iFEST 2022 Recap
iFEST 2022 focused on the value of working together to build the DoD’s future learning ecosystem. In today’s connected world, projects that achieve enterprise-level interoperability and widespread adoption depend on building partnerships.
Over 360 participants gathered at the Hilton Mark Center in Alexandria, VA from 16-18 August to learn about critical factors driving education and training modernization from policymakers, senior military officials, industry leaders, government, and academia.
The iFEST conference is sponsored annually by the National Training and Simulation Association (NTSA) in collaboration with the ADL Initiative. This signature event has become an important venue for tackling critical issues impacting how the DoD develops the workforce for the 21st century and prepares the warfighter to overcome adversaries now and into the future. The conference included keynote speakers, panels, sessions, technical presentations, and other activities organized around the theme New Paradigm of Learning: Partner and Prevail.
The three-day conference featured keynotes from Shawnna Hoffman, Chief Technology Leader, Legal Strategy & Operations, from Dell Technologies who provided the industry keynote on Day One and The Hon. Beverly J. Seay, Southeast Regional Director, National Security Innovation Network, who provided the government keynote on Day Two.
Ms. Hoffman highlighted the benefits of using artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology in modernizing the learning ecosystem from provable, traceable badges to the execution of smart contracts. She also noted the importance of connecting with others and the impact of individuals giving back to their communities, Hon. Seay discussed the global strategic imperative of meeting the human capital challenge from the perspective of securing national security and how cultivating partnerships of problem solvers is a strategy of choice for all stakeholders from government to industry to academia.