LAS CRUCES, N.M. (May 27, 2025) - New Mexico State University hosted a seminar titled "Improving Developmental Testing with Artificial Intelligence" in late May, welcoming participants from across the country representing the Army Test and Evaluation Command.
The Defense Learning Certificate program is a collaboration between the New Mexico State University Physical Science Lab and White Sands Missile Range. This program, led by expert trainers from Chieftain Elite Consulting, aims to develop a highly skilled workforce within the Department of Defense. The weeklong event, held at NMSU's Domenici Hall, marked the conclusion of a four-week online coursework program that combined virtual learning with live discussions.
The in-person seminar began with opening remarks from White Sands Test Center Commander Col. Matthew Johnson on May 19, who set the tone for innovation and collaboration as 23 ATEC participants gathered to prepare their findings and present on the final day, May 23.
"Friday's capstone seminar for the Improving Developmental Testing with Artificial Intelligence course included participants from across the Army Test and Evaluation Command," said Marcella Shelby, Doctor of Economic Development, Strategic Initiatives Officer. "The purpose of the course is to create an AI workforce leveraging relevant technology to meet operational goals in the developmental testing and evaluation mission."
Over the past two years, NMSU-PSL and WSMR have expanded the Defense Leadership Certificate program from one to five classes, now offering courses beyond WSMR to other ATEC installations.
Other courses include Leadership and Team Building, Effective Communications, Mentorship, and Technical Writing. They brought in Jeff Vargas, the President and CEO of Generationology LLC, for the Improving Developmental Testing with Artificial Intelligence, Effective Communications, and Mentorship courses.
On the final day, the capstone seminar featured a series of group presentations that showcased the intelligence and dedication of the participants, who had been working diligently to integrate artificial intelligence into developmental testing practices. They presented in front of their peers and answered questions from a panel of judges.
The groups focused on developing hazard analysis testing using artificial intelligence. According to the ATEC professionals who presented, implementing an AI solution will expedite the hazard analysis process, enabling faster and safer mission execution. Currently, hazard analysis is a lengthy process that requires multiple engineers to gather and analyze data, often taking several weeks to complete. In contrast, implementing AI provides a significant advantage by streamlining this process.
Group 3, consisting of Estefania Meza, Program Analyst at Yuma Test Center, Jaime Calanche, Test Officer at White Sands Test Center, John Kelly, Test Engineer at Redstone Test Center, and Mathew O'Connell, Lead Computer Scientist at Aberdeen Test Center, utilized artificial intelligence to create a "mega prompt." They accomplished this by integrating AI with a basic system prompt and defining a specific role for the AI, which included detailed mission parameters and output expectations. They repeated the process until they achieved their desired mega prompt.
The group found success and believes that implementing artificial intelligence into the developmental testing process will be beneficial, enabling the future force and saving lives.
"We only anticipate improvements in the effective use of AI in developing safety standards. It is going to save time, save money, it also provides better value and data for our decision-makers," said Calanche.
The other groups reached a similar conclusion, emphasizing that AI can help standardize hazard analysis across ATEC, streamline the approval process, and reduce testing timelines.
The success of this seminar not only showcased the potential to enhance developmental testing but also underscored the critical collaboration between educational institutions and military organizations.
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