NCDMM Partners with Kent State University to Establish DEDC Space@Kent

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is boosting its digital-engineering capabilities, specifically the integration of digital-twin technology, to strengthen the defense industrial base. Toward that end, the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) has partnered with Kent State University’s College of Aeronautics and Engineering, Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network, and the Youngstown Business Incubator to establish Kent State’s Digital Engineering and Design Center for Space Applications (DEDC Space@Kent). 

This initiative aims to create an integrated digital-engineering environment that boosts the capabilities of small and medium-sized manufacturers and develops a robust digital-engineering-talent infrastructure, ultimately fortifying the defense industrial base and enhancing U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.  

“There is an education and workforce-development element to this initiative, but it’s also about elevating the capabilities of regional manufacturers in resource-constrained communities, promoting the adoption of technology, and leveraging expertise from across the United States,” says Jamie White, senior director at NCDMM. “There is also the DoD mission to advance these manufacturers to a point where they can enter and support the defense industrial base.”

The DEDC Space@Kent will play a pivotal role as one of the first centers of its kind, offering undergraduates practical skills through year-long internships in digital engineering. Students will gain hands-on experience in designing, developing, testing and implementing aerospace systems with a focus on cybersecurity, aligned with systems-engineering principles from the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory Cyber-Informed Engineering initiative. 

“We are strategically located in a region with strong congressional support, eager to see Ohio students trained in the latest, most in-demand areas,” says Dr. Joycelyn Harrison, associate dean at the Kent State College of Aeronautics and Engineering. “Also, we have companies, the military, NASA, the Air Force Research Laboratory and other entities in our region. Thinking long-term, the region will benefit as we engage with both large and small component developers in aerospace technology. Many smaller companies lack the necessary cybersecurity infrastructure required by the DoD for integration into larger systems. Our initiative will help these companies enhance their cybersecurity capabilities.”  

Technologies: Management

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