New Event Model

1. New Event Model Basil Hassan Vice President for Technical Activities Sept. 2011

2. Why the need for change? • Aerospace industry is evolving and AIAA must change with it … • More emphasis in the industry on integrating systems and disciplines. AIAA must be in a position to support these growth areas. • AIAA has historical strength in stewarding the fundamental aerospace disciplines. It is important to maintain this strength and provide a home for the part of the AIAA membership that we have supported • Significant parts of our membership and industry are interested in integrating aerospace systems and disciplines and are not being served adequately by our current set of conferences • Many members (and would-be members) and historical conference attendees are choosing alternate venues like Space Foundation, IEEE, SAE, etc for focus on integrated systems • New and emerging technologies have no obvious home (either no synergistic conference or too many synergistic conferences )within our current structure. • … and at the same time • Institute membership has stagnated (actually dropping) for the last several years • The average age of Institute members is increasing on a yearly basis • Recent attendance at conferences is either down or stagnant. No significant growth! • Government funded research (in academia, government labs, and industry) is also in decline. This research has formed the backbone of our current conferences. Current need to cut federal spending will impact further • Discretionary dollars used for travel are at a premium. It is no longer feasible to attend 3-4 conferences a year. Some organizations have a hard time justifying going to a single conference!

9. Example: Hypersonic systems and technology interest • Someone with an interest in hypersonic systems might need to attend several AIAA conferences to get appropriate information and form networking relationships • Systems-Focused Conferences • Hypersonics Technologies and Space Planes Conference – open conference with international community focused on various aspects of hypersonic flight systems • Missile Sciences Conference – classified forum frequently used to discuss restricted information • JPC – advanced air-breathing propulsion systems and combustion discipline • Space – Access to space (air-breathing systems) and planetary entry, descent and landing system architectures • Discipline-Focused Conferences • Aerospace Sciences Meeting – fundamental aero disciplines supporting hypersonic flows • Fluids/Thermophysics/Applied Aero/Ground Testing/Plasmadynamics/Aero Measurements/Aeroacoustics – hypersonic flows, aerodynamics/aerothermodynamics, testing, etc • AFM / GNC / MST – flight mechanics, control systems, modeling/simulation • SDM – high temperature materials, aeroelasticity, dynamic loading and vibration • Where does coupling or interaction of the above technologies occur???

10. Where does our future lie? • Possible path forward • Develop conferences that maintain our core technical strengths but also integrate systems areas that are currently underserved. • Reorganize our current conferences to combined events that include spectrum of both technical disciplines focus and integrated systems focus. • Better integrate broader AIAA areas (Public Policy, Education, Standards, etc) into event structure • What is the benefit to the attendee? • Option of focusing on technical depth or system-focused breadth (or mixture of both) all in a single event, rather than having to attend several conferences • Better integration of exhibits, public policy events, educational opportunities, etc. One stop shop! • Allow systems-focused attendees to learn more about fundamental supporting disciplines and how they may be integrated into their systems • Allow discipline-focused attendees to have broader exposure to system needs of industry • Provide a home for professional development for younger staff as their career progresses from discipline focus to system focus • Provide a forum to introduce new technologies to a broader audience that do not necessarily follow under the purview of existing conferences • Provide a forum for engineers, educators, policy makers to network in manner not currently supported by existing events

11. Next Steps for New Event Model • Prepare communication to membership on goals, current status and upcoming activity - DONE • Prepare survey to key stakeholders to ensure we address important characteristics of future events - DONE • Examine conference/event models used by other professional societies – In progress • SWOT analysis of proposed new models – In progress • Focus TAC Workshop at ASM (Jan 2012) to build advocacy and ensure support • Expecting broad Institute participation (TCs/PCs, YPs, VPs, CMC, etc) • Communicate options to key stakeholders and solicit feedback • Develop action plan to transition current conferences to new model