AUiX
Air University’s Innovation Accelerator
17-18 OCT 2023
LEDx Strategy & Grand Opening of
The Eagle Institute
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Our Vision
Increase AU’s contribution to National Security objectives by taking ideas
“one step beyond.”
Our Mission
Activate and prototype AU ideas of merit through teaching, research, engagements, and community partnerships using a whole-of-nation approach.
How AUiX Accomplishes its Mission
01
AUiX takes your ideas one step beyond
Nearly 200,000 students graduate from Air University each year. Imagine taking just 1% of student research ideas “one step beyond.”
One Step Beyond
What does this mean? AUiX accelerates innovation by taking an idea or research, linking it to strategy, obtaining sponsorship, developing a funding/contracting solution, and connecting the idea holder to the right industry, academia, or government partners towards obtaining traction.
02
How We Get Traction
We teach innovation.
See Courses
We conduct and assist with research.
See Our Projects
We engage the community.
See Conferences and Events
03
Getting your ideas out into the innovation ecosystem
We break through barriers that prevent our Airmen from innovating. AUiX focuses on the hard parts (e.g., funding, contracting, networking, etc.), so Airmen can focus on the ideas.
04
Why Speed Matters
Speed is a strategic advantage in innovation. Speed is the duration (measured in days/weeks/months) a project takes from induction into the AUiX innovation system to milestone-type events and/or capability delivery.
In 2022, AUiX took an average of 1.25 months to go from Idea to Requirement, and 2.8 months to go from Requirement to Contract. That’s roughly 4 months from Idea to Project Initiation. This is fast…but it could be even faster. Imagine the impact if it only took two months from idea generation to prototype.
CSAF is challenging Airmen to “Accelerate change or lose.” The question is: Will we win?
AUiX Projects
Our current portfolio showcases innovative solutions which includes: designing cutting-edge education experience for the next generation of innovators, improving readiness with human performance and gaming apps, and coordinating hardware prototypes for ACE environments.
Project Krayt
The prototype enables mission tasking of deployed forces in remote/austere locations along with reporting status to command and control nodes while also receiving the latest threat and targeting intelligence.
Project Praxeum
Praxeum offers opportunities to leverage stakeholder diversity to capture holistic learning requirements for the discovery of innovative, relevant ways to learn through collaboration.
REFUEL app
An AI backed application that enables Airmen, Guardians + Commanders to easily access evidence-based, comprehensive HP content, coaching, community + analytic tools designed to sustain resilience + readiness as they compete, deter and win.
ReFUEL is a Comprehensive Human Performance Center of Excellence App.
Ledx Conference
The conference introduces the topic of social innovation as well as connects the local Montgomery community leaders with AU’s academic professors and military leadership.
Project DAWG
An open innovation tournament for diverse college student groups from top universities to use gaming technology to develop the fundamental competencies of airmen.
Project BESCAR
AUiX Innovative Contracting System: Increases SPEED and Innovation throughput.
AR/VR Education
Integrating AR/VR technology in the classroom provides interactive and immersive learning. These experiences increase exposure to emerging technologies, enhance engagement with educational content, and develop critical thinking skills.
iRTF
Innovation Research Task Force (iRTF) employs AU students, faculty and staff to address issues of importance in areas related to the education and training of innovators.
CAP
The CAP STEM Kit program elevates STEM awareness and opportunities towards building a more capable future workforce.
Blue Horizons
Blue Horizons is an Air Force Chief of Staff-chartered fellowship hosted by the Center for Strategy and Technology at Maxwell AFB.
Project Mercury
Project Mercury helps foster innovation readiness that our nation and strategic partners need in order to maintain free and vibrant societies.
AlighnED
Providing PME students access to senior-leader sponsored research questions, problems, and requirements.
Redstart
Comparison of indices allows for innovation measurements amongst great power competitors allowing for strategic/recoursing decisions.
MHE + HULK
Heavy Utility Lift Kit: MHE built for the ACE environment, able to effectively on/off-load necessary cargo at adaptive bases.
Our Network
AUiX values interconnectivity with academia, military, and industry for driving research and innovation. Our collaboration with other world-renowned academic institutions, government entities and industry partners creates a rich and diverse network of experts, allowing for the exchange of ideas and knowledge. This dynamic community fosters an environment of creative thinking and problem-solving, leading to breakthrough advancements and a greater understanding of our field. By building a community of collaboration and intellectual exchange, AUiX helps accelerate change.
Innovation Education
AU Students
Innovation at Air University:
*Content containing references to or direct mention of non-federal entities on this website is not intended to imply federal government and/or U.S. Air Force endorsement of those non-federal entities.
Rhizome Innovation Network (RIN)
The Rhizome Innovation Network (RIN) is a community of like-minded individuals who share a passion for innovation, education, and creativity. The RIN aims to bring together thought leaders from military, academia, government, and industries to collaborate, share ideas, and drive progress. The network fosters a culture of openness and collaboration, providing a platform for members to exchange ideas and work together on innovation projects that can have a meaningful impact on the world. With a wide range of events, resources, and opportunities for connection, this network offers a dynamic and supportive environment for those looking to grow and make a difference.
Project PELLA: A Dynamic Initiative to Expose, Engage and Enrich the Lives of Students During the Most Critical Year
There is no shortage of information on the critical need to provide students with meaningful, early and on-going exposure to the rapidly evolving fields of STEM. From the highest levels of leadership in Alabama, there is urgency to improve and increase learning of these subjects within schools across the state. With more and more jobs, and even our mere way of engaging daily becoming increasingly technical, students who lack experience in these areas will be left behind in their ability to find substantive employment. Additionally, we must ask ourselves, “what potential contribution does society miss by not investing heavily in those who will, inevitably, assume leadership roles – with or without adequate preparation.” Across the organization, AUiX lives by a nonnegotiable standard that to whom much is given, much is required. Through various social innovation efforts, AUiX aspires to be a conduit of change not only in the Air Force community, but also in the lives of these future leaders.
Collaboration and Mentorship in the World of Innovation
One of the greatest challenges to innovation is stagnation, an inability to think beyond one’s own perception and experience to create transformative and impactful solutions. A quick search on the web yields countless articles emphasizing the need for constant collaboration lest innovators find themselves in stale cycles of monotony, thus diminishing their credibility of being innovative in an ever evolving world. A lesser discussed, but equally viable — dare we say necessary — implementation is that of mentorship.