Agendaghill2025-09-08T15:13:56-04:00

Agenda

IWRC AI & Autonomy Agenda*

*Time and speakers subject to change

Wednesday, 10 September 2025

University of North Dakota Memorial Union
2901 University Drive
Grand Forks, ND

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Time (CT)	Session	Speaker
8:00 AM	Registration
9:00 AM	Welcome & Kickoff	Dr. Scott Snyder, University of North Dakota Amber Orr, IEEE-USA Tim Lee, 2025 IEEE-USA President Welcome Video from Senator Kevin Cramer
9:15 AM	AI & Autonomy – The Innovation DOD Needs	Connie Kelly, IEEE Region 4 (Introduction) Eric Lam, AFRL Regional Network- Midwest
9:45 AM	How to Get Involved in North Dakota Innovation Ecosystems	Dr. Mark Askelson, University of North Dakota (Moderator) Dr. Noel Anderson, Grand Farm Scott Meyer, GrandSKY (North Dakota State Senator – 18th District) Jodie Mjoen, Impact Dakota Seth Simonson, North Dakota State College of Science
10:30 AM	Networking Break
11:00 AM - 11:50 AM	Breakout Sessions
	1) Air and Space Autonomy Terri Zimmerman, Packet Digital and Botlink (Moderator) Collin Newberry, Northern Plains UAS Test Site John Sawyer, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Dr. Rex Sun, North Dakota State University	2) Ground Autonomy Dr. Denver Tolliver, Upper Grand Plains Transportation Institute (Moderator) Dr. Noel Anderson, Grand Farm Maynard Factor, Kratos Defense Alex Rudin, MITRE Srikrishna Sallam, NS Alpha Holdings, LLC
12:00 PM	Networking Lunch and Fireside Chat with DARPA	Dr. Andrew Armacost, President, University of North Dakota Phillip Smith, Tactical Technology Office, DARPA
1:15 PM	Remarks from the Mayor	Brandon Bochenski, Mayor, City of Grand Forks
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM	Investing in AI and Autonomy	Cortnee Jensen, University of North Dakota (Moderator) Kodee Furst, 50 South Capital Scott Schofield, Northrop Grumman Ben Stanley, gener8tor 1889
2:20 PM - 3:15 PM	Breakout Sessions
	1) Education and Workforce Janna Pastir, North Dakota Department of Commerce (Moderator) Dr. Thomas Clausen, 3M Becca Cruger, Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation Dr. Kerry Hartman, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College Megan Ueland, Northrop Grumman	2) Issues Related to Small Business Alan Haut, U.S. Small Business Administration (Moderator) Doug McDonald, ISight Drone Services Stoen Mollman, South Dakota SBIR Pete Haga, Thread John Ryan, The HIVE
3:20 PM	Break
3:35 PM	What’s Next for AI, Autonomy, and North Dakota	Wes Ryan, Northrop Grumman, Aeronautics Systems Dr. Mark Askelson, University of North Dakota Russell Harrison, IEEE-USA
4:00 PM	Wrap-Up and Adjourn

Time (CT)
8:00 AM - Registration
9:00 AM - Welcome & Kickoff Dr. Scott Snyder, University of North Dakota Amber Orr, IEEE-USA Tim Lee, 2025 IEEE-USA President Welcome Video from Senator Kevin Cramer
9:15 AM - AI & Autonomy – The Innovation DOD Needs Connie Kelly, IEEE Region 4 (Introduction) Eric Lam, AFRL Regional Network- Midwest
9:45 AM - How to Get Involved in North Dakota Innovation Ecosystems Dr. Mark Askelson, University of North Dakota (Moderator) Dr. Noel Anderson, Grand Farm Scott Meyer, GrandSKY (North Dakota State Senator – 18th District) Jodie Mjoen, Impact Dakota Seth Simonson, North Dakota State College of Science
10:30 AM - Networking Break
11:00 AM - 11:50 AM - Breakout Sessions
1) Air and Space Autonomy Terri Zimmerman, Packet Digital and Botlink (Moderator) Collin Newberry, Northern Plains UAS Test Site John Sawyer, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Dr. Rex Sun, North Dakota State University
2) Ground Autonomy Dr. Denver Tolliver, Upper Grand Plains Transportation Institute (Moderator) Dr. Noel Anderson, Grand Farm Maynard Factor, Kratos Defense Alex Rudin, MITRE Srikrishna Sallam, NS Alpha Holdings, LLC
12:00 PM - Networking Lunch and Fireside Chat with DARPA Dr. Andrew Armacost, President, University of North Dakota Phillip Smith, Tactical Technology Office, DARPA
1:15 PM - Remarks from the Mayor Brandon Bochenski, Mayor, City of Grand Forks
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM - Investing in AI and Autonomy Cortnee Jensen, University of North Dakota (Moderator) Kodee Furst, 50 South Capital Scott Schofield, Northrop Grumman Ben Stanley, gener8tor 1889
2:20 PM - 3:15 PM - Breakout Sessions
1) Education and Workforce Janna Pastir, North Dakota Department of Commerce (Moderator) Dr. Thomas Clausen, 3M Becca Cruger, Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation Dr. Kerry Hartman, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College Megan Ueland, Northrop Grumman
2) Issues Related to Small Business Alan Haut, U.S. Small Business Administration (Moderator) Doug McDonald, ISight Drone Services Stoen Mollman, South Dakota SBIR Pete Haga, Thread John Ryan, The HIVE
3:20 PM - Break
3:35 PM - What’s Next for AI, Autonomy, and North Dakota Dr. Mark Askelson, University of North Dakota Russell Harrison, IEEE-USA Wes Ryan, Northrop Grumman, Aeronautics Systems
4:00 PM - Wrap-Up and Adjourn

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