Symposium - 3.2020

About the Annual Acquisition Research Symposium

 

Every May, the Acquisition Research Program hosts a diverse group of acquisition professionals in a research-focused forum that connects scholars, practitioners, and policymakers. Attendees come from around the world; about half are Naval Postgraduate School faculty and graduate students engaged in acquisition-related research. Senior acquisition officials from the Departments of Defense and the U.S. Navy serve as panel chairs and present their critiques and comments on research papers and priorities.

Join us for the 22nd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium, to be held May 7-8, 2025. 

Calls for papers will be issued in September 2024. 

Thanks to all who joined us for the 21st Annual Acquisition Research Symposium, May 8-9, 2024.

 

Read more about the most recent symposium. 

Papers and presentations are now available in our Defense Acquisition & Innovation Repository (DAIR). 

Keynote addresses and select panel presentations from 2024 are available to view to our ARP YouTube channel, where you can also view panels from previous symposia.

The symposium provides a unique opportunity for NPS graduate students to present research and exchange ideas with senior policymakers, practitioners, and distinguished scholars. The symposium also features research papers and presentations on recently completed and ongoing projects sponsored by the Departments of Defense and U.S. Navy.

Previous symposia have featured the following presenters and keynote speakers, among other notable participants:

  • Hon. Bill LaPlante, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment 
  • Hon. Nick Guertin, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition (2024) and Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (2023)
  • Hon. Andrew Hunter, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics
  • Ms. Stacy Cummings, Former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment
  • Rear Admiral Lorin Selby, USN, Chief of Naval Research
  • Hon. Frank Kendall, Former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics
  • Hon. Sean Stackley, Former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition and Acting Secretary of the Navy 
  • Hon. Jacques S. Gansler, Former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition
  • Anne Rung, Director of Government Sector for Amazon Business; former United States Chief Acquisition Officer
  • Vice Admiral David H. Lewis, Director of Defense Contract Management Agency
  • David A. Drabkin, Former Chairman of the Section 809 Panel
  • Elliott Branch, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Acquisition & Procurement
testimony symposium