listeners can subscribe to the podcast on popular platforms such as Apple Podcasts (iTunes) and Google Play (see Related Links below). It will also be embedded on the laboratory's homepage, or the podcast homepage. As the podcast is syndicated, the goal will be for the listener to subscribe to future episodes on their app of choice.

"We can use this to reach a wide audience; this is just one avenue for that," Perconti said. "That's our intent…to make sure people understand our mission and the problems we're trying to solve."

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The CCDC Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command. As the Army's corporate research laboratory, ARL discovers, innovates and transitions science and technology to ensure dominant strategic land power. Through collaboration across the command's core technical competencies, CCDC leads in the discovery, development and delivery of the technology-based capabilities required to make Soldiers more lethal to win our Nation's wars and come home safely. CCDC is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Futures Command.

What We Learned Today: The Lab and Synthetic Biology

Related Links:

U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command

Army Research Laboratory

Army Futures Command

Army Modernization