AFRL to offer real research in a virtual world

  • Published
  • By Michele Eaton
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Oh. --  In a major research education development, Air Force Research Laboratory's Discovery Lab will offer research students a new virtual, 3-D research environment and science, technology, engineering and math campus.

The virtual campus, Deep Horizons, will be extended to students in the Dayton region and nationally to provide them with research and STEM opportunities they might not otherwise have.

Any student with a computer and Internet access will have the opportunity for hands-on learning and research opportunities inside the 3-D virtual Deep Horizons campus, said Dr. Rob Williams, AFRL Discovery Lab research director.

Deep Horizons houses virtual research institutions that will enable student researchers from around the nation to take the form of avatars and share their academic research projects in a 3-D virtual setting.

The virtual campus was offered this summer to dependents of U.S. government personnel serving overseas so that they could participate in AFRL Discovery Lab's Summer-at-the-Edge student research program.

"Our goal this year is to reach 1,000 students," said Williams.

Williams announced future plans for Deep Horizons at an open house held Aug. 14 at Wright State University, where SATE students demonstrated results of research projects developed over the summer.

Deep Horizons and SATE are part of AFRL Discovery Lab's Year-at-the-Edge program. Top STEM students and projects from SATE are selected to be part of YATE, a year-around research program that continues into the school year.

"The goal of these programs is to accelerate today's innovations while growing tomorrow's innovators," said Williams. "Our focus is first- and second-year undergraduates to give them early hands-on research experience."

"It's about learning how to go find what you don't know from someone who knows," said SATE student Ernest Nixon, a computer science major at Wright State University who spent the summer at the Discovery Lab working on a project called Cooperative Autonomous Sensing for Predictive Reconnaissance.

"The process of asking the right question is something they teach here," said Nixon.

Discovery Lab's programs provide in-depth mentoring by AFRL, industry and academic research experts. Student projects are often real-world government and industry projects that would otherwise go unfunded. The research has the potential to generate future business and cost savings to industry and the Air Force.

According to Williams, the programs allow the Air Force to get an early look at prototype innovations to current technology challenges, while also getting an early opportunity to help grow an innovative and collaborative future workforce by tapping into a student's passion and interest. Many of the projects also have possible commercial applications that potentially benefit industry and the community.

The technologies addressed by SATE and YATE include nanotechnology, biology and healthcare, cybersecurity, virtual reality, additive manufacturing and many others.

"As someone thoroughly enjoyed the honor and privilege of serving my country first as an Air Force officer and then as a government civilian, it is very encouraging to have a part in helping to develop some of our future innovators and leaders," said Williams.